Notes from the Campaign Trail: Hill hits Tucker on legislative record in new TV ad

Two days after a press conference highlighting what he called “a pattern” of voting present or not voting by State Rep. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, is hitting his Democratic opponent with a TV ad that underscores that message.

A new TV ad, paid for by Hill’s campaign, debuts on Wednesday, Aug. 29 on broadcast and cable in central Arkansas. Titled “Stand,” the ad references Tucker as the “hand-picked candidate of Nancy Pelosi’s Washington allies.” It states that Tucker “often voted” in the Arkansas legislature “present” or “not at all” on issues ranging from guns to education. The ad states that Tucker won’t stand up to Pelosi in D.C. if he’s elected.

Tucker said he’s fine with Hill bringing up his voting record.

“First of all, I welcome the debate. If we spend the next 10 weeks only talking about my record in the legislature, I know we’ll win. My record shows I have a history of standing up for hard-working Arkansas families whether that’s through protecting healthcare, getting more of our young kids a quality education or cutting taxes for the middle class and our veterans,” Tucker tells Talk Business & Politics.

“In the time that they have taken for this political spectacle, Congressman Hill and I could have had a real conversation about the issues with the voters in the form of a debate. There’s some real irony in a sitting member of Congress accusing his opponent of not being accountable when he’s turning down local requests for debate,” he added.

The two candidates will debate each other’s legislative records at AETN on Oct. 8, but Tucker will have the stage to himself on Sept. 19. Hill passed on a KATV-Talk Business & Politics debate that will go on without him at 7 p.m. that evening.

You can watch the new Hill TV ad below. Campaign sources say the ad buy is “significant” and is placed on broadcast and cable TV in the district.

SURVEY SAYS
There’s a lot of internal polling activity going on with candidates and issues. Most, if not all, of those surveys are being conducted for internal use by campaigns.

However, public polling will be coming out right after Labor Day. Talk Business & Politics and Hendrix College will survey the governor’s race, all four Congressional races, all five ballot issues, and another surprise or two for a baseline poll headed into the November 6 general election.

While results of the post-Labor Day poll will dribble out the week of Sept. 9-14, central Arkansas Political Animals Club attendees will get a special sneak preview of one day’s results.

TB&P’s Roby Brock, Hendrix College’s Dr. Jay Barth, and Impact Management Group’s Robert Coon will walk through poll results and reveal new data at the PAC meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

“We’re looking forward to these results as the 2018 election season promises some really competitive races in Arkansas. I know our membership will devour these poll numbers and be extremely interested in the cross tab data,” said Shane Broadway, president of the Political Animals Club of Central Arkansas.

The meeting will be a breakfast meeting at Red & Blue, a new special events venue owned by Brock’s wife, from 7-8 a.m. Red & Blue is located across from the State Capitol at 7th and Woodlane.

Reservations required. Click here for more details.

FORMER CONGRESSMAN ED BETHUNE RECALLS JOHN McCAIN IN ARKANSAS
Former GOP Second District Congressman Ed Bethune shared a post on his Facebook page about the late Sen. John McCain. Bethune and McCain served in the U.S. House together in the early 1980’s before McCain became a senator.

Bethune shared a tribute written by one of his former staffers named West Doss. Doss recalls hauling McCain around Arkansas in 1984 when Bethune was challenging former Sen. David Pryor, D-Ark., for the U.S. Senate. Writes Doss:

“The Congressman could hardly get into my Honda Civic because of his war wounds. I took him to my hometown of Beebe where he spoke at the American Legion. We ate lunch at the College Inn. I gave him the ‘West Doss’ tour of Beebe and he was very good natured. He had already lived a couple of lifetimes and now he was in politics. He was fascinating.

“I ran into him through the years as he campaigned and when I worked for Asa in D.C. We were pushing campaign finance reform on the House side and Senator McCain was on the Senate side. He always kidded me about Beebe.

“Senator McCain affected my life, not the way one might think. He insisted on carrying my briefcase. He insisted on getting my coffee. He helped me unload the car when we got back to the campaign office. He was selfless. I saw true humility and I hope that at times my life exhibits that spirit. I was just a driver, but he made me feel important and to him I was important. This was not normal. It is not what one would expect. This is the same spirit that refused to be released as a POW before others. He earned the name of ‘Maverick.’

“Thank you John McCain for making America great. God speed. You will not be forgotten.”

DEMOCRATIC BLACK CAUCUS ELECTS NEW OFFICERS
The Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus, an auxiliary of the Democratic Party of Arkansas, elected new officers on Saturday, August 25, 2018.

Debrah Mitchell of North Little Rock was elected president. The other officers elected included:

First Vice President: Ethan Dunbar of Lewisville
Second Vice President: Diana Thomas of Little Rock
Secretary: Dr. Cheryl Felder-Stuart of Lewisville
Asst. Secretary: Kristina Gulley of North Little Rock
Treasurer: Michael Pridgeon, CPA of Little Rock

“I’m excited and honored to serve. It is my desire to help bring a new vision and energy to the Black Caucus. With roughly 70 days until midterm elections, we have a great deal of work to do and I look forward to working with the newly elected leadership team to help secure victories for Arkansas Democrats up and down the ballot in November,” Mitchell said. “The Caucus needs to capture the current anti-Trump political energy among the African-Americans voters and use that to mobilize, motivate, and increase turnout and voter engagement.”

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Editor’s note: ‘Notes from the Campaign Trail’ is a compilation of various political insider tidbits. It is sponsored by Campbell Ward Consulting|Communications.