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Democratic lieutenant governor's field crowded Sunday, May 14, 2006 By Doug Thompson Arkansas News Bureau With seven candidates running, the lieutenant governor's race is Arkansas' most sought-after state constitutional office of 2006. Four of those candidates are Democrats: -Bill Halter, a former Clinton administration official making his first bid for elected office. -Former state Rep. Mike Hathorn of Huntsville. -State Rep. Jay Martin of North Little Rock. -State Sen. Tim Wooldridge of Paragould. A run-off, if needed, would be held June 13. Halter had announced a bid for governor but dropped out, leaving the primary uncontested for Attorney General Mike Beebe. Halter is the only Democratic candidate without state legislative experience, but also is the only candidate "to be in charge of 25 percent of the federal government budget" as director of the federal Social Security Administration during President Clinton's time in office, he said in an interview. "I'm also a member of the board of five high tech companies, the type of companies we want to attract to the state," he said. "Folks should look to the experience of the candidates," said Halter, a businessman and investor. "Of the four Democratic candidates, I'm the one with the most business experience, which will help bring industry to the state and attract better jobs to the state." The lieutenant governor's job is to preside over the state Senate and be ready to assume the governor's office if needed. Current Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller has added an informal duty of representing the state in attempts to attract businesses to locate here. Halter also says he's put forward the most detailed proposals of any lieutenant governor's candidate, ranging from a state lottery to help finance education and an increase in college scholarships. He also said that he was the candidate who gave the strongest support to a proposed state constitutional amendment to increase the state minimum wage. Halter's transfer of funds from his governor's campaign to the lieutenant governor's race has been questioned by Hathorn, who has filed a state Ethics Commission complaint. "I contemplated having somebody else bring the complaint forward, which would probably be the politically smart thing to do, but decided that if I'm going to be an advocate for the people of Arkansas as their lieutenant governor, it was incumbent upon me to be an advocate now," Hathorn said. Hathorn, an attorney and former chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the advocacy role of a lieutenant governor requires a candidate with vision "of where I want to take the state. The role of the lieutenant governor has the potential of being a strong voice for education, for our children, for being an ambassador for economic development, and most of all for our senior citizens." The lieutenant governor's formal powers are limited, but that didn't stop lieutenant governors in South Carolina, North Carolina and Missouri from building their positions into strong advocacy roles for senior citizens, Hathorn said. "I clearly think I'm the strongest candidate in November, looking at the numbers I posted in my run for Congress in the 3rd District" in a 2001 special election, Hathorn said. Although Hathorn lost in the largely Republican district, he said he drew more votes than any other Democrat, emerging from a three-person primary in that race. "If I get the same type of numbers in this race, not only can a Republican not win, it will probably help elect Mike Beebe," the Democratic nominee for governor, Hathorn said. "I can poll well in the 3rd District and with rural voters. If I do that, not only do I win, but all Democrats win," he said. Martin was House Majority Leader for the Democratic Party in the last legislative session. Leading the 72-person Democratic caucus showed him to be the type of leader needed as lieutenant governor and, potentially, governor, he said. "I'm a bridge builder, the kind of person you need as a lieutenant governor," Martin said. The role of the lieutenant governor is largely legislative, Martin said. The holder presides over the state Senate. The office is only as important as the lieutenant governor is able to make it through the effectiveness of his persuasion, he said. His ability to unite and lead the Democrats shows he has the needed abilities for both the lieutenant governor's position and, if needed, the governor's office, Martin said. He also knows the needs of the state, Martin said. "I own a small business, because that's what a small law office is," Martin said. "My wife and I went into the inner city and mentored two boys with a single mom and no dad in the household. That's what led me into public service, and we're still mentoring those same boys after eight years. I think I have the heart to serve the state." Like Hathorn, Martin said he wants to use the office as a base for becoming an advocate for senior citizens "particularly on the issue of prescription drugs." He also wants to continue the tradition of having the lieutenant governor be active in economic development, he said. Besides attracting industry, though, Martin said the state should look for more ways "to take what the state produces, like agricultural products, and find ways to make those value-added products. Other states are taking what we provide and making them into products and making more money. Why shouldn't we?" Wooldridge, a vice president of the Arkansas Methodist Medical Center Foundation, said he's the candidate who most obviously wants the job, having "approached this with preparation and purpose." "To me as a citizen, it is always disenchanting to me to see people running for office arbitrarily, and arbitrarily changing the office they're running for," Wooldridge said. "It doesn't show me a fire in their belly for this office. "The chief responsibility of the lieutenant governor is presiding over the Senate, and I'd like to point out that I'm the only candidate who's served in the Senate and have presided over it many times during the lieutenant governor's absence," Wooldridge said. "I've served 16 years in the Legislature, am a member of the Joint Budget Committee and chairman of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee." One of Wooldridge's goals is to "have everyone in the state know they have at least one friend in the Capitol," he said. He has a long familiarity with state government, he said, and wants to be the person to call when a citizen doesn't know who to call. He also plans to have town meetings at various points throughout the state during legislative sessions, he said. "I held town meetings every Saturday in my district during legislative sessions for 16 years, starting at 7 a.m. and ending when the last person left," he said. He will have no plans to stop if his "district" becomes the entire state, he said. "I'm a regular guy who makes house payments, car payments and is trying to put two kids through college," Wooldridge said. "I know what regular people who are making a living are going through, the challenges that regular Arkansans face every month." LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Democratic Primary NAME: Bill Halter AGE: 45. Born in Little Rock on Nov. 30, 1960 HOMETOWN: North Little Rock PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat. OCCUPATION: Businessman EDUCATION: Master of Philosophy degree in Economics from Oxford University, 1986; B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Stanford University, 1983. POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Served in the White House Office of Management and Budget, 1993 to 1999; Deputy Commissioner and then Acting Commissioner of the federal Social Security Administration, 1999 to 2001. FAMILY: Wife, Shanti. No children. NAME: Mike Hathorn Age: 32. Born in Huntsville on Oct. 11, 1973 HOMETOWN: Huntsville OCCUPATION: Attorney. EDUCATION: Law degree, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, 1998; B.A. Degree, Political Science, 1995 POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: State House, 1999-2005 FAMILY: Divorced, one daughter. NAME: Jay Martin Age: 36. Born in Oct. 8, 1969 in Little Rock HOMETOWN: North Little Rock OCCUPATION: Attorney. EDUCATION: Law degree from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock in 1996; Bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock in 1992 POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: State House, 2003 to present; House Majority Leader, 2005 to present FAMILY: Wife, Dawn, and one daughter. NAME: Tim Wooldridge Age: 46. Born in Paragould, May 5, 1960 HOMETOWN: Paragould OCCUPATION: Vice president, Arkansas Methodist Hospital Center EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree, Arkansas State University, 1982 POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Paragould City Council 1985 to 1990; state House, 1991 to 1999; state Senate 1999 to present. FAMILY: Wife, Lisa, and two children. |
