Busy Next Four Days For Candidates In NE Arkansas

The next four days will be a dream for local political aficionados as virtually every statewide candidate for office will be in Northeast Arkansas, at campaign rallies, area festivals and tailgate parties.

The two major party candidates for governor will be in Jonesboro over the next two days, with Republican Asa Hutchinson hosting a campaign event Friday at the NEA District Fairgrounds and Democrat Mike Ross talking to voters Saturday before the ASU homecoming game against Louisiana-Monroe.

Hutchinson spokesman J.R. Davis said the Friday event will seek to rally supporters as well as providing a “fun, interesting evening” for voters.

Ross spokesman Brad Howard said Ross spent time earlier this week in Jonesboro and Beebe, talking about jobs.

FRIDAY
On Friday, both parties will be having events in Jonesboro.

Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Arkansas, who is facing Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Dardanelle, Green party candidate Mark Swaney and Libertarian Nathan LaFrance, is having an event at 11 a.m. Friday at the One Love People coffee shop on Main Street.

According to a press release sent out Wednesday, Pryor will talk about women’s issues including the Violence Against Women Act.

The Senate race is one of several hotly contested races around the country, with control of the 100-member Senate up for grabs this fall.

Later in the day, at least 17 Republican members of the Arkansas legislature will visit Jonesboro to endorse several area state House and state Senate candidates.

The 3:15 p.m. event in front of the Craighead County courthouse in Jonesboro will bring legislators from around the state to Northeast Arkansas, Republican Dwight Tosh said.

Tosh is facing Democrat Radius Baker in the District 52 state House race, one of several contested legislative races in Northeast Arkansas.

SATURDAY
The candidates will have a chance to visit ducks and turtles, as well as voters, at two Poinsett County festivals Saturday.

The city of Trumann is hosting the Wild Duck Festival Friday and Saturday, while the city of Lepanto is hosting the Terrapin Derby on Saturday.

Both events are standard campaign stops in Northeast Arkansas, with parades at both events. The Terrapin Derby started 84 years ago as a fundraiser for the local American Legion group, while the Wild Duck Festival honors the area’s ties to duck hunting.

The Terrapin Derby also has the “Turtle Race”, in which a 40-yard race track is set up for turtles to run.

Both stops are also visited by politicians.

Sen. John Boozman, R-Arkansas, and former Sen. Blanche Lincoln made campaign stops in Lepanto in 2010, while a CSPAN crew interviewed Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro and his 2010 opponent, Democrat Chad Causey, at the Wild Duck Festival that year.

MONDAY
Northeast Arkansas will get a visit Monday from former President Bill Clinton.

The 42nd President of the United States will be talking at a campaign rally for Democrats at 3 p.m. Monday on the east lawn of the Reng Student Union at ASU.

Several other Democrats, including Gov. Mike Beebe, will also be at the event.