Notes from the Campaign Trail: Sarah Sanders crime plan; Chris Jones, Jesse Gibson roll out ads

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the GOP nominee for Arkansas Governor, rolled out a plan highlighting her positions on crime and public safety. The plan outlines several policy and budget priorities without giving firm figures. Her ideas include:

• A tangible investment in training and additional resources, including overtime for officers;
• Increase prison capacity;
• Enact smart, targeted “Truth in Sentencing” legislation;
• Increase mental health programming for inmates;
• Transition from a criminal-centric focus to a victim-centric focus, mainly through a victim’s bill of rights.

Arkansas has a victim’s rights law (Act 1262 of 1997), which establishes privacy protections, notification rights, and victim impact statements at trial. Sanders’ plan doesn’t expound on what she would change from existing law.

Another idea floated that will garner legislative and public support is requiring parolees that commit additional crimes to serve the remainder of their original sentence to be run consecutive to their new sentence.

Sanders’ plan coincides with a new :30 second TV ad she launched in recent days centered on crime and public safety.

DEMOCRATS BEGIN AD RUNS
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Chris Jones and Attorney General nominee Jesse Gibson are both on air with TV ads. According to their campaigns, the ads are running in local news and some news cable channels statewide.

Jones’ ad touches on what he labels “fear mongering” by Sanders.

“My opponent is running a campaign about national boogeyman issues with the intention to divide Arkansans, and in doing so has completely neglected the issues here in this state. She’s trying to scare half the voters to stay home and the other half to vote out of fear,” Jones says in the commercial.

Jones’ ad is more introductory versus heavy on any particular policy.

Gibson’s ad rips his Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, criticizing his voting record, values, and connections to a lobbying firm that Gibson claims has ties to China and Putin. At the tail end of the ad, Gibson notes a few items from his professional bio. Expect a pretty strong Griffin response in the coming days.

SEN. COTTON STUMPS FOR HERSCHEL WALKER IN GEORGIA
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., was in Georgia this week to campaign for embattled GOP Senate nominee Herschel Walker. Walker’s campaign has had a tumultuous two weeks as he’s faced allegations of paying for abortions and fathering more children than previously disclosed. Walker has touted his pro-life credentials during his time on the campaign trail.

The Georgia Senate seat is critical to Republicans winning back control of the U.S. Senate. Walker is facing incumbent Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock.

Cotton told the rally crowd for Walker that Warnock needed to go.

“Georgians gave him, on a trial run, if you will, two years as their senator, and he has failed,” Cotton said. “He has been a lapdog for Joe Biden and the Democrats, voting with Joe Biden 96% of the time, and Georgians want a senator that will champion them, and that’s what Herschel Walker will provide them.”

You can read this local report from the Georgia Recorder at this link.