Notes From The Campaign Trail 9.4.13

A compilation of inbox media advisories, press releases, tips, news clips, and notes from the campaign trail:

CLINTON TO DELIVER HEALTH CARE ADDRESS
Former President Bill Clinton (D) will deliver a speech on the federal health care law Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. at the Clinton Presidential Center. Gov. Mike Beebe (D) is scheduled to be in attendance, but Sen. Mark Pryor (D) told reporters last week that he was scheduled elsewhere, despite his support for the law.

Several national reporters will be in attendance to cover his comments. Expect a robust defense of the health care legislation from Clinton, who failed in his effort to reform it during his Presidency. Expect a sharp Republican response to Clinton’s remarks, too.

NEW GOP SPOX
Holly Wilson, a former legislative assistant in Sen. John Boozman’s (R) office will be assuming new duties in Little Rock as the communications director and chief spokesperson for the Republican Party of Arkansas.  She will replace David Ray, who is managing Cong. Tim Griffin’s (R) re-election campaign.  Wilson, a native of Osceola, starts Wednesday in the new post.

TWO DEMOCRATS FILE FOR OPEN SENATE SEAT
Democrats Gene Roebuck and Steve Rockwell made the most of the first day of filing for the open District 21 State Senate seat vacated by Sen. Paul Bookout (D-Jonesboro). Roebuck and Rockwell both stated their intentions to run last week.

One other Democrat and three other Republicans have indicated interest in the race.The period for filing for candidacy ends at noon on Friday, September 6, 2013.

BIPARTISAN BUFFALO RIVER SUPPORT
Two former Second District Congressmen and a former U.S. Senator are working across the aisle in order to work across a river.

Former Democratic Cong. Vic Snyder and his wife, Betsy, are hosting a fundraiser with co-hosts former GOP Congressman Ed Bethune and former Democratic Sen. Dale Bumpers on Thursday, Sept. 12. The purpose of the event is to raise money for and awareness of efforts to preserve the Buffalo River from possible pollution from a factory hog farm at Mt. Judea, Ark. Also on hand, representatives from the four groups that filed a lawsuit in federal court to oppose the hog farm:  the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance, the Arkansas Canoe Club, National Parks Conservation Association, and Ozark Society.

RECESS APPOINTMENTS
Cong. Tim Griffin (R) has been the focus of a nearly month-long effort by national and state Democrats who have held protests, press conferences and drop-offs throughout the district during the August recess.

They’ve protested Griffin at the airport, delivered a furlough notice to his office, and complained about his vote on student loans at his Conway office with a Ramen noodle demonstration.

Griffin, who said the vote protest was misplaced, had the noodles donated to the Bethlehem House in Conway.

This “sustained push” as it has been described by some Democratic activists is an effort to coax potential challengers into the race against Griffin, who Democrats contend is vulnerable despite his released internal polling to the contrary. One insider says Democrats want whomever enters the race – preferably Bill Halter – to see that grassroots support would be evident in a Griffin challenge.

PRYOR TO RECEIVE PETITIONS
At his noon office today, Sen. Pryor is expected to receive backpacks full of petitions calling for him to support reforms in the Manchin-Toomey background check bill. Pryor supported the Grassley Amendment in this year’s earlier gun control debate, which led to Mayors Against Illegal Guns running TV advertising criticizing him.

A media advisory distributed by the mayors’ group and a coalition called Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America – www.momsdemandaction.org – says that 7 backpacks filled with “Back-to-School Background Checks” petitions will be delivered to the Senator’s office. Rev. Elliot Blocker, Pastor Terrance Long, William Branham, and Daniel Layne are identified as leading the petition delivery.