With early voting set to start Monday in the May 20 preferential primary, here's the second batch of our editorial board's endorsements in contested primary races for the Arkansas House of Representatives.
District 87
With three-term state Republican Rep. Jonathan Barnett term-limited out of office at the end of this year, perhaps it's surprising only two GOP candidates jumped into the race to succeed him. Robin Lundstrum of Elm Springs and Lucas Roebuck of Siloam Springs are asking for votes. Lundstrum gets ours. She's worked as a member of the Elm Springs City Council and spent a quarter century supporting GOP candidates and issues. Her educational and business experience will be a fine background for the collaboration needed in the Legislature to accomplish tax reform, attracting businesses, improving education and limiting government growth. No opponent awaits the victor in November.
District 94
Marge Wolf will be a worthy representative of the GOP in the November contest against Democrat Grimsley Graham, who faces no opposition this spring. Rebecca Petty challenges Wolf for the Republican nomination, but our sense is Wolf's 10 years on the Benton County Quorum Court, five years on the Rogers City Council and involvement in community affairs have prepared her for the work of a state legislator. She wants to build unity in Little Rock to find ways to move Arkansas forward, and the Arkansas Legislature needs voices like that.
District 95
First-term state Rep. Sue Scott drew challenger Dane Zimmerman for one reason: She voted for the "public option" health insurance plan developed as an alternative to Arkansas' participation in Obamacare. Even Zimmerman says he likes much of what Scott has done, such as advocating a bill for open carry of handguns that he also supported. He, of course, has some criticisms of her, but her business and life experiences and advocacy for Northwest Arkansas during her first term give voters plenty of reasons to send her back for a second term. She's prepared to limit utilities' taking of land for power lines, to cautiously monitor Arkansas' health insurance system, promote better education and work to protect water resources like Beaver Lake. The victor faces a Libertarian in November.
District 96
This contest to replace Duncan Baird, who is running for state treasurer, is one of the most difficult choices among the races for the state House. Baird has been an outstanding state lawmaker. To replace him on the GOP side of the ballot, voters will pick from 24-year-old Grant Hodges of Rogers and businessman Damon Wallace of Garfield, who was going into the business that drove him into tax debt back in 2008 when graduating high school was the big milestone in Hodges' life.
Wallace framed up the race for us perfectly when he acknowledged none of the people in the race are strong candidates. Hodges' applicable life experiences arises from his deep involvement in GOP political machinery in college and afterward. He has no track record, but says his dedication to conservatism is true. He can recite the conservative GOP playbook well.
An inexperienced blank slate or an contender with business experience few would envy?
We'll give Hodges our endorsement. Experience has to start somewhere. Perhaps a little bit of a youthful perspective would be a good thing for the General Assembly. The winner faces a Libertarian and Democrat in November.
Commentary on 05/02/2014