A golfer we know enjoys talking during the game. A lot. Here's one of his favorite sayings when we have a 10-foot putt to make for par and knock the ball 15 feet past the hole:
"Don't close your tool box. You still got a little work to do."
Voters in Arkansas still have a little work to do. There's to be a run-off election to clean up a few not-unimportant details:
There weren't a whole lot of surprises in the elections last Tuesday night. Of course Asa Hutchinson and Mike Ross would win their primaries, and go on to face each other in November--with the Governor's Mansion on the line. Both are solid candidates, and the state can hardly lose no matter who wins come the general election. Thank you, gentlemen, and thank you, voters, for giving Arkansas not only a choice but a responsible choice.
The congressional primaries went to the favorites, too. As did the elections for lieutenant governor, auditor and state Supreme Court. But in the attorney general's race, in a three-way match, none of the candidates got more than 50 percent of the vote. So the top vote-getter, Leslie Rutledge, will face David Sterling, the second-place finisher.
Our choice is Leslie Rutledge--again. She's the obvious and responsible choice--again.
David Sterling has spent much of his campaign trying to stir up the base by talking about things an attorney general of Arkansas has little if any control over. As much as any political party needs somebody to throw raw meat to the party faithful, an attorney general ought to be a little more responsible than that. Or a lot more.
Ms. Rutledge, on the other hand, has already spent much of her career in public office. She's been a prosecutor, worked for a governor named Huckabee, and for the Republican National Committee up in Washington, D.C.
In short, Counselor Rutledge's party credentials are all in order. But she's more than a partisan; she strives to be a public servant.
Sure, Leslie Rutledge is well aware that she's in a party primary for a party's nomination. That's why she has those ads all over the internet featuring her and her shootin' iron. (That's some scope, but we can't tell what kinda rifle it is.) But there's a lot more there there.
Ms. Rutledge vows to fight back against an over-reaching federal government when it tells us how to do everything from raise our crops to raise our kids. For too long, she says, this state's attorney general has sat on the sidelines in important cases when other AGs have taken on the feds. The most obvious example she cites: The ever-changing maze, puzzle and burden called Obamacare. She says she'll do what she can to undermine it if it can't be repealed outright. Good luck, ma'am, and stay strong.
Ms. Rutledge promises that, as Arkansas' attorney general, she'll take to the courts if need be to defend pro-life laws in Arkansas. She notes that the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ought to mean that Arkansas can keep its marriage laws on the books--instead of having to adopt same-sex marriage. And as counselor to a governor named Mike Huckabee, she's already been involved in consumer-protection cases. Besides all that, let it be noted that the lady grew up on a cattle ranch, so you know she's not afraid of hard work.
Only about 165,000 voters in Arkansas cast ballots in the primary for attorney general last week. Unless we miss our bet, with so many races already settled, there'll be even fewer voters come June 10th. That's a shame.
Don't close your tool box, Arkansas. There's still one more important primary to be settled.
Vote for Leslie Rutledge.
Editorial on 05/27/2014