em { display: contents !important; } label em { display: none !important; } .photo { width: 100%; max-width: 50rem } a.fr-file { color: #0274b7 !important; }
In their Republican primary, Russellville City Council member Rick Harrell is suggesting that state Sen. Breanne Davis of Russellville supports a casino in Pope County — a charge that Davis calls a false claim.
For her part, Davis is touting what she calls an effective legislative record and an endorsement from Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders of Little Rock.
Harrell and Davis are vying in the May 24 primary in Senate District 25, which includes Pope County, most of Conway County and the Dardanelle portion of Yell County. The state Board of Apportionment redrew the boundaries of the state’s legislative districts in 2021 based on the 2020 U.S. Census.
The winner of the Republican primary will be unopposed in the Nov. 8 general election to represent District 25.
Harrell, 64, has served on the Russellville City Council since his election in 2018 to a four-year term and previously served on the council from 2003-2006. His grandfather, Ralph R. Harrell, served in the state House of Representatives in 1953 and 1954,
He has been a sales representative in Northwest Arkansas for Jostens, which sells class rings, caps and gowns, announcements and diplomas for students in the schools, for 40 years. He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Central Arkansas in 1980. He is married with three children.
Davis, 39, has served in the state Senate since June of 2018. She was elected in a special election in May of 2018 to represent Senate District 16, after the death of Sen. Greg Standridge, R-Russellville, from cancer in November of 2017. District 16 includes Newton and Pope counties and parts of Boone, Carroll and Van Buren counties.
She served on the Russellville School Board from 2009-2018 and is the owner of the flower farm Deelyte Farms in Russellville. She received a bachelor’s degree in speech communications from Arkansas Tech University in 2007. She is married with four children.
In his bid to oust Davis, Harrell said he would bring local representation to Pope and Conway counties that Davis hasn’t provided.
“I support the fight against the casino,” he said, and suggested that Davis supports a casino in Pope County.
Asked for evidence of that, Harrell said “she went to the mayor and asked him to sign a letter of endorsement for the casino … and the mayor refused,” referring to Russellville Mayor Richard Harris.
Harris said Davis asked him to provide a letter of support for whoever was vetted as the most viable casino operator by a gaming committee formed by the Russellville City Council in September of 2019, after the Quorum Court’s surprise endorsement of Cherokee Nation Businesses of Oklahoma.
“I did not consider it to be an endorsement of a casino,” Harris said. “It was support for the process of the selection committee, whoever the selection committee decided to recommend.”
Davis said there was a public process created by the Russellville City Council to vet casino operators in 2019 and “I was supportive of that process.
“I felt the public deserved to hear from the casino operators and ask them questions in a public forum,” she said.
But Davis said she did not ask Harris to sign a letter of endorsement for a casino in Pope County.
“I have never been a supporter of the casino, and I have never asked for a letter of support,” she said.
“The legislative fight over the casino is over,” Davis said. “Everything is left to the courts right now and the ballot initiative process.”
Davis said she supports the proposed constitutional amendment promoted by the Fair Play for Arkansas 2022 ballot committee that would remove Pope County as a location for a casino under Amendment 100 to the Arkansas Constitution. Harrell said he supports the proposed constitutional amendment.
Amendment 100 to the Arkansas Constitution, approved by voters in 2018, authorizes the four casinos and allows the casinos to offer sports betting. Three casinos operate in Arkansas: Saracen Casino Resort in Pine Bluff, Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis and Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs.
In November, the Arkansas Racing Commission, in a divided vote, awarded a license that would allow a new gambling facility, Legends Resort and Casino, in Pope County.
Harrell said Davis is the Senate sponsor of a law that allows the creation of an entertainment district where alcohol is served outside in a wet county and there was no justification for the measure.
He said Davis didn’t contact city or chamber of commerce officials about the bill. Act 874 of 2021 allows private clubs in dry counties to form entertainment districts where alcohol may be consumed in open containers. The private clubs must apply for a city ordinance to create an entertainment district.
Davis said she had conversations with city and chamber officials about the bill and “it is the most local form of control and that is something people want to see.”
