Category Archives: Independents and third parties

Hendren builds an independent home

Jim Hendren, tobacco taxBy Steve Brawner
© 2021 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

The Arkansas Legislature’s former Republican Senate leader is no longer a Republican.

On Feb. 18, state Sen. Jim Hendren of Gravette announced he was becoming an independent.

Hendren served until recently as Senate president pro tempore. He is also Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s nephew and close ally, which increased his influence.

But Hendren’s standing in the Republican Party has been diminished by his increasing bipartisanship, some of the stances he’s taken, and his obvious discomfort with the party’s direction.

Once a hard-right conservative, Hendren has evolved into a pragmatic problem-solver – like his Uncle Asa. He had a hard time making his peace with former President Trump’s style and rhetoric going back to 2016. He voted for him in November, but Trump’s and the party’s actions since then and the attack on the Capitol Jan. 6 were the last straw. Continue reading →

What I wish I could have voted for

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

On March 20, 1854, a group of anti-slavery activists met in a one-room schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin. They formed a new political party at that meeting and called themselves Republicans.

That schoolhouse is generally considered the Republican Party’s birthplace, though that’s disputed. Momentum was building across the country. Six years later, Abraham Lincoln was elected the country’s first Republican president. Five years after that, the Civil War ended, and so did slavery.

This year I cast yet another “protest” vote in the presidential race – not really for a candidate, but against the two major parties and their policies. There were 11 other names on the ballot in Arkansas, and I chose the Libertarian even though that party does not really reflect my views. Continue reading →

Are there other choices? Actually 11

Jo Jorgensen is the Libertarian presidential candidate.

By Steve Brawner, © 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Surely some who endured the presidential debate  must be asking themselves this question: Is there another choice?

For Arkansas voters, the answer is yes. Actually, there are 11.

The most credible third party candidate is Dr. Jo Jorgensen, the Libertarian. Jorgensen is a Clemson University psychology professor and was the party’s candidate for vice president in 1996. She made an August campaign stop in Little Rock where she gave a good speech and was impressive in an interview.

Libertarians favor extremely limited government, which some Americans might like in theory until they saw it would mean ending popular programs such as Social Security and Medicare. On the other hand, their taxes certainly would be lower. Continue reading →

Poll: Libertarian Harrington trails Cotton, 49-38

Ricky Harrington speaks at a campaign event in Little Rock Aug. 28.

By Steve Brawner, © 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Libertarian candidate Ricky Harrington trails U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, 49-38%, according to a poll commissioned by the Harrington campaign.

Thirteen percent were undecided. The poll of 600 likely voters by American Research Group conducted late last week had a margin of error of plus-minus 4%, the Harrington campaign said.

Harrington is Cotton’s sole challenger because the only Democratic to file, Josh Mahony, dropped out of the race hours after the filing period closed. An independent candidate, Dan Whitfield, tried without success to collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.

He’s picking up the protest vote that would have gone to Mahony or another Democrat.

Harrington reported raising $5,120.49 as of June 30 in his most recent filing report with the Federal Election Commission. Howington said there has been a significant increase in donations in the last few weeks.

Cotton, meanwhile, had raised almost $10 million, including transfers from other committees, and had $6 million on hand as of June 30.

Harrington’s press secretary, Andy Howington, said, “We are hopeful for an ‘October Surprise’ as more people are introduced to Mr. Harrington’s campaign in these last few weeks. The uncertainty in this race, coupled with the results of this poll, provide us a vision for a path to victory. We will work hard to court these undecided voters, and maybe even take some from Senator Cotton in the process. No one expected us to be here.”

Howington pointed to the FiveThirtyEight website, which predicted Cotton would win with 82.1% of the vote. It gives Cotton a greater than 99% chance of winning based on a model that simulates the election 40,000 times.

A debate between the candidates by Arkansas PBS is scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday, but only Harrington is scheduled to appear. Arkansas PBS will livestream Harrington’s appearance here and here.  It will air it at 7 p.m.

Related:

A third option for president visits Arkansas

Are there other choices? Actually 11

A third option for president visits Arkansas

Jo Jorgensen is the Libertarian presidential candidate.

By Steve Brawner
© 2020 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Arkansas received a visit Aug. 28 from a presidential candidate named Jo.

That’s not a typo. It wasn’t the Democratic former vice president, but instead it was Dr. Jo Jorgensen, the Libertarian candidate, who spoke in Little Rock at the First Security Amphitheater alongside the Arkansas River.

Her visit attracted what the campaign said was just under 200 people, which is pretty good for a third party candidate. The event looked professional with signs, paid staff members and an appeal for campaign donations. Her next stop was to be Alaska.

If you’re looking for something different than the major parties’ two old guys – well, she’d be different. The 63-year-old Clemson University professor doesn’t merely advocate cutting government spending, but getting rid of most of the government completely over time. Continue reading →