First District Candidates Debate Without Cong. Crawford

Minus Rep. Rick Crawford (R), three candidates for U.S. Congress in Arkansas’ First District participated in a debate at AETN’s studios in Conway on Tuesday (Oct. 23).

Rob Moritz with our content partner, the Arkansas News Bureau, reports:

Scott Ellington, the Democratic Party nominee, along with Green Party candidate Jacob Holloway and Libertarian candidate Jessica Paxton answered questions on a range of topics from health care to the federal farm bill during an hour-long debate at AETN studios on the University of Central Arkansas campus.

Crawford declined to participate, and Ellington told reporters later the incumbent’s absence was telling.

“So what does it means that Rick Crawford wasn’t here? I believe that it either means that he thinks he’s got this race locked up and he doesn’t have serious competition, or he didn’t want to stand and answer for his dismal record of voting 94 percent of the time with the Republican Party, and not be held accountable for the decisions that he made in Congress,” said Ellington, 49, the 2nd Judicial District prosecutor from Jonesboro.

According to the latest Talk Business-Hendrix College Poll, Crawford enjoyed a healthy lead over his opponents.

In September, the poll of 563 likely voters found Crawford with a nearly two-to-one lead:

Q. In the race for U.S. Congress, the candidates are Democrat Scott Ellington, Republican Rick Crawford, Green Party Candidate Jacob Holloway, and Libertarian Jessica Paxton.  For whom do you plan to vote for this November?

28%     Scott Ellington
53%     Rick Crawford
1%       Jacob Holloway
2%       Jessica Paxton
16%     Undecided

You can read more from Moritz’s report on the debates at this link.