ROGERS — The Republican-led Arkansas Legislature won’t be one of gridlock, a panel of three journalists predicted Tuesday.

That’s because the newleaders of the state House and Senate - Rep. Davy Carter of Cabot and Sen. Michael Lamoureux of Russellville - will be able to work with Gov. Mike Beebe and Democrats in the Legislature, said John Brummett, a columnistfor the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

“We’ve got two guys who are in charge of the Republicans down there who are inclined to deal,” Brummett said. “It’s going to be fascinating.”

Brummett made the comments Tuesday at a pre-legislative meeting held by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, a Little Rockbased group that researches the needs of children and works to change state policy based on those needs. It drew a crowd of about 60 to the Center for Nonprofits in Rogers.

Carter is the House speaker designate. Lamoureux is the incoming Senate presi-dent pro tempore.

After the Nov. 6 general election, Republicans hold a majority of seats in the House and Senate for the first time since Reconstruction.

In the House, Republicans hold 51 of 100 seats, Democrats hold 48 and there is one representative from the Green Party. That’s an increase of five seats for the Republicans.

In the Senate, Republicans hold 21 seats and Democrats hold 14. That’s an increase of six seats for the Republicans.

With such an unprecedented shift, much uncertainty accompanies the legislative session that will begin Jan. 14.

“I don’t want to be overly optimistic,” said Brummett. “This thing could still break down into a heck of a mess, who knows?”

The audience heard representatives from Arkansas Advocates speak at a panel discussion earlier Tuesday morning about the need to accept federal assistance to expand Medicaid in Arkansas. The expansion would cover an additional 250,000 Arkansans beyond the 792,000 that receive benefits now. Beebe, a Democrat who has been in office since 2007, recommends the expansion.

The federal government has promised to pick up the entire tab for expansion of Medicaid until 2017. The federal government would pay Arkansas about $900 million extra per year for the next three years. By 2020, the state would be responsible for 10 percent of the cost of the expansion.

An appropriation measure funding the Medicaid expansion requires a three-fourths vote of the Legislature (at least 75 votes in the 100-member House and at least 27 votes in the 35-member Senate).

Doug Thompson, a columnist with Northwest Arkansas Media, said the chances of that happening are slim. Republicans aren’t inclined to vote for the measure because it could cost Arkansas more in the long run, and it’s an increase in “entitlement” funding, which they believe is going to drive up federal debt.

“Can Medicaid expansion be brought through the Arkansas House with 75 votes?” Thompson asked. “Barely if at all.”

Thompson said the debate over the Medicaid expansion issue won’t be one of logic or compassion because it’s been discussed for more thanthree years and it’s still a contentious topic. It was part of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Barack Obama.

“If it was going to be settled by logic and compassion it would have been settled by now,” Thompson said after the meeting Tuesday.

Brummett noted that the federal government’s Medicaid expansion offer could change depending on negotiations in Washington, D.C., to avert a set of spending cuts and tax increases, known as the “fiscal cliff,” that are set to take effect next month.

Roby Brock, executive producer and host of Talk Business, a business, politics and public-affairs television show, said the Legislature will have two “pretty pragmatic Republicans in those leadership roles.”

Carter has already hired a Democrat to be House chief of staff: Gabe Holmstrom, also of Cabot. And Carter has retained another Democrat, Bill Stovall, to be chief operating officer. Stovall was previously House chief of staff. Carter also hired a Republican, former Rep. Roy Ragland of Marshall, to be House director.

“The Republicans have taken over the House and installed a triumvirate of staff leaders that is two-thirds Democrat,” said Brummett.

In an earlier interview, Carter said the House staff is going to be nonpartisan.

“If it ever becomes partisan, I will make changes immediately,” he said.

Brummett said Beebe has had good things to say about Carter.

“‘He reminds me of me,’” Brummett recalled Beebe saying, “which is the highest praise a governor can give.”

Brock, who also operates the website talkbusiness.net, said Lamoureux has a “delegation style” as a legislator.

“I think Lamoureux is going to be a lot less about him getting the credit, ruling with an iron fist, than being a working group kind of guy,” said Brock.

Rich Huddleston, executive director of Arkansas Advocates, asked about inexperience in the Legislature. Huddleston said he counted 42 new members who will be serving next year in the House of Representatives.

“What have we wrought in Arkansas with term limits and the Republican takeover?” said Brummett. “We’ve just changed. It’s remarkable.”

Brummett said it will probably be March before Legislators figure out what they’re doing and how to get things done.

Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7 on 12/05/2012