FAYETTEVILLE — Two Republican candidates for state Senate District 7 tried to highlight their differences Tuesday night.
State Sen. Bill Pritchard, R-Elkins, and state Rep. Jon Woods, R-Springdale, each made their pitch to a meeting of the Washington County Republicans. Both are seeking the District 7 seat that covers most of Springdale, parts of Johnson, Tontitown, Elm Springs, Elkins, as well as some rural areas of the county.
Pritchard, seeking his last term before term limits keep him out of the race, focused on his position as the most senior member of the Senate, which should make him chairman of the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee. Woods, who is term-limited in his House seat, wants to jump to the Senate side. He cast himself Tuesday as a candidate not afraid to rock the boat.
The two traded barbs over past statements, bills and political maneuvers, as well as current endorsements and campaign contributors. In a series of questions, the two gave similar responses to some: The state of public education since the Lakeview decision a decade ago, a looming Medicaid shortfall that could cost the state between $200 million and $400 million, and lowering the personal income tax rate for Arkansans.
They differed, however, on tort reform, highways and reducing prison populations.
On tort reform, Pritchard said he’ll support any legislative action, including a special session or Constitutional amendment, to restore caps on punitive damages thrown out by the state Supreme Court. Woods opposes the caps, preferring to let juries decide on acceptable damages.
On highways, both oppose the fuel-tax increase proposal voters will see in November. Pritchard wants the state Highway Commission to funnel more money toward areas, such as Northwest Arkansas, that have higher traffic counts, and for commissioners to be appointed based on traffic counts rather than by regions defined by road miles.
Woods wants the commission abolished, and a dedicated revenue stream including tax money collected on tires and used car parts directed toward roads.
The two had different reactions to prison overcrowding and possible solutions. Woods supports a guarded but lower-security housing for some prisoners, while Pritchard wants to use treatment instead of incarceration for drug offenders and some drug-related crimes. Neither supported closing a prison if it meant a lower-security complex would be in Northwest Arkansas.
“I can think of a lot of places in east Arkansas where we could stick a big tent city and save the state a lot of money,” Woods said.
The two also traded barbs about Woods’ endorsement by the AFl-CIO union, and the causes of illegal immigration.
Woods said poultry companies don’t want to see curbs on immigration that could affect their business. Pritchard, admitting the Arkansas Poultry Federation is a campaign contributor, called Woods out for supporting an employer-verification bill he said would have hurt small businesses.
In closing, however, both pledged to support the other depending on who wins May 22. The winner will face Diana Gonzalez-Worthen, D-Springdale, in November.