Our CBC CR President w/ Governor Huckabee

Primary Election Results

State election officials still don’t have final counts on yesterday’s elections. However, the latest scorecard has it something like this:

Sen. Jim Holt without a runoff in GOP Lt Gov (He’s currently at about 56%). On the Democrat side, Bill Halter (39%) and … still a squeaker for second but Tim Wooldridge (26.28%) appears to be inching ahead of Mike Hathorn (25.19%) with Pulaski Co. numbers still coming in.

On the Democrat AG contest, Dustin McDaniel comes out on top with 38.5%, with another nailbiter for second … but Paul Suskie seems to have it wrapped up with 31.5% to Robert Herzfeld’s 29.9%. (GOP nominee Gunner DeLay is uncontested)

And in the Treasurer race, Dems have another runoff between Martha Shoffner (43.7%) and Mac Campbell (36%). (GOP nominee Chris Morris is uncontested).

Asa Hutchinson faces Mike Beebe in the Governor’s contest, and Jim Lagrone faces Charlie Daniels in the Secretary of State race. None had primary opponents.

AETN's 'Unconventional Wisdom' examines political ethics

CONWAY, Ark. (AETN) Tune in to the Arkansas Educational Television Network Friday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. for "Unconventional Wisdom" a new program designed to move beyond the conventional approach of traditional public affairs programming and bring a range of fresh, thought-provoking ideas, views and voices to public television.

Hosting the program will be David Sanders, columnist for the Stephens Media Group's Arkansas News Bureau, and Warwick Sabin, associate editor of the Arkansas Times. Joining Sanders and Sabin to discuss political ethics will be Rep. Michael Lamoureux (R) of Russellville and Rep. Will Bond (D) of Jacksonville.

Faulkner County GOP Committee Website

The Faulkner County Republican Committee has recently launched a new website. Check it out here:

Faulkner County Republican Committee

Karl Rove Comes to Conway

Presidential Advisor Karl "The Architect" Rove

By ANDREW DeMILLO
Associated Press Writer

CONWAY, Ark. (AP) -- President Bush's top political adviser says Democrats could suffer politically from opposition to anti-terrorism efforts like the warrantless eavesdropping program, and he defended that program as legal and needed.

"The purpose of the terrorist-surveillance program is to protect lives," Karl Rove said Thursday night at the University of Central Arkansas. "The president's actions were legal and fully consistent with the 4th Amendment and the protection of our civil liberties under the constitution."

A small group of protesters gathered outside the UCA student center where Rove spoke. Some shouted derisive remarks about Bush and about Vice President Dick Cheney's hunting accident.

Rove talked to more than 300 people at a fundraiser for the Faulkner County Republican Party. He was also in Arkansas to meet with state party leaders in Little Rock, including Asa Hutchinson, who is running for governor, and Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Huckabee, who has said he's considering a presidential run in 2008, demurred when asked if his visit with Rove would include any discussion about the governor's political future.

"I don't know what that is," Huckabee said. "I may not have one."

At Conway, Rove said national security, the courts and the economy are the three issues that Republicans need to focus on in this year's mid-term elections.

On national security, Rove criticized Democrats who have opposed reauthorization of the Patriot Act. He singled out comments by Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada regarding the anti-terrorism legislation.

"I think it's dawning on some Democrats that obstructing the Patriot Act, like they've been obstructing everything else, is bad for them politically," Rove said.

He also said the disclosure of the eavesdropping program had helped terrorists. The president had the right to put the program into action, Rove said, because of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"Let me make this clear: President Bush believes that, if al-Quaida is calling someone in the United States of America, it is in our national security interests to know who they're calling and why," Rove said.

Rove also called for Congress to make Bush's tax cuts permanent and said Republicans benefitted politically from the battles over confirmation of Samuel Alito and John Roberts to U.S. Supreme Court positions.

"I admit, it wasn't a fair fight," Rove said. "The Democrats talked a lot longer but John Roberts and Sam Alito spoke a lot better."

State Republican Party executive director Clint Reed said Rove helped the state party raise nearly $250,000 with his meetings at Little Rock with business and party leaders.

Arkansas Democrats criticized the the state GOP and Hutchinson over the Rove visit, citing the aide's role in the investigation over the leaked identity of a CIA agent.

Arkansas Democratic Chairman Jason Willett said he didn't have any problem with Huckabee meeting with Rove, but criticized Hutchinson for the meeting.

"To bring somebody who's under the accusations that he's under to raise money for the Republican party ... I think is very questionable," Willett said. "In light of the Republican culture of corruption that's going on, the last person I'd bring to Arkansas to raise money would be Karl Rove."

Hutchinson, a former congressman and ex-Homeland Security official, dismissed Willett's criticism as "short-sighted."

"Anytime we can have the domestic policy adviser to the president of the United States, we have to take advantage of it," Hutchinson said. "It's important for us to make Arkansas' case to a key person in the administration."

Update 2/17

We had a good meeting of the CBC College Republicans this afternoon. We had a turnout of 11 and Mr. Joseph Pennington of the Asa Hutchinson for Governor campaign was our guest speaker. Our Secretary-Treasurer, Bro. T.J. Lewis, also gave a report about the Faulkner County Republican Committee Dinner he and I went to last night.

In the next few weeks, we will be focusing on registering CBC students to vote. Mr. Pennington stressed the need for this. He said the Arkansas GOP will give us $5 for every completed application we obtain. I was thinking we could put $3 in a club account and give the other $2 to the person who gets the signature. Let me know your feedback on this matter please! If you are willing to help us with voter registration on campus, let me know as soon as you can so we can get started on this.