Carnahan among Hill staff additions
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. French Hill announced staffing changes last week. The Republican from Little Rock has hired David Carnahan as a district representative for military and veterans affairs.
The Russellville High School and University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate fought for his country, serving in the Marines and the Arkansas Army National Guard.
Two years ago, he joined Hill's staff as part of the Wounded Warrior Fellowship Program. Impressed by the caliber of Carnahan's work, Hill offered him a full-time job once the fellowship had ended.
"David has been on the front lines of battle and understands the challenges that Central Arkansas' brave warriors face," said Hill in a written statement.
Sol Jennings, the fellowship's program manager, also praised Carnahan.
"His work ethic, professionalism, and commitment to other veterans, constituents, and his Congressman have been noteworthy. As a full-time member of Congressman French Hill's staff, he will undoubtedly continue to be a force multiplier," he said in the news release.
Arkansans high on Boozman, Cotton
Arkansas' two U.S. senators have solid approval ratings in their home state, but they're not quite as popular as Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a recent poll claims.
Morning Consult, which surveyed 255,120 people between July 1 and Sept. 30, ranked Hutchinson as the nation's third-most-popular chief executive, with 63 percent approval and 19 percent disapproval in his home state. Eighteen percent of Arkansans had no opinion in the poll.
(Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican from Massachusetts, had the highest ratings in his state; the lowest ratings went to Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican from New Jersey.)
Among Arkansans, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton garnered 55 percent approval and 27 percent disapproval. U.S. Sen. John Boozman had 52 percent approval and 23 percent disapproval.
In Vermont, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent, had the highest approval ratings. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had the highest disapproval ratings.
The research and media company said the margin of error for the Arkansas results was plus or minus 2 percent.
Crawford holds his yearly chili cookoff
U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford held his annual chili cookoff last weekend in Jonesboro.
Sixteen teams reportedly vied for the culinary crown.
The grand prize, known as the Golden Ladle, went to Team Jeff Presley, a Crawford spokesman said. The Dawson Family, which traveled from Pocahontas, claimed the people's choice award.
Crawford, a Republican from Jonesboro, said the winning contestants never revealed the ingredients.
"I had a little sample of it, but they're not telling me the recipe. ... It was pretty good stuff," Crawford said.
Crawford's band, Triple Nickel, provided entertainment.
"We had about 300 people show up. Great chili. We had a good time," he said.
Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin oversaw the judging, with an assist from Attorney General Leslie Rutledge and state Auditor Andrea Lea, the congressman said.
They took their duties seriously. "There's no room for any kind of fudge factor. It was all blind taste testing," he added.
Cotton joins forum on Harvard campus
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton traveled to Harvard Law School last weekend for a forum at the Cambridge, Mass., campus.
The Republican from Dardanelle was joined by four Senate Democrats who attended or taught at the Ivy League institution: Tim Kaine of Virginia, Mark Warner of Virginia, Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
Cotton, who earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard in 1998, earned a law degree there four years later.
Several participants lamented the nation's deep divisions, the Harvard Gazette reported. "Increasingly in our country, you can live and work and worship among people who ... have the same views about politics and about morals," Cotton said, calling on students to "try to get outside those circles."
The event, moderated by former presidential adviser David Gergen, was part of activities marking the school's bicentennial.
Proposed energy rules get long look
The Bipartisan Policy Center held a forum Tuesday in Washington, D.C., on new rules proposed by the U.S. Energy Department.
Colette Honorable, a former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission member and one-time Arkansas Public Service Commission chairman, moderated a panel focusing on the Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule.
The Trump administration says closure of some nuclear and coal-powered facilities threatens the reliability of the nation's energy supply.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry published a rulemaking notice in the Federal Register last month, calling on FERC "to issue rules to protect the American people from energy outages expected to result from the loss of this fuel-secure generation capacity."
Ex-Sen. Lincoln on list of top lobbyists
The Hill, a Washington political publication, published its annual list of the capital's top lobbyists.
Former U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln made the cut. The Helena native "has created a K Street success story, signing almost 20 new clients in 2017," The Hill wrote.
K Street is synonymous with lobbyists and lobbying; at one time, many of the largest firms had offices near or along the crowded downtown thoroughfare.
Most of Lincoln's new clients are involved in health care issues, the publication noted.
Lincoln, a Democrat, represented Arkansas' 1st Congressional District from 1993-97 and joined the U.S. Senate in 1999. She served two terms there before losing to Republican John Boozman in 2010.
This year's top lobbyist list also mentioned Bruce Harris, Wal-Mart's vice president of government affairs. The Bentonville-based company "spent nearly $7 million on lobbying in 2016," The Hill reported.
Planning to visit the nation's capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Please contact Frank Lockwood at (202) 662-7690 or flockwood@arkansasonline.com. Want the latest from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Washington bureau? It's available on Twitter, @LockwoodFrank.
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