Harrell said he has great relationships with the schools and businesses to get feedback on legislation and he would bring maturity and common sense to representing Senate District 25.
“We deserve a leader who will fight tirelessly for conservative values and the local issues that matter to each of our communities,” he said.
Davis said she has represented her constituents on issues that matter over the last four years and she has been effective.
For example, she said she sponsored Act 198 of 2019 that ended the state’s prohibition on municipalities providing broadband service and now she sees tens of millions of dollars spent on providing broadband service to hard to reach places. The law amended the Telecommunications Regulatory Reform Act of 2013 and allows government entities — including cities, school districts and state agencies — to provide broadband either on their own or in partnership with a private entity.
She said she has supported teachers and law enforcement in the Legislature and is the Senate sponsor of Act 311 of 2021 that created the No Patient Left Alone Act, which is aimed at guaranteeing visits to lonely-pandemic-restricted patients.
If elected to the Legislature, Harrell said his top priorities would include granting more autonomy to local schools to make decisions on curriculum and programming “instead of a one size fits all” approach, expanding vocational programs in high schools and providing “a little more balance to the salary schedule” for teachers across the state.
If she is re-elected, Davis said her top priorities will include continuing to fight for equitable funding for Arkansas Tech University, to reduce broadband regulations so Internet service providers can provide high-speed broadband to every home, and for life “from conception to natural death.”
MEDICAID EXPANSION
In 2021, Davis voted for legislation that cleared the way for the state to successfully apply for a waiver from the federal government for an overhaul of the state’s Medicaid expansion program that provides health insurance coverage to more than 300,000 low-income Arkansans. The federal government pays for 90% of the cost of the program and the state covers the other 10% of the tab.
Davis said she is supportive of this effort to improve health outcomes for some people in the program through a different approach aimed at addressing the root causes of their health problems.
Asked about whether he supports the state’s Medicaid expansion program, Harrell said that “I am not up to speed to have a definitive opinion.” He said he needs more information to take a stance on the program.
VOUCHERS
Davis said she voted for legislation that would allow tax dollars to be used for parents to send their children to private schools.
“I think parents should have a choice in their kids’ education and if there is a school that better fits their educational needs, I am for them having that option,” she said.
Harrell said that “I do not support vouchers.”
There is no accountability with some private schools, he said, and he would expect some accountability for using tax dollars to pay for parents to send their children to private schools.
ABORTION
Davis said she opposes abortion and she wants to see the U.S. Supreme Court overturn its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion.
She said she has voted for bills that would ban abortion except to save the life of the mother.
Harrell said he opposes abortion except to save the life of the mother.
“I believe life begins at conception,” he said.
SANDERS’ ENDORSEMENT
Davis said she is the only legislative candidate with Sanders’ endorsement in the Republican primary election.
She said the endorsement shows that “we have a strong working relationship” and that she will be able to continue to fight for the people in the Senate district and represent them well in the future.
Sanders, who is a former White House press secretary for President Trump and the daughter of former Gov. Mike Huckabee, said in a written statement that “Breanne’s conservative record — fighting to expand rural broadband access, making Arkansas the most pro-life state in the nation, and lowering taxes — proves that she is the kind of leader our state needs.
“Breanne and I have been friends since we attended Ouachita Baptist University together,” she said. Davis said she attended Ouachita Baptist University from 2001-2002.
“She is a fellow mom and was an early and outspoken supporter of my campaign,” Sanders said. “As governor, I look forward to working with her as we create a brighter, more prosperous future for all Arkansans.”
In the Republican primary, Sanders is being challenged by longtime radio host Doc Washburn of Little Rock. Five Democratic candidates are seeking their party’s nomination for governor in the primary election.
Asked whether Sanders’ endorsement of Davis would impact the Senate race, Harrell said he’s sure Sanders’ endorsement of Davis is a factor for some people.
“If I had college friends to call on, I would also,” he said. “However, I am receiving endorsements from people who live and vote here in District 25. They are the ones I will represent.”
from WordPress https://ift.tt/DjvGPYg
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment