State Stays Election Yawner (Jeff Hankins Commentary)

Just how boring can an election season in Arkansas be?

We’re enduring a dullness that makes me yearn for a good, old-fashioned Bill Clinton vs. Frank White matchup.

For months we had the distinction of being characterized as one of the battleground states for the presidential election, and lo, we’ve messed around and lost that intriguing distinction — at least for now.

U.S. Senate and congressional races? Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln, whose membership on the powerful Finance Committee locked in business support and loads of political action committee contributions early on, could win against Republican Jim Holt without leaving Washington this fall. U.S. Reps. Vic Snyder, Marion Berry and John Boozman are coasting toward re-election.

Heck, speculation about Gov. Mike Huckabee’s future career and who will run for governor in 2006 is getting more talk than any of the races this year.

Amendment 2, which the state must have to be competitive in recruiting so-called super economic development projects like an auto assembly plant, is getting more attention and effort than anything. A couple of liberal newspaper columnists who don’t approve of any government support for economic development appear to make up the only outspoken opposition.

Amendment 1, which is admittedly misleading with its title claiming “to establish term limits” when they already exist, can be expected to go down in flames. But count me as a proponent because I think we went too far with the current limits of six years in the state House and eight years in the state Senate.

Pro-Bush, Anti-Bush

With the presidential race, people seem to be passionately pro-President Bush or anti-Bush, but not pro-Kerry, except for my hardcore Democratic friends and family. It will always be hard for southern Democrats to jump on board enthusiastically with a liberal from Massachusetts. That’s why I see independents in the state going for Bush again even though they are suspicious of his oil ties and doubtful about his handling of Iraq.

If Ralph Nader is kept off the ballot by the Arkansas Supreme Court, we could move back into play for the John Kerry campaign. The theory nationwide is that Nader takes votes that would otherwise go Democrat.

For now, it’s rather nice not to be enduring constant television advertising messages, though local stations certainly are missing the expected revenue bump. We will ultimately see an onslaught of ads from special interest groups, but over a shorter period than originally expected.

Arkansas seems destined to follow the pattern that it has so often through the years — voting with mixed political persuasion. Our presidential electoral college votes will go to the GOP while voters continue to give five of six positions in Congress to the Democrats.

Get in the Game

It’s time for your business to consider two major awards competitions:

• The 17th annual Arkansas Business of the Year Awards. We honor businesses in three size categories with up to 300 employees, nonprofit organizations, and executives of both businesses and nonprofits. The corporate philanthropy award is also presented.

To nominate a company, organization or individual in this statewide competition, visit Arkansasbusiness.com/bizofyear/ab.asp.

• The third annual Arkansas Governor’s Family Friendly Employer Awards. This recognizes Arkansas employers in multiple categories for establishing and providing resources that support employees in balancing the needs of both work and family.

To nominate a company, visit Arkansasbusiness.com/family/form.asp.

(Jeff Hankins is the president and publisher of Arkansas Business Publishing Group in Little Rock and can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].)