The City Wire endorsements: Breedlove, Post, Wells and both in District 66

The editorial board of The City Wire has considered for endorsement 15 federal, state and local races. Municipal and county endorsements will be published Tuesday (Oct. 26). Link here for endorsements in races for U.S. Senate, 3rd Congressional District, 4th Congressional District, Arkansas Governor and Arkansas Lt. Gov.

What follows are endorsements in Arkansas House District 66, Arkansas House District 67, Arkansas House District 83 and Arkansas Senate District 6.

• Arkansas House District 66
Gary Deffenbaugh (R)
Crawford County Assessor Dianna Faucher (D)

The City Wire endorses both candidates in this race. Yes, both.

Candidates in most of the area Legislative races are good, but in this race The City Wire editorial board finds little difference between Deffenbaugh and Faucher. And that’s a good thing for those in the district. It’s the only race among the 15 we reviewed in which we endorsed both candidates.

Deffenbaugh would take to Little Rock many years of work in public education and community involvement. Faucher would take to Little Rock many years of work in county government and community involvement.

The voters can’t lose in this election.

• Arkansas House District 67
Rep. Steve Breedlove (D)

Gary Stubblefield (R)

The City Wire endorses Rep. Steve Breedlove.

Breedlove has in the past two terms moved up into leadership positions — chair of the Education Committee’s subcommittee on Higher Education — in the Arkansas House of Representatives. He also took an active leadership role in improving the water infrastructure to folks in eastern Sebastian County. That effort will improve the quality of life in that area and support existing and future economic growth.

Also, Breedlove’s opponent has failed, from our perspective, to make a case for why voters in the district would be served better by not sending Breedlove’s experience and leadership back to Little Rock.

• Arkansas House District 83
Tom Fite (R)
Leslee Milam Post (D)

The City Wire endorses Leslee Milam Post.

Not only does Post articulate a more clear message about her ideas and positions, but her written and oral conversations are, frankly, more lucid and positive than those of her opponent.

Also, Fite is against renewal of the Governor’s quick action closing fund. In other words, he is against a program that made possible the deals to recruit Mitsubishi and Mars Petcare (just to name two of the big ones) to the Fort Smith area. Fite also faces a legal challenge to his ballot status based on his guilty plea to a 1984 charge of medicaid fraud and bribery. Fite was sentenced to three years probation in the deal.

We’re convinced Post will be a responsible advocate for small and effective government.

• Arkansas Senate District 6
Bruce Holland (R)
Rep. John Paul Wells (D)

The City Wire endorses Rep. John Paul Wells.

Sometimes an endorsement comes down to who has the most experience and has a better shot of hitting the ground running. That’s essentially the issue in this race.

Holland is a good candidate, but the Fort Smith regional legislative delegation needs all the legislative experience (and leadership) it can muster. Historically, the regional legislative delegation has not been as strong as those from other — and often smaller — regions.

Wells, who has chaired numerous House committees and managed the passage of important legislation in his six years, is the best bet to bolster the effectiveness of the regional delegation.