Cook: President Bill Clinton’s Influence Over Arkansas Politics Still Strong

Exactly 21 years ago yesterday, then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton was elected President of the United States. Even though he hasn’t lived here since soon after that historic election, Clinton’s influence over Arkansas politics remains significant.

This influence is never more present than in the fact that all of the Democratic candidates for major Arkansas offices have close Clinton ties. Purely by accident, Arkansas Democrats are putting together a ticket of candidates who have either worked for Clinton or are personal friends with the former President.

Consider the following:

Governor’s Race:  Mike Ross started his political career at the age of 20 by serving as a driver for Bill Clinton during the latter’s 1982 comeback run for Governor. Moreover, many credit the Pine Bluff rally Clinton headlined for Ross in 2000 as giving the last push Ross needed to defeat Republican Congressman Jay Dickey by 4,126 votes.

U.S. Senate Race:  Senator Mark Pryor has known Bill Clinton since he was a teenager and Clinton is very close to his father, former Governor and U.S. Senator David Pryor. You’ll recall that David Pryor also served as the first dean of the Clinton School for Public Service.

Lt. Governor’s Race:  John Burkhalter has known Clinton for close to 40 years. Burkhalter has played golf with Clinton and stayed at the White House more times than he can count. Only in Arkansas could a candidate for Lt. Governor have close ties to a former President.

Second District Congressional Race:  Pat Hays served a term as State Representative during Clinton’s gubernatorial administration before going on to become the Mayor of North Little Rock for more than twenty years. In 1992, Hays was a member of the Arkansas Travelers, a volunteer group of Clinton supporters who traveled the country on their own dime stumping for their Governor.

Fourth District Congressional Race:  James Lee Witt worked for Bill Clinton both during his time as Governor and President. In 1988, Clinton appointed then-Yell County Judge James Lee Witt as head of the Arkansas Office of Emergency Services. When Clinton became President he made Witt his FEMA Director. Witt has not yet formally announced for the Fourth, but he’s expected to do so shortly.

Earlier this year, Bill Clinton headlined a fundraising event for Mark Pryor, raising over $1 million and he’ll likely headline a fundraiser for Mike Ross at some point next year.

The good news for Arkansas Democrats is Bill Clinton remains personally popular here which means he can help these candidates raise money and make their case why each one should be elected.

The bad news is there is only so much one person can do and Bill Clinton could get stretched a bit thin.

Could this mean that former Secretary of State, and Arkansas’s former First Lady, Hillary Clinton may step in and help Democratic candidates here? Who knows? But if she did, Hillary Clinton would be a huge draw for Arkansas Democrats, helping them reach out to critical swing and women voters.

Regardless of which Clinton is stumping for Arkansas Democrats next year, they both still are a force in our state’s politics.