http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/01/bill-halter-arkansas-senate_n_480375.htmlConservative Democrat Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), whose obstinacy during the health care reform process was so frustrating to the progressive community, is officially getting a primary challenge.
On Monday morning, Arkansas lieutenant governor, Bill Halter, announced that he would launch a campaign to dislodge Lincoln from her Senate seat. He cited a need to focus on middle class issues, take on Wall Street, and fight back against special interests. Halter, who will call Lincoln personally today and send papers to the state capitol on Tuesday, broke the news of his candidacy through an online video at his site
www.BillHalter.com.
I am Lt. Gov. Bill Halter and I grew-up in this house on Scenic Hill in North Little Rock. I am running for the United States Senate because Washington is no longer working for this neighborhood or families across Arkansas.
Washington is broken. Bailing out Wall Street, with no strings attached while middle class Arkansas tax payers with the bill. Protecting insurance company profits instead of patients and lowering health costs. Gridlock, bickering and partisan games while unemployment is at a 25 year high. Enough is enough. It is past time to put more Arkansas values in Washington.
As Lt. Gov. we fought for an increase in the minimum wage, and when the legislature moved to increase their pay in these tough economic times I gave my increase to charity. The toughest fight was to establish the scholarship lottery. Most believe it couldn't be done. But I took a principled stand that Arkansas voters should decide this issue for themselves. Our team gathered more than 135,000 signatures and put this issue on the ballot and Arkansas approved the scholarship lottery by almost two to one. And we made sure that the lottery commission is subject to tough rules to prevent corruption. This year alone over 20,000 Arkansas family pay for college without raising taxes.
My wife Shanti and I are blessed with two wonderful daughters. Nothing is more important to us than protecting their future and the future of every Arkansas child. Right now Washington is not working for Arkansas families, but it ought to. If you want your government dedicated to helping middle class families rather than protecting special interests, then join my campaign. I am Bill Halter and I approve this message.
The race is likely to become a proxy battle for the larger debate within the Democratic Party between progressives who believe sticking to core values is the best way to win office and the self-styled pragmatists who argue that they must adopt more conservative positions when running in traditionally more conservative states.
The firm Research 2000 did a poll on this prospective primary battle back in December. And the numbers showed a fairly tough landscape for a primary challenger. Forty-two percent of respondents said they would back Lincoln in a Democratic primary. Twenty-six percent said they'd back Halter. Thirty-two percent were undecided.
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