CAMPAIGNING: Warwick Sabin greets a police officer at the Democratic Party's "Heart of the Party Block Party" on Capitol Avenue earlier in August.

Tweet of the week

“Democrats & my opponent can’t run against my strong record as AG, so they are dragging up old fake news in an attempt to deceive the people of Arkansas. Arkansans didn’t buy these lies in ’14 & they won’t now. #arpx #LR4AG” — Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (@LeslieRutledge), mounting a Trump-like defense at news that a judge had said, yes, the Department of Human Services had improperly withheld public information about her employment history in 2014. A previously disclosed notation from the DHS said she was guilty of “gross misconduct” as an attorney and should not be rehired. The documents were expected to be released Wednesday or Thursday.

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Minimum wage increase makes the ballot

Secretary of State Mark Martin has certified that the campaign to increase the minimum wage submitted sufficient valid voter signatures to qualify for the November ballot.

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The drive used labor-backed and a progressive charity’s money for a hurry-up petition campaign that was cleared only after an Arkansas Supreme Court ruling stopped Attorney General Leslie Rutledge’s blockade of popular ballot initiatives.

Needing 67,887 signatures, the campaign for a fair wage gathered 84,526 signatures, Martin said.

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The initiated act would increase the $8.50 per hour state minimum to $11 by Jan. 1, 2021. The state Chamber of Commerce and other corporate interests will oppose an increase in pay for lower-income Arkansans. They will also be voting to limit access to courts for injured people, to preserve long-term limits that protect their legislative servants, help the Republican Party with a vote suppression amendment and likely acquiesce to the expansion of gambling at two major corporate casinos.

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Little Rock city races set

Filing for Little Rock political office closed Friday. Glen Schwarz, a perennial candidate, filed late to join Baker Kurrus, Warwick Sabin, Frank Scott Jr. and Vincent Tolliver in the race to succeed retiring Mayor Mark Stodola.

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Other races:

Ward 1: Incumbent Erma Hendrix, 88, has opposition from Ted Adkins, Herbert Broadway, Bryan Frazier, Greg Henderson, Ronnie Jackson, Curtis Johnson, Danny Lewis and Robert Webb.

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Ward 2: Incumbent Ken Richardson has opposition from Rohn Muse, Shalonda Riley and Valerie Tatum.

Ward 3: Incumbent Kathy Webb is unopposed.

Ward 5: Incumbent Lance Hines is unopposed.

Ward 6: Incumbent Doris Wright has opposition from Sandy Becker, Vicki Hatter and Russ Racop.

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Ward 7: Incumbent B.J. Wyrick has opposition from Edmond Davis, Matthew McFadden and Robert Williams.

In the mayoral race, a candidate must receive 40 percent of the votes to win without a runoff. If no one gets 40 percent in the mayor’s race, the top two candidates are in a runoff. In the city board positions, the candidate with the most votes wins. In the Ward 1 race, a candidate could conceivably win with only 15 percent of the vote.

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