Womack, Brand opposites

Republican Congressman Steve Womack BB expects to spend less than $50,000 on his re-election campaign.

Grant Brand, his Libertarian opponent, plans to spend nothing.

Arkansas’ 3rd Congressional District has been a Republican stronghold since 1967.

And Womack, a former Rogers mayor, has had an easy time getting elected to Congress since he first ran in 2010. That year, he got 72 percent of the vote to defeat Democrat David Whitaker of Fayetteville. In 2012, Womack got 76 percent of the vote to beat challengers from the Green and Libertarian parties.

Since Jan. 1, 2013, Womack has received $656,400 in campaign contributions, compared with zero for Brand, according to The Center for Responsive Politics.

Most of Womack’s contributions — $117,100 — came from the retail industry, according to the center. The largest donors to his campaign were Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Best Buy and Arvest Bank Group, according to the center, which includes donations from individuals and political action committees in those totals.

Womack said he takes all campaigns seriously, even if he is the front-runner. He said he’ll be campaigning throughout the district in October.

“We should have signs up throughout the area,” he said. “We’re working on a radio package that will start the first week of October. We’re not going to be up on TV because TV is so expensive and all the oxygen is being sucked out by a couple of noted races in Arkansas.”

Womack was referring to the U.S. Senate race and governor’s race. U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, a Republican, is challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, a Democrat. Two former congressmen are vying for governor: Republican Asa Hutchinson and Democrat Mike Ross.

Womack said he wants to campaign so he can hear from constituents whether they like what he’s been doing in Washington.

“I hope people recognize I’m up here, sleeves rolled up, working for the kind of change that will be beneficial to our country,” Womack said.

Womack on Islamic State

Since taking office Jan. 1, 2011, Womack hasn’t missed a vote in Congress, said Claire Burghoff, a spokesman for his office. That means Womack is tied with U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., with more than 2,700 consecutive votes. By comparison, the average representative has missed 2.4 percent of votes over his time in office, according to an article in National Journal.

Womack is on the House appropriations committee. A retired Army National Guard colonel, he’s also on the defense subcommittee.

Womack said he supports two efforts in the works to combat extremists of the Islamic State — an air bombing campaign and training Syrian rebels — but he doesn’t believe those will be enough.

“I’m concerned that the plan the president has outlined does not meet the threat,” Womack said. “To outsource the response to lightly trained and lightly equipped people … is very concerning to me. We’ve allowed this whole situation to fester and grow, and it’s somewhat out of control now since we pulled out of Iraq in 2011.”

A foundation of the Libertarian Party is not to intervene in the affairs of other countries.

“I don’t think what’s going on over there is worth one of our sons’ or daughters’ lives who do not volunteer to go over there and fight,” said Brand. “The ladies and gentlemen of our military signed up to defend our country, and that’s not defending our country. In that situation, they’re not shooting at us.”

Brand said our attack on the Islamic State is based on fear.

“We’re effectively deciding to go kill people because we’re afraid in the future they might decide to kill us,” Brand said. “I think that’s a little bit extreme.”

Womack said he disagrees with the Libertarian stance in the case of the Islamic State.

“I know people are war-weary,” he said. “All I ask is for them to do their due diligence on the threat. I don’t think the country can stand by any longer and let this threat grow.”

Brand’s style

Brand, who works as a warehouse supervisor for a nonprofit food bank, said he plans to run a “zero dollar campaign.” Brand said he’s been burning a little gas going to talk to people, but he’d be doing that even if he wasn’t running.

“I don’t really consider that any kind of expense,” he said. “As a concerned citizen of the area, I would be going to talk to people anyway.”

Brand said it’s going well so far. He said he has traveled to talk to Tea Party groups and concerned citizens.

“I go to where I’m invited, actually,” he said. “I don’t think the government should be intrusive in our lives and a big figure in our lives, so I’m not running my campaign like that.”

Brand said he doesn’t know much about Womack.

“I can’t comment on him,” he said.

Brand said there are too many taxes, citing property, income and employment taxes.

Brand said the Libertarian Party of Arkansas asked him to run after another candidate backed out. He became involved in the Libertarian Party in 2013.

Brand outlines his platform on the Libertarian Party of Arkansas’ website at lpar.org/elections/2014-candidates/grant-brand.

More information on Womack is available at womack.house.gov.

One debate is scheduled in the 3rd District congressional race. It’ll be held at 10 a.m. Oct. 14 at the Arkansas Educational Television Network in Conway. The debate will air at 7 p.m. that same day.

The general election is Nov. 4.