FAYETTEVILLE — Former State Rep. J. W. “Bill” Ramsey says his experience will let him “hit the ground running” at the state Legislature while Greg Leding says he’s more in touch with Fayetteville’s “progressive” voters.
The two candidates for state representative in District 92 squared off Friday in a debate hosted by the Washington County League of Women voters in Fayetteville. The race will be determined in the May 18 Democratic primary because no GOP candidates filed.
The District 92 House seat is held by Rep. Lindsley Smith, D-Fayetteville, who can’t run for re-election because of term limits. The district covers a large portion of Fayetteville, including the downtown area. Smith backs Leding.
Ramsey, 75, said he will require “no on the job training.” Ramsey left the House in 1990 after serving 18 years representing western Washington County and northern Crawford County back when he lived in Prairie Grove. He is eligible to run today because term limits did not take effect until 1990.
Ramsey cited his military experience, small business ownership and leadership at the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce as relevant qualifications. He also defended his work as a lobbyist.
Leding, 32, said when Ramsey retired from the House “no one had cell phones” and today’s freshmen at the University of Arkansas were not even born yet. “Learning on the job is essential” in today’s modern world, Leding argued. He called himself a “strong voice to progressive beliefs— a full-throated advocate.”
During his closing remarks, Leding attacked Ramsey’s voting record in the House as conservative. Ramsey voted against the Equal Rights Amendment four times and also voted for a bill requiring balanced treatment in public school of both evolution and creation science, or teaching the world was created by a deity, he said.
Ramsey said he will support the Equal Right Amendment now, but in the 1970s his rural, conservative constituents were “very much opposed it.” When the so-called Creation Science Bill came before the House on the last day of the session in 1981, he voted against it because his many of his constituents asked him to.
“I’m a good listener,” Ramsey said.
Leding complained during his opening gay people cannot marry in Arkansas. He said later he supports gay marriages.
Ramsey said he has many friends who are gay and he “supports equal rights for gays.” He said he will “keep an open mind the issue” of gay marriages, even though he personally has reservations about it.
Both candidates named education and jobs as top priorities.
Leding said during the debate he favors phasing out the sales tax on groceries. Ramsey said he wants to phase it out, but won’t make that commitment during hard economic times because two-thirds of that money goes toward education.
Leding did not say he would make up for the revenue if the tax was cut, but said some other tax increase is a possibility.
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Bill Ramsey
• Age: 75
• Residency: Fayetteville, district resident since 1997
• Family: Wife, Beth; two children; four grandchildren
• Employment: Retired president of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, self-employed lobbyist; former owner of Crescent Department Store in Prairie Grove
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, University of Arkansas
• Military experience: Served in the U.S. Air Force
• Political experience: State Representative in House District 12, which included Prairie Grove, 1973-1990
• Web site: http://www.ramsey4rep.com/
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Greg Leding
• Age: 32
• Residency: Fayetteville, district resident since 2005
• Family: Single
• Employment: Web design for Fayetteville Public Schools
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, University of Arkansas
• Military experience: None
• Political experience: None
• Web site: http://gregleding.com/