ROGERS — While a brunette woman at one table describes her work, a young man in a tie sits at a nearby table discussing his new number. Across the room, the tall man in the dark suit hopes he’s making a better impression than the older gentleman who had just vacated the same seat. Each was seeking the same thing: a one-day commitment on May 22.
Call it the political equivalent of speed dating.
Six state legislative candidates gathered Thursday at the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, rotating among six tables of chamber members in a meet-and-greet forum cast as “speed dating for politicians” by Michael Lindsey, chamber president. Speed dating is a social setting where people who haven’t been introduced get together and talk briefly with different people in timed encounters. Each then decides if they want to follow up with anyone they met.
That was state Rep. Debra Hobbs, R-Rogers, explaining legislative workings to one table, while Rep. Duncan Baird, R-Lowell, noted redistricting has changed the designation of his House seat to District 96. Sue Scott, R-Pea Ridge, seeking the House District 95 seat in northeast Benton County, took notes on potential concerns. Bart Hester of Cave Springs, running for state Senate in District 1, followed opponent Rep. Tim Summers, R-Rogers, around the six-table rotation.
“Now, Debbie, this is my time. You move along,” Summers joked during one switch to Hobbs, who couldn’t move on herself until the next table turned Baird loose.
None of the five candidates had seen the round-robin style forum before.
“It’s a unique way to visit with voters, although I don’t think I missed out on anything by never trying real speed-dating,” said Baird, the only unmarried candidate. “It was a good way to sit down and connect with people, and probably a lot easier for me because I’m running unopposed.”
The format also allowed more questions and topic variety than most forums or debates, said Greg Hines, chamber member and Rogers mayor.
“I think folks are apt to be a lot more open with questions in the more intimate setting than they would shouting them into a microphone in a crowded room,” Hines said. “It also opens the door to more topics than the usual four or five.”
Some tables left open seats for the candidates at the head or foot of the table, others somewhere in the middle of the group. With five candidates and six tables, one table was without a candidate for most of the event. Depending on who was grouped there, the conversations stuck mostly to political topics, but varied from the city and county to national levels.
“There were several things that came up more readily than they have in other forums, but no one issue I hadn’t at least dealt with before,” Hester said.
While many in the audience had previously met or at least heard of most of the candidates, Thursday’s forum offered a new view of them, Hines said.
“It’s just as important to know who a candidate is as a person as it is to know where they stand on issues,” he said.
Format aside, the event was definitely hosted by the chamber, Hester said.
“In door to door campaigning, I’ve heard a lot about social issues,” he said. “Today, there were a lot more questions about business, taxation and the economy.”