Democrats Pick Bond For Chairman
by February 11, 2011 7:00 pm 145 views
As expected, Arkansas Democrats selected former Jacksonville State Rep. Will Bond to replace Todd Turner as chairman at their Hot Springs meeting on Saturday.
Turner guided the Democratic Party of Arkansas through last year’s tumultuous election cycle, which saw Republicans make unprecedented gains at the local, state and federal levels. GOP candidates captured a U.S. Senate seat, won three open Congressional seats, and increased their ranks in the Arkansas legislature to more than 40%. However, Gov. Mike Beebe and Cong. Mike Ross were re-elected with strong majorities in two high-profile races despite a toxic political environment for Democrats.
Bond, who now practices law at the McMath Woods Law Firm in Little Rock, told committee members that Democrats are "about people & policy." He said he planned to work on a Democratic strategy aimed at targeting key voters and getting county committees more functional in the overall party apparatus.
“Arkansas Democrats have responsibly led our state through tough economic times while making sure that the future of Arkansas will be brighter than the past,” Bond said in a prepared statement after the election.
“While others focus on politics, Arkansas Democrats focus on good policy to insure a great future. The hard work and great policies of Arkansas Democrats from McMath to Bumpers to Pryor to Clinton and now to Beebe have always given children the chance to have greater opportunity than their parents. Arkansas Democrats are needed again now, more than ever, to lead this state to its promising future," he added.
In 2012, the Arkansas Democratic Party will have its hands full defending legislative seats and attempting to reverse the 2010 course of political events. Early Census data, which will be used to reshape Congressional and legislative districts, appears to tilt some advantage to Republicans.
Democrats will also contend with the presumed re-election bid of President Barack Obama, who remains popular with Democrats in the state, but unpopular with general election voters in Arkansas.
Even though Democrats and Republicans will battle heavily in 2012, the outcome of the elections will not dictate which party has majority or minority status. State law specifies that the majority party in Arkansas is determined by which party holds the majority of Arkansas’ seven constitutional officers. Currently, Democrats hold four seats to the GOP’s three. Constitutional officer elections will not occur again until 2014.