The Myth is Busted in Arkansas

by Bill Smith / Ozark Guru: There has been a myth around Arkansas for years: "Democrats rule and they always will." For the majority of years since reconstruction, Arkansas has been Democrat territory. However, being an Arkansas Democrat is normally a far cry from being a progressive liberal. Most Arkansans considered themselves conservatives, support the US Constitution  with emphasis on the Bill of Rights and special focus on the 2nd and 10th amendments.

However, being democrats they elected several democrats to Congress who aided in moving the nation left. And, in recent years, even with liberal roots reaching into Arkansas (consider Hillary Clinton, Vic Snider, Blanche Lincoln and Bill Halter). Bill Clinton was omitted from the short list because he was a conflicted democrat, dabbling in liberalism and then scampering back to the center.

Thus over the years, Arkansans sent mostly democrats to Congress with an occasional Republican being elected. But in the last three presidential elections they have rejected the Democrat candidate and voted Republican. They did so because the Republican candidates were closer to their conservative roots. In 2008, they rejected Barack Obama by a significant vote and the President Obama returned the favor by not visiting Arkansas, the home of former Democrat President Bill Clinton.

For several years, Arkansans have struggled with the brand which no longer represented them. They remain may be die hard fans of their state and their sport teams, but in politics, they began to migrating to voting for a Republican. They even elected a Republican Governor and Lt Governor a few times but elections did not reach into the heart of many of the local county races. However, Republicanism has taken root in a few counties in the Northwest Arkansas where major industries led to a booming economy and in retirement hot spots like Baxter County. But, a major transformation in politics in Arkansas remained minimal until November 2nd, 2010.

Several things helped to make this transformation possible in Arkansas:
1. The election of Barack Obama with his progressive agenda & Chicago style politics.
2. Control of both Houses of Congress by progressive elitists led by Democrat Sen. Harry Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
3. Advancement of a socialist agenda by Congress and the White House.
4. Passage of massive spending bills and bills like Obamacare restricting individual freedom and choice.
5. Sen. Blanche Lincoln ignored the majority of her Arkansas Constituents.
6. The development of TEA Parties and Patriot Groups in Arkansas citizen activists.
7. The establishment of sound leadership in the Arkansas Republican Party.
8. The interest in Arkansas by national organizations like Americans for Prosperity and American Majority.

By the time the primary elections arrived, Historical numbers of Republicans had filed for offices at all level of government. Eight Republicans ran for the US Senate for the privilege of taking on Democrat Sen. Blanche Lincoln. She was even challenged by Democrats in her own party.

By the time the November 2, 2010 general elections were over, Arkansas became a two party state: The RPA reported, "One United States Senator. Three out of four United States Congressmen. Three out of seven Constitutional Officers. Forty-four out of 100 State House Members and 15 out of 35 State Senators. Hundreds of Republicans elected to offices like Mayor, Justice of the Peace and City Council. Never in Arkansas’ history has the Republican Party held so many offices at so many different levels of government."

Among those elected at the local level was 19 year old Richard Caster as a JP on the Baxter County Quorum Court. He is the youngest elected JP in Arkansas and Caster was the founder of Ozark TEA Party. Baxter County is represented by three State Representatives. In the past the county garnered only one Republican because the other two positions were gerrymandered with other counties to give the Democrats the advantage. But this election, Republicans won all three races. There are numerous conservative success stories all across Arkansas, but the following story out of Garland County, Arkansas is truly amazing.

by Chuck Chatham: In the past, Garland County Arkansas has not had a truly effective Republican Party. The county offices and the vast majority of the JP districts as well have been traditionally tightly held by Democrats. To suggest that someone run for office here as a Republican would be met with the comment that "You can't win a county-wide office in Garland County as a Republican." That myth was busted!!!

As a result of hard recruiting effort for good qualified candidates on the part of the local Republican party and the Garland County Tea Party, a slate of eighteen candidates for almost every Garland County office emerged. This was the first time ever in the history of this county that many of those offices had even received serious opposition. Of those candidates ALL but one won. The offices of county judge, county clerk, circuit clerk, tax assessor, treasurer, all fell to Republican challenges. The Quorum Court changed from nine Democrats and four Republicans to nine Republicans and four Democrats. Only one Democrat that ran against the new Republican challengers won a seat as a JP! Most of these positions have been held for forty years or more by Democrats. Some for 130 years and had never been held by a Republican!

Keith Crass tragically died Oct 27th

The sitting county judge, running for the state legislature, lost to the Republican Kieth Crass that tragically died of a heart attack last week. Keith had worked hard for the last 18 months to achieve a lifelong dream to go to the state legislature. I can think of no tribute to him that would be better than the one given by the voters of Garland County yesterday in his win in that election. . . .  According to state law, there will now be a new election to fill that office and the likelihood is that it too will be filled by a well-qualified Republican. . . .

Now the job for us the voters of Garland County will be to hold those new officers to their pledges to convert the county government from the tired old good-old-boy, tax-and-spend policies of the past to a sound and responsible business model for the future. They have a hard job to accomplish and if they are not responsive to those who elected them, in two years we will repeat the process with another slate of well-qualified candidates to replace them with others who will.

The myth is busted and the voters along with our kids and grandkids are the big winners in Garland County Arkansas . . . [Full Article]

Indeed the myth is busted. Republicans were elected in significant numbers. If the Obama, Pelosi, Reid agenda continue, and the newly elected Republicans in Arkansas steadfastly support conservative principles including limited government, accountability and transparency, then Arkansans can be expected to elect more Republicans in 2012 possibly placing Republicans in control of the legislature and Arkansas constitutional offices. The new Myth is that the 2010 election cycle was a fluke. I don't believe Arkansas voters are into making flukes.  Looking forward to 2012, when this new myth is busted.

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