Arkansas Senate District 6: Stubblefield and Wells

The race for Arkansas Senate District 6 pits Rep. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, against candidate John Paul Wells (D) in a contest that for both men will be about growing jobs and upholding traditional values.

Stubblefield believes in "strengthening the family" and "correcting what causes poverty," and plans to grow jobs and lower the tax burden. "Providing efficient government services and support, not taxation and regulation, will crank up this powerful economic engine in District 6," Stubblefield said.

Wells agrees that job growth is needed and also plans to strengthen education, balance the budget and cut government waste if elected. "We also need to protect our values and way of life by protecting hunting and gun rights," Wells added.

These responses were part of a survey conducted by The City Wire in anticipation of the 15 contested state legislative races. Candidates were asked about the top issues in their district, legislative goals for the next term and why each believes they are the right candidate for the position. They were also asked to answer “Yes,” “No,” or “Don’t Know” to a range of issues likely to surface in the 2013-2014 General Assembly.

The candidates' full, unedited responses are below.

Rep. Gary Stubblefield
• What are the top issues in your district?
The issues facing Senate District 6 are pretty much the same as those facing our great nation. Pressures on the family, the family structure, are tearing apart the fabric of our country and this district. We must strengthen the family through quality education, tax reduction, jobs creation, and removing the burden of government from our backs and out of our pockets. Simply put, the tax rate imposed on Arkansans is staggering and must be reduced. At the same time, we must continue to provide the protections necessary to our poor, quality education to our children, and security for each Arkansan. The right to life for the unborn and the elderly is a moral imperative. Maintaining our Second Amendment rights are a must if this nation and this district are to remain strong. Job creation is strongest not in big corporations, but in small business just like those which make up the bulk of the economic engine in Senate District 6. We must enable these businesses to thrive – not survive – but thrive. Providing efficient government services and support, not taxation and regulation, will crank up this powerful economic engine in District 6.

• What are your legislative goals for your next term if elected?
Goal One is strengthening the family. Strong families result in a strong country. One of the root causes of the problems facing this state and country is the disintegration of the family. In Arkansas, recent studies show a child in a two-parent family has a 73% better chance of not living in poverty than a single-parent family. Medicaid is facing a $400,000,000 shortfall here in Arkansas. The solution is not throwing more money at those living in poverty. The solution lies in correcting what causes poverty in the first place. A good start is strengthening the family. Goal Two is turning our economy around by stimulating job creation and growth. This in turn will help achieve Goal One. We must lower the tax burden on our citizens and our companies. We must reduce the number of burdensome regulations piled on our businesses and our farmers. State government must turn from being a "business disabler" into a "business enabler." We must get government off our backs and out of our pockets. Finally, I will continue fighting to protect the right to life for the unborn and the elderly and to protect our Second Amendment Rights.

• Why do you think you are the best person to represent your district?
Senate District 6 is home. Much of who I am, what I am, results from my living here, growing up here, working here. Farming all of my life taught me many lessons, none more important than the simple fact you can't stay in business very long spending more than you take in. There is no need, year after year, to spend every penny this state takes in. Spend less and return more to the citizens is my chief goal. Control spending, we can control and reduce taxes. I am well acquainted with the problems stemming from over-regulating farms and businesses. We even rate fifth in the nation for the number of rules and regulations we place on educators in this state! I will work ceaselessly to get government out of your back pocket and off your back. I will work to make government shift from being a stumbling block to growth enabler. Finally, Conservatives are likely to take a majority in both House and Senate. As a member of the conservative majority, I will be uniquely positioned to work with like-minded conservatives to control spending, reduce regulation, and lower your taxes in an efficient and consistent manner.

YES-NO-DON’T KNOW RESPONSE – Stubblefield
Each candidate was asked to provide a yes, no or don’t know response to the following four questions. Anything other than one of the three responses was not accepted.

• If budget conditions allow, would you vote for renewal of the Quick Action Closing Fund?
Yes

• Are you for the Nov. 6 ballot item that would raise the Arkansas sales tax rate by a half-cent (0.5%) to fund more than $1.8 billion in Arkansas road improvements during the next 10 years?
No

• Would you support tougher ethics laws for Arkansas Legislators?
Yes

• Would you support expansion of Arkansas’s Medicaid program using federal dollars as part of the new federal healthcare law?
No

John Paul Wells
• What are the top issues in your district?
We need to create good-paying jobs, strengthen our public schools, keep our state's budget balanced and stop government waste. We also need to protect our values and way of life by protecting hunting and gun rights. Those are the issues I hear about everyday when I visit with people in my district.

• What are your legislative goals for your next term if elected?
I'll use my business experience to work with Governor Beebe to create new jobs and attract new industries to our district. Just like I did when I was State Representative, I plan to protect our public schools because our local schools are providing a good education for our children and are the heartbeat of our small towns. I'll also protect our small town values.

• Why do you think you are the best person to represent your district?
As a business owner I know how to create jobs and keep our local economy moving in the right direction and I'll use this experience to bring new industries to our area.  As a Baptist Church Deacon, I support the traditional family values that we all share.  And as a former State Representative, I have a proven record of working with Governor Beebe to get things done, and as your State Senator I'll avoid partisan politics and focus on what is best for the people in my district.

YES-NO-DON’T KNOW RESPONSE – Wells
Each candidate was asked to provide a yes, no or don’t know response to the following four questions. Anything other than one of the three responses was not accepted.

• If budget conditions allow, would you vote for renewal of the Quick Action Closing Fund?
Yes

• Are you for the Nov. 6 ballot item that would raise the Arkansas sales tax rate by a half-cent (0.5%) to fund more than $1.8 billion in Arkansas road improvements during the next 10 years?
No

• Would you support tougher ethics laws for Arkansas Legislators?
Yes

• Would you support expansion of Arkansas’s Medicaid program using federal dollars as part of the new federal healthcare law? (Wells was unwilling to provide a "Yes," "No," "Don't Know" answer to this question.)