It’s appointment season in Northeast Arkansas

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net) 141 views 

The year 2025 has not disappointed for Northeast Arkansas and its growing political influence at the state capitol and in Washington, D.C.

We received a surprise in mid-January when U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson dethroned House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and replaced him with U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro.

Crawford, who has served in Congress since 2010, is an Army veteran who served for four years. He enlisted out of high school. He served as an explosive ordnance disposal technician, and advanced to the rank of sergeant. Crawford has been involved in policy surrounding foreign affairs, the military and the intelligence community throughout his years in Congress.

As the senior Republican on the House Intel Committee after Turner’s removal, Crawford is in an enviable position of influence in Congress and with the new Trump administration. 

“The committee has a unique opportunity to work toward rebuilding our intelligence apparatus so that our IC [intelligence community] is focused on the challenges of today and is prepared for the threats of tomorrow. It is our aim to rebuild relationships with our partners in the Western Hemisphere, address issues with the development of IC assessments, determine which intelligence tools are needed to protect Americans, and provide our brave men and women in the U.S. intelligence services with the support they need. In our age of increasing threats from abroad and bloated bureaucracy at home, the committee will be committed to preventing enemies’ attacks and upholding the privacy rights of all American citizens,” Crawford said upon receiving the gavel.

This move makes Crawford even more vital to national security than you might think. He’ll be part of what’s known as the Gang of Eight — eight representatives and senators who are consulted by the president about classified intelligence matters before they become public, if they even become public.

Arkansas will actually have two elected officials as part of the Gang of Eight as U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., now helms the Senate Intelligence Committee. It is an unprecedented amount of power for a state as small as Arkansas to have this type of influence.

Arkansas’ entire GOP Congressional delegation is punching above its weight in this session of Congress. Five of our six congressmen now chair major committees in the House and Senate.

U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., chairs the Ag Committee, U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, oversees the Financial Services Committee, and U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, keeps his chairmanship of Natural Resources. U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, remains in charge of an important Appropriations subcommittee that controls funding for highway infrastructure and affordable housing projects.

In the Arkansas Legislature, which opened on Jan. 13, Northeast Arkansas was rewarded with some plum appointments as well.

Rep. Fran Cavanaugh, R-Walnut Ridge, was tapped by new Speaker of the House Brian Evans to chair the influential House Revenue & Tax Committee, which will set tax policy for the state and be the conduit for future income tax cuts, which are likely to come after the regular session. That doesn’t mean there won’t be meaningful debate during the current session over targeted taxes, especially the final elimination of the grocery tax. Rest assured, Rep. Cavanaugh will be in the room shaping tax cut policy in the future.

There were another five state representatives from Northeast Arkansas named to key vice-chair roles too.

Keep your eye on Sen. Blake Johnson, R-Corning, who will chair the Senate Insurance & Commerce Committee, a panel that will be in the middle of a plethora of major debates this session. Johnson is also the Senate Majority Leader and will play a vital role in enacting Gov. Sarah Sanders agenda as well as conservative policies. Senators Dan Sullivan and Dave Wallace from the region will be front-and-center on key education and healthcare battles and have important vice-chair roles in their chamber.

Last, but certainly not least, Gov. Sanders appointed Jonesboro businessman Jerry Halsey to the all-important Arkansas Highway Commission to replace Alec Farmer, whose 10-year term had expired. Halsey now receives the torch to keep highway and infrastructure projects moving forward in the region. Farmer did a fantastic job of bringing home the bacon for Northeast Arkansas and Halsey, a veteran of political affairs, should be well-equipped to jump right in and continue the race.

I’ve often said that Northeast Arkansas has been a hidden secret for the state. Looks like the rest of the state and perhaps a few folks in Washington, D.C., are starting to wake up and take notice.

Editor’s note: Roby Brock is the editor-in-Chief of Talk Business & Politics. He hosts a weekly TV show on KAIT Sundays at 9:30am and is on three times a week on KASU.

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