The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette today profiled Republican John Thurston, the Agape Church maintenance and security worker recently elected state land commissioner. It follows an equally enlightening profile on pizza magnate Mark Darr, elected lieutenant governor. I presume Moonbeam Mark Martin, the expense-account padding Republican representative soon to be secretary of state, is next.

The virtually identical votes for these three can be explained by one thing and one thing only — the R that appeared with their names on the ballot. It was not education, relevant experience or similar.

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This sort of voting gave rise in years past to the phrase Yellow Dog Democrat.

Meet the corollary, Arkansas. Have an appropriate moniker?

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Republican Party chair Doyle Webb was as surprised by Thurston as everyone else, apparently. He said he’d never heard of him (not surprising given his resume). “We will certainly look to hold the seat and I think his performance will determine if that is possible,” Webb told the D-G. Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

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