Private Option Divides Lenderman, Sullivan In District 53 Battle

It may be a question of a conservative litmus test for the two candidates seeking the state House District 53 seat this fall.

Both candidates have stressed their conservative credentials in a district that could decide who controls the majority in the state House in January.

Republican Dan Sullivan of Jonesboro is challenging State Rep. Homer Lenderman, D-Brookland, in the state House District 53 race.

The district covers parts of Jonesboro, as well as Brookland, Lake City, Caraway and most of eastern and northern Craighead County.

Lenderman, who is seeking a third and final term in the lower chamber, said he is proud of his record, especially his record in the 2013 legislative session.

Lenderman said he sponsored 14 bills in the session that eventually became law. One of the bills, a property crimes bill, required pawn brokers to log in items that are brought to their shop. Lenderman said the state’s police chiefs and sheriffs were in favor of the bill, leading to its passage.

Another bill that helped create flexibility in school schedules also was a top priority, Lenderman said.

“I was told there was no way that would happen. I also spoke to the (Department of) Parks and Tourism and they told me that no one had spoken to them about the bill,” Lenderman said.

Sullivan, a former teacher and principal who now serves as CEO for a children’s health services company, said education is key for him.

“I have 25 years plus as an educator, either as a teacher or principal. Now I am the CEO of a company with 500 employees,” Sullivan said of his experience. “Schools, they are important for our community and important for jobs. We have so many teachers today who are leaving the profession, especially due to the insurance.”

On the private option, Lenderman said he believes the issue will be addressed in January, no matter what happens.

“If the private option goes away, some of that $155 million tax cut will also go away,” Lenderman said of the spending issue. “Right now, there are 6,000 people in Craighead County who have health insurance (due to the law). … They took it as a long-term approach.”

Sullivan said the issue was ill-advised from the start.

“When they passed it, I was not for it. Anytime, you rely on the federal government, which is in severe debt, for funding, it is risky business,” Sullivan said. “Anytime you rely on the federal government for the survival of a program, it is even riskier business. Now there are some well-intentioned (state) senators who are doing what they can, to be competitive and market-based.”

On another issue, Lenderman said he has been criticized for his vote against the so-called 12 week abortion bill.

“I am pro-life. If anyone questions it, I will go back at them,” Lenderman said.

Sullivan countered that the vote shows a pattern.

“My opponent says he is conservative. But his votes don’t represent his constituents. I don’t think his voting record represents his district. He has voted with his party,” Sullivan said. “(On another issue), both parties, I believe, have usurped federal authority on things like healthcare, EPA. But as a candidate, I am opposed to mandates. Homer was quoted in a paper, saying he was against unfunded mandates. But his votes shows otherwise.”

However, Lenderman said a judge’s ruling on the viability of a fetus (at 22 to 24 weeks) as well as current federal law create a high hurdle on the issue.

“Unless they can medically change the viability or the Supreme Court overturns Roe versus Wade, it will not be challenged or defeated,” Lenderman said, showing a reporter a photo of his 19-month-old granddaughter.

Sullivan said the voters he has spoken to have looked at the issue as well as pocketbook issues.

“District 53 and Northeast Arkansas are poised to grow. We can either be penalized by growing or seize the opportunity. I think it is important about who we support. I support Leslie Rutledge (Republican Attorney General candidate) because she wants to protect our state from federal intrusion (on the EPA issue). Her opponent (State Rep. Nate Steel, D-Nashville) says he won’t fight (on the EPA issue). The people in district 53, they want us to fight the federal government for our schools, our farms. So how do you call yourself a conservative? And support a Nate Steel, who says he won’t fight and who is not conservative,” Sullivan said.

UPDATE: The Steel campaign said Sullivan’s statement on Steel’s position is not accurate.

“Clearly, Mr. Sullivan is not familiar with my positions. I have been on record many times opposing the recent EPA regulations on carbon; most recently, at the Arkansas State Chamber. If Mr. Sullivan is going to drag the attorney general’s race into his campaign for the state house, I would ask that he at least do so accurately,” said Steel.

Lenderman said he was upset over the tone that he believes politics in general have taken in recent years.

“I spent 30 years as an ag teacher at Brookland. There was a student who recently told me, ‘you not only taught us ag, you taught us about life.’ It saddens me that people are doing stuff like this,” Lenderman said. “There needs to be honor, integrity and mutual respect in our political system.”

Lenderman said he would like to work on several issues if voters give him another term in office.

Some of the issues include legislation to require bonding for companies like Turner Grain, a Brinkley grain company currently under investigation. He also wants to visit the state’s school choice law as well as school funding.

Lenderman said he supports a plan by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross to expand pre-kindergarten in the state as long as the state can afford it. He thinks Republican gubernatorial candidate Asa Hutchinson’s plan to expand technical education is a good one.

Sullivan said he would like to work on economic issues including tax reform if elected this fall.

“The economy, it is big for folks. There is a need for tax reform, especially in the middle class. I talked to some folks in Lake City the other day and they said they were struggling. In Lake City and Monette, there is opportunity for growth. And Brookland has just exploded,” Sullivan said.