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With Clinton out, so are Arkansas ties to campaign Sunday, Jun 8, 2008 By Aaron Sadler Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - Hillary Clinton's exit from the presidential race last week left Arkansas with no connection to the presidential race and may leave Natural State voters with a difficult choice on Nov. 4. Do they pick Barack Obama, the Illinois senator who edged the state's former first lady for the Democratic nomination, but lost to her by 44 percentage points in Arkansas and was named the "most liberal" senator by a national magazine? What about John McCain? He forced former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee out of the Republican race and has never been a darling of the GOP faithful. He opposed the popular Farm Bill and crusaded against earmarks for local projects, positions directly opposed by Arkansas lawmakers. Arkansans will come around to one or the other as the general election race develops, one political observer said Friday. For now, though, they may be distraught that their picks were left on the sidelines. "One thing about Arkansas is that you do take your state pride personally," said Art English, a professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. "People do feel bad, personally. We have a very strong connection in this small and very interestingly intimate state." That may be why Rep. Marion Berry, D-Gillett, swallowed hard before he said he would support Obama in the fall, or why Rep. Mike Ross, D-Prescott, was more eager to say why McCain could lose in the state than why Obama could win. English compared sentiments among Clinton and Huckabee backers to the feeling Arkansans get after a Razorbacks loss. For the record, it would take five Reynolds Razorback Stadiums to hold the number of Arkansans who voted for Clinton or Huckabee in the Feb. 5 primaries. Clinton won the Democratic primary with 70 percent of the vote to Obama's 26 percent. Huckabee beat McCain 60 percent to 20 percent. Both Arkansas-linked candidates are considered to be top contenders for a vice-presidential spot. Either would probably help the presidential candidate in the state. Regardless of running mate, English said Obama can count on some natural constituencies in Arkansas just like McCain. Obama appeals to the state's blacks, liberal Democrats and young people. Some voters will like McCain because of his defense background and conservative credentials, English said. "From (McCain's) positions on national defense to his position on wasteful government spending, he has been a voice in the Senate for the conservative principles that Arkansans share," said Doyle Webb, chairman of the state GOP's victory committee. An ardent Obama supporter, Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala., acknowledged that Obama's positions may not resonate as well as McCain's in the South. Obama's legacy is likely to be the effect the new voters drawn in by his candidacy will have on future southern elections, Davis said. "The bottom line is that no one, frankly, to come out of the national Democratic Party is going to be where most southerners are on a range of issues," Davis said. "That brings some complications." For Obama to do well in Arkansas, he may well have to get help from Clinton, said Pine Bluff Mayor Carl Redus. Redus, a Democratic National Convention delegate who is pledged to support Clinton, said Obama will not overlook Arkansas - a critical "swing state." Bill Clinton is the only Democrat to carry the state since 1976. "He realizes the fact that he can leverage the Clintons to make sure that Arkansas votes Democratic this time," Redus said. Despite being away from the state for 16 years, English said Hillary Clinton managed 70 percent support among Democrats because she opened an office in Arkansas, visited the state, and "didn't take us for granted." Likewise, Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., said it will take a little courtship to get Arkansans on board for a general election candidate. "Arkansans are independent-minded, they like a personal touch," Lincoln said. "They like to be able to see a candidate and hear from them and know they care enough to come to a small state. That's important." |
