Election Central Daily Brief: Ross Rolls Out Veterans Plan

KATV’s Elicia Dover wraps up the day’s top political headlines, including news in the Arkansas Governor’s race.

VETERANS FOR ROSS
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross released his plan for Arkansas veterans today, a week after his Republican opponent Asa Hutchinson released his own plan.

Ross says he wants to exempt military retired pay from the state income tax. He also wants to reduce the number of veterans behind bars and help them more effectively transition to civilian life among other things.

His support group “Veterans for Ross” coincidentally is headed by another Mike Ross, the former commander of the Arkansas National Guard’s 39th Brigade Combat Team. Ross’ veterans plan includes keeping the Arkansas National Guard relevant.

Ross said he would empower the Arkansas Veterans’ Commission to develop a statewide strategic plan to better serve Arkansas’s veterans, to address the unique challenges facing female veterans, to review the need for additional veterans homes, and to appoint additional qualified veterans in positions of leadership throughout the state.

Hutchinson’s veterans’ plan included treatment courts and eliminating residency requirements for in-state tuition. He also said that his middle-income tax cut plan would help veterans.

Tomorrow, Mike Ross’ campaign will open a Northwest Arkansas campaign field office.

TRACKERS
The Democratic Party of Arkansas says things got heated over the weekend when they sent a video tracker to an Asa Hutchinson event. A video posted online by the DPA shows a man swearing at the tracker. He said the tracker was a spy and was making the candidate uncomfortable.

The Republican Party of Arkansas released their own video of one of their trackers receiving anything but a warm welcome at campaign event for Mike Ross — not anything too surprising from either side and, of course, the trackers are there to catch whatever heated moment they can.

ENDORSEMENTS
In the U.S. Senate race, Republican candidate Cong. Tom Cotton received the endorsement of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee on Monday.

Tim Griffin, the GOP Lt. Governor nominee, received the endorsement of pro-life group, Arkansas Right To Life.