District 46 GOP rivals tout work experiences

Jobs, Common Core among issues

One Republican candidate for the state House District 46 seat once toured with singer Ricky Skaggs as his stage producer and is now a business consultant. The other has worked for the past 16 years as the vice president for a Newport manufacturing company that makes trailers and hydraulic lifts, and he enjoys playing jazz music.

Les Eaves and Kyle Reeves each say his working experiences make him the suitable choice for the position representing Searcy and Kensett.

There is no Democratic opponent in the race, so the winner of the Republican primary will take the seat in 2015.

Incumbent Rep. Mark Biviano, R-Searcy, is not running again because of term limits.

Eaves, 46, of Searcy says his career in manufacturing has given him a “fresh, unique” perspective for the representative’s seat.

“Government is getting too big,” he said. “We’ve got politicians and lawyers [as representatives], but we also need business people. Manufacturing is kind of the backbone of the economy.”

Eaves began working for his father’s company, Delta Manufacturing Inc., in New-port in 1998. The company opened in 1971 and employs about 70 people. It makes horse and equipment trailers and lifts, which it ships across the country and to Canada and Australia.

If elected, Eaves said he wants to help those who don’t attend college but seek jobs.

“There’s so much focus on preparing kids to go on to college,” he said. “But let’s not forget about those who don’t go. There is a huge population who don’t go to college. If you don’t help those kids, at least give them skills.”

Eaves said he favors developing vocational training programs in high schools to give students more on-the job experiences they can apply after graduating.

He has concerns with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards in Arkansas schools, saying he fears that teachers and school boards will lose local control of the schools.

Arkansas is one of 45 states and the District of Columbia that are partnering to establish consistent educational standards across the country for what kindergarten-through-12th-grade students should know in English/language arts and mathematics.

“I’m not a big believer in teaching kids how to take tests,” he said. “People learn differently. Teachers should be able to adapt to the ways students learn.”

Eaves, who has been married for 26 years and has three daughters, said it was the right time for him to run for office. It’s his first political venture.

“We can sit on the sidelines and complain, but we can also jump in feet first and make a difference,” he said.

He plans to spend the last month of the campaign meeting people and attending as many fish fries and other meet-the-candidate events in the area as he can.He also plays jazz on occasion at weddings and festivals.

“I have a different perspective,” Eaves said. “I’m not running with any political backing. I have a different background. I married my high school sweetheart, and I have stability. I’ve helped our business meet the payroll for 65 to 70 people who count on us each week.”

Reeves, 49, of Searcy was Skaggs’ production stage manager in 1987 and is a business consultant for broadcast companies. He served on the Searcy City Council from 2006-08, and that gave him the desire to run for the state representative’s seat.

“I like helping people,” Reeves said. “I like making a difference on issues.”

He said a major issue the General Assembly will face next year is with the private option created in the wake of the 2010 federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

“It is an unsustainable program,” he said. “When the federal government stops payment, it’s all on us. It’s going to make it tougher on families to get their insurance. There are people on both sides of this, and I’m afraid it’s going to split the [Republican] Party out.”

Like Eaves, Reeves said he fears the Common Core State Standards will reduce local control of education. Reeves also wants to enact “open carry” legislation that would make it legal for people to carry unconcealed weapons in public places.

“We have the constitutional right to have arms and access to ammunition,” he said. “If you go out in the woods, you can carry without needing a concealed-weapons permit.

“If a law-abiding citizen carries a gun, there’s nothing to worry about,” he said. “If you’re not law-abiding, you can’t carry one. It’s a felony.”

He said he believes an “open carry” law would reduce shootings.

“Logical sense tells you that you don’t know if everybody’s got a gun,” Reeves said. “A gun deters criminals. We’re not all ‘soft targets.’ Criminals may think twice about committing a crime if they see others carrying guns.”

If elected, Reeves said he would enact legislation that requires all county clerks’ offices to notify registered voters of any special elections that involve sales-tax or millage increases.

“More people who vote means more democracy,” he said.

Reeves is married and has 10 children; six are from his wife’s previous marriage. “We’re The Brady Bunch,” he joked, referring to the television program of the 1970s.

“No man knows all the issues,” he said. “You need to do your research, and you need to be open to change. But you’ve got to take a stand, and I can do that. Voters want to elect the person to represent them for what they believe.

“I don’t like politics, but I love talking to people and helping,” he said. “I get a lot of satisfaction from that.”

Arkansas, Pages 9 on 04/24/2014

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