LITTLE FLOCK -- Democratic nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and other offices ranging from U.S. Representative to county justices of the peace came to Benton County's Little Flock Picnic, an annual fundraiser and rally of the Democratic Party of Benton County and a preelection tradition more than 50 years old.
"Northwest Arkansas is the key for Democrats," secretary of state nominee Anna Beth Gorman said. The region is populous, growing and home to the independent and moderate voters Democrats need, she said. "And there's the quality of the party organizations here," Gorman said. "They're up and working."
If elected, one of her first priorities would be to defend the poll workers of Arkansas who have been derided and, in some cases, threatened by those believing false election fraud claims, Gorman told the crowd of about 150 attending the 4 p.m. picnic at the public park in Little Flock, a town east of Bentonville and north of Rogers.
Governor's nominee Chris Jones said he came to the event in traditionally Republican Benton County because "there's no town, no place, no neighborhood where we won't show up, listen and talk to people."
Each of the candidates speaking acknowledged they were competing in a majority-Republican region in a majority-Republican state, but insisted that the Republican super-majority in state and federal offices in Arkansas had led to their opponents overreaching themselves on issues ranging from teacher pay to a lack of accountability of Republican office holders.
"Arkansas can send shock waves across this nation, saying we reject chaos," Jones said in his remarks to the crowd.
Other candidates attending and speaking at the event were 3rd Congressional District nominee Lauren Mallet-Hays, Lt. Gov. nominee Kelly Krout and attorney general nominee Jesse Gibson.
Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, is state Senate president-elect, first elected in 2012. "You've clearly got to go where the population is," he said of Democratic candidate attendance in Little Flock. "But the hill they've got to overcome is that most of the people moving here are capitalists. They're moving here to get away from Democratic Party policies, for less regulation and taxation."
Hester is unopposed in this year's election but won his last race, in 2020, with almost 65% of the vote. "Everybody told me that Bentonville was growing fast and changing," he said. "I think I lost one ballot box in that race."