Talk Politics

Covering Arkansas Politics

Talk Business Roundtable: Economy On Hold, But Ready To Go

State business leaders say that despite uncertainty and policy dysfunction in Washington, the economy is poised to take off.

Midnight Session Wraps Up Teacher Insurance Special Session

Arkansas lawmakers wrapped up a three-day special legislative session that lasted less than 36 hours. State Sen. Johnny Key and Rep. Joe Jett discuss the outcomes.

Weekend Digest: The ‘You Should Be A Star’ Edition

For our weekend business and political readers: YOUTUBE AGENT FOR ONLINE STARS Meet 38-year-old Brent Weinstein. Forbes reports that Weinstein has a front row seat to the revolution currently underway in…

Tolbert: NRSC Labels Pryor ‘Senator Most Likely To Lose in 2014’

An internal memo obtained by the Tolbert Report from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) gives insight as to how high of a priority it is placing on the Arkansas…

Special Session On Teacher Insurance Fix Starts

Arkansas lawmakers are working on a quick fix to an insurance deficit in the public school employees insurance fund.

Beebe Appoints Frank Scott To Highway Commission

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe (D) named Frank Scott, Jr., of Little Rock to the Arkansas Highway Commission. The appointment expires January 14, 2017. He replaces John Burkhalter, who resigned from…

Arkansas Delegation Votes To Reopen Federal Government, Hike Debt Ceiling

All six members of Arkansas’ Congressional delegation voted for a Senate-sponsored measure to re-open the federal government and to extend the nation’s debt ceiling limit after nearly three weeks of high-stakes political wrangling.

Lockheed Martin Wants To Locate Vehicle Production In Camden

Lockheed Martin says it will move production of a tactical vehicle it makes for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps to Camden, but the deal still has to jump through…

Beebe To Call Special Session For Teacher Insurance Fix

Gov. Mike Beebe will call a special session to begin on Thursday (Oct. 17) at 3 p.m. to address a shortfall in the state public employees health insurance program. State…

Cook: Fundraising Reports Reveal Asa Hutchinson’s Campaign Faltering

October 15 was the deadline for state and federal candidates to submit their fundraising reports. After reviewing the reports, two unexpected surprises arose, one from a political novice and one…

Tolbert: Pryor Campaign Attacks Cotton For Non-existent ‘Secret Meeting’

Last week I said the U.S. Senate campaign in Arkansas will involve two themes repeated over and over: (1) From Cotton: Pryor ♥ Obama/ObamaCare, and (2) From Pryor: Cotton ♥ the…

Beebe Says Votes Not There For Teacher Insurance Fix

From our content partner, KUAR FM-89 News: Gov. Mike Beebe (D) says he won’t call a special session of the legislature to address a 50 percent hike in public school…

Gov. Beebe Announces 33 Appointments To Boards And Commissions

Gov. Mike Beebe (D) today announced the following appointments to boards and commissions: Ben Barham, Cammack Village, to the State Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board. Appointment expires July 31,…

Quarterly Campaign Reports Roll In

The October 15th deadline for quarterly campaign contribution and expenditure reports is upon us. They are compiled from campaign reports and press releases from candidate campaigns. Below is a breakdown…

Poll: Independent Voters Are Ones To Watch

While partisan forces align easily with their party candidates, independent voters are a crucial voting bloc in the 2014 elections. Some say they are the crucial voting bloc. In the…

Lawmakers Anticipate Teacher Insurance Special Session

From David Goins with our content partner, KARK Ch. 4 News: Members of the Arkansas General Assembly say they believe enough support exists to allow Governor Mike Beebe to call…

Arkansas To Lose $52 Million With End Of Stimulus SNAP Boost

Americans depending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will have fewer funds available on Nov. 1 to purchase food for themselves and their families, with Arkansans set to lose $52…

Poll: Term Limits Extension, Official Pay Hurting Ethics Reform Amendment

The addition of a term limits extension and a commission charged with deciding elected officials’ pay appears to have reversed public opinion on an ethics reform proposal. The Arkansas legislature…

Cook: The Arkansas GOP’s Limited Bragging Rights

Based on Talk Business’s recent poll, Arkansas Republicans have a few things to brag about. Yet when considering Arkansas’s political climate, Republicans are falling far short of where they should…

Poll: Asa Still Leads In Governor’s Race

Little has changed since February. In the Arkansas Governor’s race, Republican Asa Hutchinson still maintains a slight lead over presumptive Democratic nominee Mike Ross. In the latest Talk Business-Hendrix College…