There are seven contested races on ballots in Northwest Arkansas for the state House of Representatives.
Republicans are running in each of those races. Five of the races have a Democratic candidate, and three have Libertarians.
District 80
A Libertarian candidate is challenging state Rep. Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren, for her District 80 House seat.
Taylor Watkins of Prairie Grove is the only candidate running against Fite, who has served in the House since 2013.
District 80 hugs Arkansas' western border in Washington and Crawford counties. It stretches from the Benton County line south to Cedarville. To the east, it takes in Prairie Grove and Wheeler.
Fite is a retired school psychology specialist from Fort Smith Public Schools.
In the 2013 session of the Legislature, Fite was the lead sponsor of 10 bills that became state laws. She introduced an anti-stalking bill that became Act 1014 of 2013. It provided a civil liability for stalking. The act added a section to the existing law stating that a person could recover damages, attorney fees and court costs from a stalker.
Fite said her main goal during the next legislative session is to pass a bill to exempt veterans' retirement pay from all state income taxes.
Watkins works on a farm that is owned by his family, according to the website of the Libertarian Party of Arkansas, lpar.org.
Watkins didn't return telephone messages seeking comment.
According to his blog, taylorwatkinsplatform2014.blogspot.com, Watkins believes in "religious liberty" and privatization of education, and he's anti-abortion.
District 84
In District 84, state Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, is being challenged by Candy Clark, a Democrat from Fayetteville, who is a member of the Washington County Quorum Court.
Collins has been a state representative since 2010.
Clark has been a justice of the peace since 2009.
District 84 is within Washington County, primarily to the east and south of Fayetteville.
Collins said he wants to continue working to make Arkansas a "good jobs magnet." That can be done by reducing state income taxes while continuing to improve education and state health care laws, he said.
Clark said she sees as major issues getting water to rural residents, increasing the minimum wage and helping fund pre-kindergarten education.
Collins is co-owner of Crown Partners Executive Search LLC of Fayetteville.
Collins was the lead sponsor of five bills that became law during the previous session of the Legislature. One of those was Act 226, which allowed trained and licensed faculty and staff members on college campuses to carry concealed handguns. So far, no Arkansas college has voted to allow concealed carry on campus under the provisions of Act 226.
Collins announced earlier this year that he planned to run for lieutenant governor, but he changed his mind after U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Ark., joined the race.
Clark owns two small businesses: C&C Services LLC, a company that does industrial and commercial cleaning, and All Around Self Storage.
"I am a fiscal conservative; there's no doubt about that," she said.
Clark said candidates often say they want to cut taxes because it's easy to say that. But it can be difficult if needs are unmet because cuts have been made.
"I don't believe in 'oops' government," she said. "I believe in diligent, careful, forward-thinking government that is looking at the benefits for everyone, not just a few."
Clark said she believes in the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but she doesn't believe anyone needs an automatic weapon.
District 93
In District 93, Leah Marie Williams, a Bentonville Democrat, is challenging state Rep. Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville, for his House seat. Dotson is completing his first term in office.
District 93 is within Benton County and includes most of Bentonville.
Dotson is an agent for Gibson Real Estate of Farmington.
He received 64 percent of the vote to defeat Bentonville Alderman W.P. "Bill" Burckart in the Republican primary election.
Dotson said he worked in the Legislature to help pass tax cuts, anti-abortion measures and a voter-identification law, although federal judges or the Arkansas Supreme Court overturned some of those laws.
On his website, jimdotson.com, Dotson said he is "pro family" and supports traditional marriage between a man and a woman. Dotson writes that he will work to lower taxes and regulatory burdens on businesses. He opposes illegal immigration and "the federal takeover of our healthcare." Dotson said he's an advocate of balanced budgets and the right to bear arms.
Williams is a former member of the Bentonville City Council but resigned from that position after 17 months because she moved outside the ward she represented.
Williams earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of Memphis in 2008. She moved to Bentonville in 2010 when her husband, Michael, landed a job at the corporate office of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
Williams said she became interested in politics while serving as an intern at the Tennessee state Capitol in Nashville while in college.
According to her website, voteleahwilliams.us, if elected, Williams will work for children, Christian values, the arts and tax cuts.
Williams said she wants to focus on inclusion and collaboration.
"We cannot accomplish great things if we are not working together," Williams wrote on her website. "It is time for polarizing political extremism to give way to a Christian ethic of humility, love, mercy and compassion."
Williams said she's been campaigning throughout the district.
"So far, I've knocked on 2,000 doors myself," she said.
District 94
In District 94, Democrat Grimsley Graham and Republican Rebecca Petty, both of Rogers, are running for the seat being vacated by state Rep. Debra Hobbs, R-Rogers. Hobbs, who has held the seat since 2009, can't run for re-election because of term limits. She ran this year for lieutenant governor but lost the Republican nomination to Griffin.
District 94 includes much of Rogers and part of Bentonville in Benton County.
Petty earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and is on track to get her master's degree in leadership and ethics next year from John Brown University in Siloam Springs.
Petty got 55 percent of the vote to defeat Margaret "Marge" Wolf in the Republican primary election.
On her website, rebeccapetty.com, Petty said she'll fight for children and believes in limited government, lower taxes and the right to bear arms. Petty is anti-abortion and wants to work to create jobs.
