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Huckabee campaigns for Hutchinson Wednesday, Mar 15, 2006 By Aaron Sadler Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas could retreat from a decade of reform if voters reject continued Republican rule in this year's governor's race, Gov. Mike Huckabee told supporters Tuesday. At a fundraiser for GOP gubernatioral candidate Asas Hutchinson, Huckabee said Democrats left a legacy of bad roads, bad education and corruption. Hutchinson would improve on 10 years of Huckabee's leadership, he said. Hutchinson, a former congressman and undersecretary in the Department of Homeland Security, is the lone Republican candidate for governor. His likely general election opponent is Democrat Mike Beebe, the state's attorney general. The term-limited governor said Democrats have vowed to "take back the Governor's Mansion." He asked if Democrats in office would also take back progress in highway improvements or student test scores. Huckabee wondered aloud if Democratic rule would bring back an era similar to when former Sen. Nick Wilson, D-Pocahontas, was convicted of profiting illegally from state contracts. "When you have one party in power exclusively, it is not a good thing, and what it led to in this state was wholesale corruption," Huckabee said after remarks at the fundraiser held at the Peabody Hotel. Wilson was convicted on federal tax evasion charges in 1999 and pleaded guilty to public corruption charges in 2000. Prosecutors said he was the kingpin of a public corruption ring that he more or less led from his state Senate office. He and former Sen. Mike Todd of Paragould served prison sentences for schemes that bilked state programs. Beebe was a state senator during the corruption scandal. He served in the Senate for 20 years before being elected attorney general in 2002. Beebe said Huckabee's comments were "the political rhetoric you would expect. "Mr Huckabee and I have always had a good relationship and he's been outspoken about the benefit of my work in the Legislature," Beebe said in a statement. "Mr. Huckabee knows there was no greater opponent of Nick Wilson than me when I fought corruption in the Legislature." Hutchinson told reporters a one-party system limits accountability. "I think it's important we remind ourselves what politics was like under one-party domination with no checks and balances before we had a Republican governor," Hutchinson said. "And I think the people of Arkansas benefited from that checks and balance." Huckabee leaves office in January. Though he and Hutchinson disagree on some issues, Huckabee said his possible successor shares a goal of "conservative, pro-life, pro-business" leadership. He downplayed the significance of their disagreement over school consolidation. Hutchinson opposes consolidation based on enrollment figures. Huckabee said school consolidation is no longer much of an issue in the state. "He's capable of saying 'Huckabee did these things, but I think we can do even better, and here's what my platform is,'" Huckabee said. "That's why I'm supporting him. If I thought he was going to continue the status quo, I wouldn't be as enthusiastic about his administration." Huckabee endorsed Hutchinson last year. Hutchinson has raised more than $1 million for his campaign. His monthly fundraising report for February is due to the secretary of state's office today. Hutchinson's spokesman did not immediately know how much money was raised at Tuesday's reception. About 20 people attended a $2,000-per-ticket event before the $100-per-ticket reception. |
