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Bill Halter Holt, Halter joust for lieutenant governor Sunday, Oct 29, 2006 By Doug Thompson Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - In the race for lieutenant governor, a Democratic newcomer to state politics faces an incumbent Republican state senator who made a name for himself with a surprising showing in his last bid for statewide office. State Sen. Jim Holt, R-Springdale, served one term in the state House of Representatives and is completing his first term as a state senator. He garnered 44 percent of the vote two years ago in a failed bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., despite Lincoln's $5 million war chest. In May, Holt won a three-way Republican primary for lieutenant governor without a runoff. Democrat Bill Halter of Little Rock, a businessman and former Clinton administration official, is seeking his first elective office. He was the top vote-getter among four candidates in the May Democratic primary and won a runoff against state Sen. Tim Wooldridge of Paragould. "I view the lieutenant governor's office not just by the constitutional prescription but by what the position can be," Halter said. "The first duty is to oversee the senate with solid, fair and balanced oversight. I believe my political policy is one of mainstream and moderation. My opponent is often the one vote in 1-to-34 votes in the Senate." The second role of lieutenant governor is to serve as acting governor if the chief executive is out of state or unable to perform his duties. Holt said the biggest single reason voters should choose him over Halter was that Holt and his family have "chosen to live here our whole life, except for a short stint in the military." Holt is a veteran of the U.S. Army. Halter spent most of his adult life outside Arkansas, attending Stanford University in California and serving in various business and political positions in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere before returning to the state last year to run for office. As for the 34-to-1 votes in the Senate, Holt said many of those were on tax and school reform bills. "(Some) People change once they get into office. (The press) can say what you want about me, but I've been consistent and I won't back down," he said. "Word of mouth got around, 'This guy has not backed down under political pressure, no matter which party it came from. There must be something to this guy.'" Halter said the biggest policy differences between him and Holt is on education. "I propose going beyond adequate to excellence, and offered a very detailed program to get us there," he said. For that, pre-kindergarten classes are vital, he said. "Holt calls those classes socialism," Halter said. Holt said he has fought to hold down education costs and leave school decisions in the hands of local officials. "What's the biggest expense we have in this state? Education," he said, adding that the solution to many of the state's education problems could be addressed with greater local control and discipline in classrooms. Halter noted his appointment as deputy director of the Social Security Administration during former President Clinton's tenure. He later became acting director of the agency with 1,500 offices nationwide, 65,000 employees and an $8 billion budget. He also said he would use the lieutenant governor's office to promote economic development and recruit industry, as did the late Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller. Holt has criticized Halter's proposal for a state lottery to, among other things, expand preschool programs. "Look at what he's proposing," Holt said. "More and more programs. Somebody will have to pay for it. Democrats or Republicans, when citizens pay for something there's always a huge handling fee for the government." Holt has been a vocal opponent of gay marriage and illegal immigration. LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR NAME: Bill Halter PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat AGE: 45. Born in Little Rock on Nov. 30, 1960 HOMETOWN: North Little Rock OCCUPATION: Businessman EDUCATION: B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Stanford University, 1983; Master of Philosophy degree in Economics from Oxford University, 1986 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: Jim Holt PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican Age: 41. Born in Camden, Ark., on Jan. 17, 1965 HOMETOWN: Springdale OCCUPATION: Full-time legislator EDUCATION: Attended University of Maryland POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: State House, 2001-2003; State Senate, 2003 to present FAMILY: Wife, Bobye, 9 children |