On the website, Petty wrote that her life was changed by the 1999 kidnapping and murder of her 12-year-old daughter. The event was the impetus for Petty to "make a difference in the lives of my family members and my community," she wrote.
Petty didn't return telephone calls seeking comment.
Graham has bachelor's and master's degrees in political science from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He served in the Marine Corps from 1972-1974.
Graham has taught English at Rogers High School for 30 years.
"I believe in the two-party system, something that has been missing in Benton County for a long time as Democrats have rarely fielded candidates over the past 20 years," Graham said on his website, grimsleygraham.com. "Voters are better served when there is a choice of parties."
Graham said he considers himself the education candidate.
"I favor making pre-K accessible to all 4-year-olds," he said. "I also want to emphasize workforce education and protect court-ordered educational reforms implemented in 2004."
District 95
Two people will be listed on the ballot running for the District 95 House seat, but Eddie Moser of Bella Vista, a Libertarian, said he actually pulled out of the race a couple of months ago. The ballots were printed, however, before the Benton County clerk's office was notified of Moser's withdrawal from the race.
That leaves state Rep. Sue Scott, R-Rogers, as the only candidate in the race. She is seeking her second term.
District 96
A Democrat, Republican and Libertarian are vying for the seat being vacated by state Rep. Duncan Baird, R-Lowell. Baird, who has held the seat since 2009, can't run for re-election because of term limits. He ran this year for state treasurer, losing the Republican nomination to Saline County Circuit Clerk Dennis Milligan.
In the race for District 96 are Republican Grant Hodges of Rogers, Democrat Tom McClure of Rogers and Libertarian Michael J. Kalagias of Garfield.
District 96 stretches from Rogers and Lowell in Benton County, east to the Carroll County line and north to the state line. The district includes much of Beaver Lake.
Hodges received 69 percent of the vote to defeat Damon D. Wallace in the Republican primary election.
Hodges earned a bachelor's degree in political science last year from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
He was a paid intern with the Heritage Foundation's Center for Health Policy Studies in the summer of 2012. From July 2013 until January, he worked as a video tracker for America Rising, a Republican research firm.
According to his campaign website, granthodges.com, he wants to create jobs, improve education and lower taxes. He opposes the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He also opposes a plan by Southwestern Electric Power Co. to run a high-voltage power line through District 96.
"My priorities are economic growth, education, and fiscal responsibility," Hodges said in an email. "We have the highest taxes in the region. I want to lower them for hard-working individuals and small businesses, as well as eliminating the tax on military retirement income."
McClure is a part-time biology teacher at Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville.
McClure said he wants to serve in the state House to help restore the public's trust in government. McClure said he will study the issues, listen to constituents and vote his conscience regardless of pressure from political parties, special interests or donors.
"I think that we need to do a better job of being good representatives by being willing to debate issues and work cooperatively and do the best for the people of Arkansas," he said. "I think we can do better with our government, and I want to be part of that."
McClure said he won't take any campaign donations from corporations.
Kalagias has been a resident of Northwest Arkansas for 10 years, intermittently since 1991, according to his profile on the Libertarian Party of Arkansas' website, lpar.org. He has a bachelor's degree in political science from Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, Texas. He served five years on active duty in the U.S. Navy.
"I have eight years of experience as a certified teacher, and am currently employed by Bentonville Public Schools as a security guard," according to his profile. "I am debt free, so I know how to budget and make responsible choices."
District 97
In District 97, Charles "Sonny" Carter, a Democrat from Eureka Springs, is challenging state Rep. Bob Ballinger, R-Hindsville, for the seat Ballinger has held since 2013.
District 97 includes portions of Carroll, Madison and Washington counties.
Carter is a retired singer and songwriter. He ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Eureka Springs in 2010.
Carter said Eureka Springs is known as a liberal city but that there are liberals throughout District 97.
"I'm not that much of a liberal," said Carter, emphasizing the word "that." "My whole thing is I want to help the working people and children especially. I have a granddaughter. If we don't stop killing our planet, our kids won't have a future. That's my big thing. I'm a whole lot into renewable energy. I care a lot about women's rights, as well."
Ballinger is a lawyer and ministry director for Crossover Ministry in Fayetteville, a Bible-based addictions ministry.
Ballinger said he was particularly proud of his effort in the previous session of the Legislature to help ensure that school districts keep property tax money that was raised in their districts, even if the tax revenue exceeds the state's minimum per-student funding formula.
A bill that would have stopped the practice failed in the House Education Committee last year. Ballinger isn't a member of that committee, but he said he talked to representatives who are and feels that he had an effect on the outcome.
Eureka Springs, which is in House District 97, is one of the school districts in Arkansas that raises more money through the property tax than is needed to meet the state's "foundation funding," which was $6,393 per pupil in 2013-14.
Ballinger said he was also proud of his efforts to shepherd two Senate bills through the House. One, which became Act 67, allowed guns in churches where ministers approve. The other, which became Act 156, provided protection to fetuses in the mother's womb.
"A lot of what I did last time was learn and try to stop bad pieces of legislation from getting through," said Ballinger.
One of those "bad" pieces of legislation would have set landfill fees on the state level. Ballinger said those fees should be set on a local level.
NW News on 10/27/2014