How’s that for a stop-the-presses headline?
The GOP held a news conference yesterday in which it warned against the danger that this election would produce one-party rule in Arkansas. This is absolutely a fair campaign point. As luck would have it, I’ve written a column on the topic for next week’s Times, because we go to press before results are in and I had to noodle on something. Three thoughts:
1) Sometimes, the alternate party candidates are so bad, you have no choice.
2) We have no better illustration of the perils of one-party rule than the Republican-controlled federal government.
3) Arkansas Democrats are a good bit more diverse than national Republicans, or state Republicans. There are a precious few liberals, plenty of moderates, plenty of DINOs, plenty of politicians to whom a party label is little more than a technical appendage, devoid of philosophical significance. But the ruling clique will not be distinguished by notably progressive types with reputations for high integrity. This is cause for concern.