Springdale's 'Politickin'' Rally Sees Record Turnout

SPRINGDALE -- The biggest crowd ever attended the annual Tyson Foods Chickin, Peelin' & Politickin' rally Thursday at Arvest Ballpark, organized by the Springdale Chamber of Commerce.

The event had at least 560 people present, said chamber president Perry Webb, the largest crowd since the event started in 2011. The rally has become a major draw for politicians of both major parties and area business leaders. The state's congressional delegation is still in session, but former U.S. Sen. David Pryor attended on behalf of his son, incumbent Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark. Election rival 4th District Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Dardanelle, also sent representatives.

Republican governor's candidate Asa Hutchinson attended along with candidates for other statewide offices and legislators from as far away as Magnolia in south Arkansas. Hutchinson's Democratic opponent, Mike Ross, asked David Pryor to extend his regrets as Ross prepared for a debate.

"They say anybody who's anybody in politics comes here, so I had to be here," said state Rep. Allen Kerr, R-Little Rock, whose district's boundary is about 200 miles from Thursday's event.

"There are rallies like this all over the state, but Northwest Arkansas didn't have one until this was started, and it's really taken off," Hutchinson said. Legislators and businessmen from all over the state are attending now, not just from this region, he said. That's a sure sign the rally has become a major stop on the campaign circuit, he said.

"It's all because of good local leaders, who recognized that we needed something like this," Hutchinson said. "And it's supported by the community."

David Pryor was first elected to Congress as a House member in 1966, and has attended rallies across the state for five decades. He said a notable difference with this rally and many other, similar events is the constant influx of new people.

"I see new timers and old timers here," Pryor said. "I see some old pals and supporters each time, but when you have so many people moving here every day, there are always new people to meet at this event."

Nate Steel of Nashville, Democratic nominee for attorney general, noted Democrats and Republicans were both welcomed and able to be at ease with each other. "This kind of event has all that's right with politics," he said. "I'm proud to be a part of it."

Grant Hodges of Rogers, Republican nominee for the District 96 seat in the state House of Representatives, said the bipartisan welcome was real but that the number of Republican candidates and their expected success this year gave Republican candidates a morale boost. "You can feel the momentum, from the Senate to the governor's race on down," he said.

"I'm not sure you're going to find a lot of undecided voters here," Hodges quipped, pointing at David Pryor. "I don't think he's undecided, for instance. But you do see constituents. This is 30 minutes away from my district, and I see constituents here."

Tom McClure of Rogers, Hodges' Democratic opponent, said a large part of the value of the rally was it was both bipartisan and a way for candidates to meet with the business community. This made the rally a very good place to exchange ideas and for future office holders to met an important segment of the people they are going to represent.

"We can all get together and talk," McClure said. "I just had a long talk with Duncan Baird," a Republican state representative and House chairman of the Joint Budget Committee.

NW News on 09/19/2014

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