Arkansas Blog: Baker v. White

I quit too early last night. On the jump, a note from Gerard Matthews, who sat in on a joint appearance by state Senate candidates in Conway Tuesday night.

Big difference: Democratic challenger Joe White supported the state lottery amendment. Sen. Gilbert Baker, the Republican, said he opposed it.

ALSO NOTED: A reader reports the NRA is phone-banking for Baker (from a number outside Baker's district, naturally.)

Sen. Gilbert Baker and his Democratic challenger for the District 30 state senate seat, Joe White, met Wednesday evening at a debate held at UCA. The event was moderated by students and consisted of questions taken from faculty, staff and students from UCA. The first round of questions focused on UCA - enrollment, retention and the recent controversies surrounding the school.

Joe White said the higher education system needs more transparency and the Boards of Trustees at institutions like UCA are ultimately responsible for their own accountability. Baker said the controversy (of which he has been a part as a recipient of favors from the former administration of UCA President Lu Hardin) had been bad for the university. He said that universities needed to simply enforce salary cap laws, and that the Higher Education Coordinating Board needed to have more authority to deal with issues and controversies that crop up at universities.

One of the main points of contention between the two candidates was Lt. Governor Halter's state lottery proposal. When asked about funding for scholarships and education, White said he supported the lottery, which could bring in $100 million a year for college scholarships. Baker said he sided with organizations like Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families that oppose the lottery because of its potentially regressive impact on the poor.

Baker continually referenced working with Gov. Mike Beebe, but White was quick to point out that Baker supported Asa Hutchinson for governor, as well as groups that funded negative attack ads against Beebe. Beebe also has actively campaigned for White.

Both candidates talked about their ties to UCA and their ties to the Conway community. White tried to make the point that he was a businessman, not a politician, and would put the needs of the district first. Baker stressed the need for his re-election, given his seniority and experience.

Comments

My goodness...never seen so much of Baker. Joe's got him campaigning like an actual politician rather than the anointed one. Glossy ads come almost daily, the TV is constantly filled with people testifying to the great qualities of each man and their workers are constantly coming to my door. I even told the Baker people I was voting for Joe 'cause it's time for a new crook (didn't want them wasting my time explaining how bad Joe was or had great Baker was). Plus...I'm still pissed over Baker using UCA like his very own personal slush fund. (Between him, Hardin and the Board it's a wonder there's any money left for the 'regular' students...the unconnected ones.)

Posted by: zelda | October 9, 2008 07:24 AM

Atta boy, Joe.

Posted by: Cato | October 9, 2008 07:26 AM

I've been worrying myself over this race for a month or so now. I'm a pretty liberal Independent voter. I obviously leaned toward Joe White, that is, until I started getting those glossy ads every day. It's when I took the time to read them before dropping them in the recycle bin that I changed my mind. Joe White is a conservative Christian whose mailer a few weeks ago assured me that Joe believes marriage is between one man and one woman. It also reassured me that Joe believes in a student's right to pray in public schools. I thought they already had that right, but maybe that's just because I spent a few years as a classroom teacher.

Joe White is exactly the same as Gilbert Baker on all the issues that they'll likely be voting on. That's why I've decided to vote for Baker. Baker is up front about being a bigot. He's clearly a crook who is connected to the biggest group of crooks from other areas of the state in the Senate. What that means for me is that he'll walk into the Senate and be able to get lots of goodies for Conway and Faulkner county, which I call home. If I'm gonna send a crook and a liar to the Senate, I'll at least send one who wont need to do any networking when he gets there.

I'm sick of Democrats using a D as a substitute for values. I keep hearing from the Dems I talk to in Conway that "Joe is a good guy." Maybe one of you could ask him to start acting like one...

Posted by: calmwriter | October 9, 2008 08:24 AM

Since Baker announced his support of the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, I can only assume he will take a firm stand against Act 1. Kudos to Gil Baker for distancing himself from the Arkansas Family Council and their hateful ways!

Posted by: rockstar | October 9, 2008 09:00 AM

If Baker publicly goes against that Arkansas Family Council crap and Joe supports the hatemongers...I'll vote for Baker.

Posted by: zelda | October 9, 2008 12:44 PM

Arkansas Blog

Baker v. White

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