Talk Politics

Covering Arkansas Politics

Weekend Digest: The Washington Post Edition

A history of ownership of The Washington Post, which sold this week to Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, tops our weekend review of stories.

Beebe Names Dr. Nathaniel Smith To Health Department Helm

Gov. Mike Beebe (D) named Dr. Nathaniel Smith as Director and State Health Officer for the Arkansas Department of Health. Smith has been serving as Interim Director the past three…

Bill Clinton To Be Awarded Presidential Medal Of Freedom

President Barack Obama named Bill Clinton and fifteen others recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Thursday (Aug. 8). The honor is given to individuals who have made especially…

Coleman Tells Political Animals That Data Will Make Him Competitive

Republican gubernatorial hopeful Curtis Coleman told the Central Arkansas Political Animals Club that he wants to see greater business tax cuts than the GOP frontrunner Asa Hutchinson has proposed and…

Pryor On Health Care Reform: ‘This Bill Isn’t Killing Jobs, This Bill Is Creating Jobs’

A follow-up from my travels with Sen. Mark Pryor (D) earlier today. Pryor was interviewed on KARK Ch. 4’s morning show by host Matt Mosler about his vote on health…

Sen. Mark Pryor Takes His Business On The Road

On Wednesday, I spent the day traveling with GOP Senate hopeful Cong. Tom Cotton, who announced he would challenge Sen. Mark Pryor (D) on Tuesday. Today, I’ll spend a big…

For Arkansas Federal Officials, Recess Is No Recess

“RECESS” – a suspension of business or procedure often for rest or relaxation. It’s recess on Capitol Hill. Congress is out of session, the House and Senate are empty, and…

On The Senate Trail With Cong. Tom Cotton

I’ll be touring northwest, north-central and northeast Arkansas today with Cong. Tom Cotton (R), as he begins his statewide Senate campaign tour. On Thursday, I’ll be traveling part of the…

Democrats, Republicans React To Cotton, Changing Political Landscape

The 2014 general election is about 16 months away, but that has not stopped the race for U.S. Senate from kicking into high gear even before Tuesday night’s (Aug. 6)…

AG McDaniel Approves Medical Marijuana Measure, Rejects Another

From Rob Moritz with our content partner, the Arkansas News Bureau: The state attorney general on Tuesday certified a proposed initiated act that would legalize marijuana for medical use in…

Cong. Cotton Makes Senate Challenge To Pryor Official

After months of speculation and with great fanfare, GOP Cong. Tom Cotton threw his hat in the 2014 U.S. Senate race, challenging incumbent Democrat Sen. Mark Pryor.

Brawner: Libertarians Hunting For Signatures In Arkansas

Talk Business contributor and Arkansas News Bureau columnist Steve Brawner profiles supporters of the Libertarian Party of Arkansas, a group hunting for signatures to qualify candidates for the ballot in…

Pryor Hits Cotton With New TV Ad

Sen. Mark Pryor (D) is already primed to hit the airwaves with a new 60-second TV ad that raises questions about Fourth District Cong. Tom Cotton’s voting record. Cotton (R)…

Anti-Cotton Web Site A Sign Of More To Come

A day before he enters the U.S. Senate race, state Democrats launched a web site, MeetTomCotton.com, that claims Fourth District Cong. Tom Cotton (R) is “too reckless for Arkansas.” Cotton…

Gov. Beebe Appoints 35 To Boards And Commissions

Gov. Mike Beebe announced the following appointments to boards and commissions: Maxine Allen, Little Rock, reappointed to the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission. Appointment expires June 30, 2019. Patrick…

Cook: Tom Cotton’s Stumbles & Mark Pryor Leading in New Poll

What do Rick Crawford, Tim Griffin, Steve Womack, John Boozman and Mark Pryor all have in common, besides the most obvious? They all voted for the first Farm Bill this…

Vickery & O’Brien: Obamacare Vote, Beebe Legacy To Factor In Governor’s Race

GOP strategist Bill Vickery and Democratic activist Pat O’Brien squared off on KARK’s Capitol View to discuss the Arkansas Governor and Senate races in 2014. Vickery said that Mike Ross’…

July Revenues Start With Personal Income Tax Dip, Corporate And Sales Tax Boost

Arkansas revenue officials said the state’s first month of its fiscal year saw an increase in corporate and sales tax revenue, while individual income taxes were off the mark. July…

Only Four Insurance Carriers Could Qualify For Arkansas Exchange

Then there were four. On Wednesday, Arkansas insurance regulators submitted recommendations to the feds for four companies to participate in a forthcoming health insurance exchange. Previously five firms had indicated…

AG McDaniel: Schools Can’t Arm Staff

School districts cannot be licensed as private security companies in order to arm teachers and staff members to respond to school violence, according to an opinion issued by Attorney General…