LITTLE ROCK — Republican congressional candidate Scott Wallace on Wednesday suggested that his GOP rival is a Washington insider backed by the party’s establishment to be the party’s nominee in the 2nd District.
But Tim Griffin, who has worked as an aide to Republican President George W. Bush and at the Republican National Committee, replied that he’s an Arkansan who has gained experience and connections to help him in the position.
Wallace and Griffin debated for nearly an hour at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock law school.
Wallace said Griffin has spent many years as part of the Republican establishment.
“What we have gotten out of the party establishment over the last several years has been now the most liberal administration and president in the history of our nation,” Wallace said, referring to Democratic President Barack Obama. He said he’s been in Arkansas for nearly 25 years creating hundreds of jobs in the private sector, not in government.
He said he has served on numerous boards and commissions in the community and understands the successes and struggles of owning businesses and not taking a paycheck to ensure that his employees are paid whentimes are tough.
In response, Griffin said he is on the board for Big Brothers and Big Sisters and has been involved in the community, too.
“This is my home,” he said. “I think the big difference is that I understand that you can’t win in November if you don’t have a well-funded and organized campaign.”
Wallace said he doesn’t have “the D.C. baggage” and that Tea Party followers are “frustrated with Washington as it is right now.
“It is a radical change that we need,” he said. “We do not need to continue the same course. We need a different course, different people, different representation because it is not working now and it is time to break that mold.”
Griffin said, “If you want some radical change, you are looking at it. I have never runfor office before.”
In 1996, Wallace lost a state Senate race.
Griffin said it’s an honor to work in the White House.
“That’s not baggage,” he said. “That is something to be proud of, and I hope my child has the opportunity to get that kind of experience, and that experience will make me a better congressman,” he said to scattered applause from the audience.
Wallace said he and Griffin have an honest disagreement about how this election is being conducted.
“I don’t believe that the Washington party establishment should be handpicking candidates in a primary,” he said. “I have been here. He’s been up there. I believe the people here in the 2nd Congressional District need to be choosing their own representatives. We don’t need the [U.S. House] minority whip from Virginia [Eric Cantor] coming down here and getting on the radio and saying, ‘I know what the people of the 2nd District of Arkansas need.’ We know what we need.” Cantor came to Arkansas for a fundraiser for Griffin.
Griffin said he agreed that voters should decide who represents the district, noting that he overwhelmingly won two recent straw polls in the district.
“No one handpicked me,” he said. “I think that the folks who want to win this year ... look around and see what candidates have the ability to win, and they understand that you must be organized and you must be well-funded.”
Griffin said hundreds of the district’s people have entrusted him with campaign contributions.
Griffin has reported total contributions of $575,527 and total expenses of $171,029 through March 31. Wallace has reported contributions of $61,999, loans of $16,607 and expenses of $62,800, leaving cash on hand of $15,806 on March 31.
Arkansas, Pages 12 on 04/22/2010