Three gubernatorial candidates agreed they want to serve Arkansas but differed on how much attention should be given to what is happening in Washington, DC, during a debate hosted by Arkansas PBS on Friday.
CLICK HERE to watch the debate on YouTube.
Hyperpartisanship in national politics is one of the reasons libertarian Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. has said he is running for governor of Arkansas. It’s time to disconnect from Washington, remember Arkansans have neighbors who believe differently than national politicians and to treat each other “like human beings who have the right to self-determination,” Harrington said.
There has to be a balance between federal and state politics because you “can’t ignore failures that are coming out of Washington right now,” like record inflation, said Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Sanders is running for governor because you can make the biggest difference at the state level, she said.
Jones said it’s always been about Arkansas and he’s heard Arkansans say “they really want us to get back to the bread and butter issues that matter.”
Jones and Sanders agreed that education is one of those important issues and that all children deserve access to quality education. As part of its PB&J program – preschool, broadband and jobs – Jones wants to expand access to pre-K.
Through his Arkansas LEARNS plan, Sanders wants to improve literacy and give parents more choices for their children’s education.
Political experience
Sanders is the daughter of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. She gained national recognition as the White House Press Secretary from 2017 to 2019.
Sanders defeated Francis “Doc” Washburn in the primary with 83% of the vote to win the Republican nomination in May.
Sanders said it’s an important quality for leaders to be prepared for the unexpected. Sanders said she has been tested at the highest levels of government and will not back down for who she is or what she believes.
“I know I’m ready to step in from day one and be both the fighter and the leader that our state needs, frankly at a time when I think we need it most,” Sanders said.
Jones is the former executive director of the Arkansas Regional Innovation Center. He beat four other candidates in the Democratic primary this spring with 70% of the vote.
Being an executive is one of the governor’s roles and Jones said he is the only candidate to have led multiple million-dollar organizations.
“You have to know how to set budgets, how to manage people, how to set a vision, and then how to set a plan to achieve that vision,” he said.
Harrington is a pastor from Pine Bluff who has done overseas missionary work. He ran an unsuccessful campaign against US Senator Tom Cotton in 2020.
Harrington said while he might not have the resume of his opponents, he had a life of service to others and had experience managing people.
“In leadership, you need a different skill set,” Harrington said. “Not only do you have to be strong, but you have to have compassion. Be firm, fair and consistent.
If Jones or Harrington are elected, they would be the state’s first African-American governor.
If Sanders is elected, she would be the first woman to serve as governor.
Republican Asa Hutchinson was first elected governor of Arkansas in 2014. He cannot seek re-election due to term limits.
Credibility and transparency
Credibility matters, and Jones said vetting candidates is key so voters can determine whether they trust the governor to spend their money wisely, show up in a crisis, and “take the right decision” for them when they are not in the room.
Harrington said integrity is a key part of his campaign and if elected he would do his best to lead with integrity. The government needs integrity because there have been many times when people in power have abused people’s civil rights, he said.
Sanders agreed that integrity and trust are important qualities and said Arkansasians can trust him to do his best for his children and theirs.
Jones and Harrington said they would be open to speaking with the media as the press plays a vital role in building transparency and trust with the public. Jones said he’s heard stories of frustrated Arkansans because they haven’t heard from Sanders.
Although Sanders has said she believes in freedom of the press, it comes with great responsibility. When the media “doesn’t live up to its end of the bargain,” Sanders said it forces some people to think outside the box. Sanders said she did this by taking her message directly to the Arkansans and cutting out the middleman.
Friday was the first time the three candidates had participated in a debate together. Sanders declined to participate in a gubernatorial debate hosted by KATV earlier this month. She also declined to participate in the Arkansas PBS post-debate press conference on Friday.
Jones and Harrington participated in both events.
In a recent article published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that highlights the three candidates, the newspaper reported that Sanders’ campaign refused to make her available for an interview, so the newspaper submitted written questions. and his campaign provided him with written responses.
The newspaper interviewed Jones and Harrington separately at a local cafe near the state capitol. Both responded to follow-up questions in writing, according to the article.
trans rights
A federal lawsuit began last week challenging the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Governor Hutchinson vetoed the law, but lawmakers overruled it.
Jones and Harrington said they would have vetoed the law, while Sanders said she would have supported it.
Sanders argued that it is the government’s role to protect those who cannot protect themselves like children. Children aren’t capable of making “life-changing decisions” like this, she said.
Jones said while children may not be able to make these kinds of decisions, he trusts parents to make the right decision for their family and they should be allowed to do so. Often, issues such as transgender care and health care are used “as divisive political punching bags,” Jones said.
Harrington agreed with Jones and said the legislation should never have come out of committee.
“Are my children my children or do they belong to the government? Harrington asked.
Taxes
Harrington said he wanted to cut the food tax because it is “unethical” to tax people for food. He would also like to reduce the sales tax.
Sanders said she wants to phase out state income tax so Arkansas can be more competitive with neighboring states. This should be done responsibly and it can be done by “developing our own economy and reducing waste and abuse” in public spending, she said.
Income tax accounts for about 57% of the state budget, according to the Ministry of Finance and Administration.
Jones supports lowering taxes, but said “the math has to add up.” You can’t cut more than half of state revenue and then not cut something, “unless you end up like Texas where property taxes are skyrocketing,” Jones said.
“There are resources we can tap into, but we have to do it in a measured and responsible way.”
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