House Speaker Prospect Spotted at Neal's Cafe

— Rep. Davy Carter, R-Cabot, who had not confirmed Wednesday whether he is running for speaker of the state House of Representatives, met with a half-dozen Northwest Arkansas Republicans at Neal’s Cafe in Springdale on the eve of Thursday’s speaker’s election.

Carter declined comment after the meeting, as did those who met with him. Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, did say he helped organize the meeting.

The Republican candidate for speaker in the non-binding election at the end of the last Legislative session was Terry Rice, R-Mena. Rice lost to Darrin Williams, D-Little Rock. However, Republicans gained a majority in the elections earlier this month. The new members with their new Republican majority will vote again today, with Rice the apparent front-runner.

The incoming House membership is very evenly divided with 51 Republicans, 48 Democrats and one Green Party member. The Republican majority was secured by a very close vote in an east Arkansas district, which is getting a recount and was decided by a margin of 44 votes.

Carter would be the Democrat’s choice if Williams is eliminated and the choice fell between Carter and Rice, said Rep. Greg Leding of Fayetteville, House Minority Leader.

“Our first goal is to elect our current speaker-designate, Darrin Williams,” Leding, who was not at Neal’s, said Wednesday afternoon. “If and only if that is not possible, you could see us declare support for Rep. Carter.”

Leding would not confirm whether Carter is running for speaker, but said: “I haven’t talked to him about going to Springdale and don’t know the purpose of the meeting, but I’ve got a pretty good guess.” He would not elaborate.

Carter was chairman of the powerful House Revenue and Taxation Committee under departing speaker Rep. Robert Moore, D-Arkansas City. He worked in a bipartisan manner on many issues, Leding said. He would be a less divisive choice than Rice, Leding said.

Neal’s Cafe is a well-known political hotspot frequented by both Republican and Democratic elected officials and candidates. Meeting with Carter on Wednesday were Collins; departing House member and state senator-elect Jon Woods; Rep.-elect Bob Ballinger, R-Hindsville; Rep.-elect Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville; Rep.-elect Micah Neal, R-Springdale; and Rep.-elect Randy Alexander, R-Springdale.

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