Notes from the Campaign Trail: Presidential candidates, Club for Growth, and the Supreme Court races heat up (UPDATED)

Editor’s note: Notes from the Campaign Trail is a compilation of various political insider tidbits and is sponsored by Little Rock-based Capitol Advisors Group.

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TRUMP, CRUZ RETURN TO ARKANSAS
The Presidential campaign continues to stir activity across the state as we draw within one week of primary election day. Next Tuesday, March 1, Arkansas will be one of several states as part of the SEC Primary. Marco Rubio came to Arkansas on Sunday and picked up Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s endorsement on Monday.

This weekend, two other frontrunners will return to Arkansas, specifically Northwest Arkansas. Donald Trump, who has been to Arkansas twice for events, plans to speak at noon on Saturday at the regional airport in Bentonville. Ted Cruz, whose campaign says he has been here five times, is expected to attend church in Northwest Arkansas and then attend a rally in central Arkansas, according to media reports.

THE ANTI-TRUMP EFFORT
The Club for Growth, known for its row with former Gov. Mike Huckabee, is spending money in Arkansas to oppose Donald Trump. Club for Growth Action, a political arm of the Club for Growth, announced the release of a 30-second television ad that will air, starting Wednesday, on broadcast, cable, and satellite television in Oklahoma and Arkansas, and on digital platforms. The total ad buy is approximately $1 million.

“Club for Growth Action will continue to expose the truth about Donald Trump’s long liberal record of support for higher taxes, national health care, and government bailouts,” said Club for Growth Action president David McIntosh. “The ad that will air in Oklahoma and Arkansas worked to bring Trump’s polling averages down in Iowa. During the time a CFG Action ad ran in South Carolina, his numbers also declined by more than five points. As CFG Action has shown throughout this campaign, there is no greater indictment of how terrible Donald Trump would be as president than his own words.”

Watch the ad here.

BILL CLINTON CAMPAIGNING IN ARKANSAS ALREADY?
Word comes tonight that Bill Clinton will be making the rounds across Arkansas on behalf of his wife, Hillary. Her campaign is starting a recorded message campaign tonight to encourage early voting and primary day voting for Hillary Clinton. The former Arkansas governor and two-term President from the Natural State’s voice may wind up on your phone line, depending on your party affiliation.

In the recording, President Clinton says, “We Americans have a right to have a say in our democracy, because of the sacrifice of so many others in the past. And right now we’ve got a chance to restore broad-based prosperity, to get a lot of good new jobs and rising wages. We’ve got so many other things we can do but we have to make your voice heard, no matter what.” The last day to vote early in Arkansas is Monday, Feb. 29.

A REPUBLICAN GROUP IN THE SUPREME COURT RACE
While the Chief Justice race for Arkansas’ Supreme Court has dominated the judicial election landscape, there is another race for Position 5 on the ballot. Judge Shawn Womack and attorney Clark Mason are vying for the coveted spot. Womack, a former Republican state legislator, is benefitting from a new ad campaign against Mason’s candidacy.

The TV spot refers to Mason as “Clark ‘Ka-Ching’ Mason,” calling him the “ultimate jackpot personal injury trial lawyer” who “profits from your pain.” Understandably so, trial lawyers are crying foul at the depiction of their line of work. It’s funded by another out-of-state “dark money” group but you might not think so if you read the disclaimer. The group paying for the ads is the Republican State Leadership Committee – presumably an arm of the Republican Party of Arkansas.

Not so. It’s a Washington, D.C. group whose contributors include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Wal-Mart Stores, Koch Industries, and yes, the Judicial Crisis Network (which is running ads against Justice Courtney Goodson). When asked about any state GOP party connection to the Republican State Leadership Committee, GOP chairman Doyle Webb tells Talk Business & Politics, “The RSLC is a national group not associated or affiliated in any way with the Republican Party of Arkansas.”

You can view the ad here.

JUSTICE GOODSON RESPONDS
After being battered with negative ads for days by the Judicial Crisis Network, Justice Courtney Goodson has responded with a new campaign ad claiming the JCN ads are false. In the new TV spot called “Stand Up,” Goodson says, “They hide their donors, they hide their agenda and they lie about me… I play by the rules. My decisions are fair.”

She goes on to criticize her opponent for the Chief Justice seat, Judge Dan Kemp: “If Dan Kemp cannot stand up to dark money, how will he ever stand up for you?”

IN THE KEMP CAMP
Kemp has issued a statement on the ads over which he has no control: “As I have previously stated, my campaign had no prior knowledge of the Judicial Crisis Network’s interest in this judicial election. We have been, and continue to be, solely focused on running a positive campaign.”

Kemp also says he supports “transparency of those investing money” to influence the outcome of judicial races. “Let me be clear, I do not believe there is any place in our judiciary for this type of politics. I firmly reject it,” he added.

Kemp has been dealing with a controversy of his own. Noted blogger Matt Campbell with Blue Hog Report has a post titled, “Trading Felonies For Campaign Cash: A Look At Dan Kemp’s Ethics.” The research examines how a case was handled by Judge Kemp with a local supporter who donated a maximum campaign contribution to Kemp shortly after his daughter received perceived lenient treatment. Read the full report here.

UPDATE: The Kemp campaign has issued a statement tied to the Blue Hog Report. Kemp’s campaign manager Erin Brogdon said:

“In our judicial system it is the prosecutor, not the judge, that negotiates and recommends plea bargains. The plea agreement in the referenced case is no different than thousands of other cases that involve first time offenders in Arkansas. Furthermore, according to rules of professional conduct – which Judge Kemp has pledged to uphold – judicial candidates should, as much as possible, not be aware of those who have contributed to their campaign. Any accusation or suggestion that Judge Kemp arranged a favorable ruling in exchange for campaign support is categorically false, and reeks of dirty politics from his opponent’s campaign.”

She also has referred further press inquiries to local prosecutor Drew Smith.