BENTONVILLE -- Jim Webb and Stephanie Orman have slightly longer than a week to convince voters they are the best person to succeed Mayor Bob McCaslin.
Webb and Orman received the most votes among five candidates in the Nov. 6 general election. Webb received 5,595 votes, or 43 percent, and Orman got 5,193, or 40 percent. So since neither got 50 percent or 20 percent more than the other, the two will face off in a runoff election Dec. 4. Early voting begins Tuesday.
Poll information
Early voting for the general runoff election will be:
• 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday and Dec. 3 at the Bentonville County Clerk’s Office at 215 E. Central Ave., Suite 217.
• 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday and Dec. 3 at the Rogers County Clerk’s Office at 2111 W. Walnut St.
The runoff election will be from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4:
• Bella Vista Fire Station, 101 Towncenter, Bella Vista.
• Bentonville Church of Christ, 708 N. Walton Blvd., Bentonville.
• First Landmark Baptist Church, 206 S.E. 28th St., Bentonville.
• Lakeview Baptist Church, 1351 E. Lowell Ave., Cave Springs.
• Lowell First Baptist Church, 209-A Washington St., Lowell.
Source: Benton County Election Commission
Webb, 37, is a senior national account manager for Walmart and Sam's Club businesses at Backyard Discovery and Step2 in Bentonville. He served on the City Council from 2015 to February. He resigned from the City Council because he moved out of the ward he was representing.
Orman, 43, has served on the City Council since 2015. She represents Ward 1 and is also on the animal shelter task force. She is the director of social media and community involvement with McLarty Daniel Automotive Group in Bentonville.
Outside money from a Washington-based political action committee and the allegation Webb offered a job in return for an endorsement have heightened the public's attention in the race.
Yet, both candidates said they are working hard to keep pushing the platforms they've had since the election season began.
Karen Sebold, a clinical assistant professor of political science at the University of Arkansas said she's not surprised to situations like these in the Bentonville mayoral election.
Historically, local politics have been contentious and polarizing, Sebold said. Local races in Fayetteville are typically more controversial than in Bentonville because there's more liberals to compete with conservative viewpoints.
"Definitely Rogers and Bentonville are going to see more of that as they see their population change," she said.
Platforms
Both candidates said their mission until Dec. 4 is to disseminate their message and connect with people.
Webb said he's been focusing on going door-t0-door meeting with residents while Orman has held community roundtables.
There have been a couple of organizations, including the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, that have offered to hold forums where both candidates address questions.
Webb said he refused to attend one the group Citizens for Responsible Development in Bentonville offered to host because he "didn't believe there would be open and fair dialogue."
He declined the forum the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette was planning because he had campaign events conflicting with the schedule, he said.
Forums and debates where candidates are most accessible to the public should be events in an election season, Orman said, adding she would make herself available to Webb's schedule.
Both candidates' platforms include infrastructure as a priority and say road congestion is one of the largest issues they hear from residents. They differ, however, on how they would pay for projects.
Orman has mentioned she would seek a capital improvement bond while Webb said he would tighten the city's budget and possibly look at keeping city vehicles in the fleet longer.
"There's a lot of areas that we can find money," he said. "Aggressive budget review, going line-by-line and eliminating any wasteful spending."
Orman said she'd work with department heads to develop a comprehensive road plan, which would also build the case to pass a tax increase in order to support a bond sale.
"We would be very transparent in that process," she said. "It would be presented to the public to vote on those."
Both candidates also included safety and first responder support as a platform focus. Quality of life initiatives are also a focus for Orman, while Webb's platform includes reduction of wasteful spending in the city budget.
The candidates have also dealt with a couple of unexpected issues in addition to promoting their message.
PAC Money
Mailers distributed by Republican State Leadership Committee, a Washington-based political action committee, in support of Webb was the first indication the race would become vexed, Orman said.
Orman held a news conference Oct. 31 asking her opponents denounce the use of outside money in the election.
"People should understand what a super PAC is, how it's allowed to spend unlimited funds and how when they put smear pieces out against you, as a candidate, you can't debate a piece of paper," she said last week. "I think it's bad for the process. It's bad for any local election."
Webb said he was initially excited a third party would support his campaign on his behalf, but subsequent waves of mailers began targeting Orman and John Skaggs, another mayoral candidate in the general election.
Webb said he denounced the PAC on Facebook once the mailers' focus switched from supporting him to negatively targeting his opponents.
"They were kind of slinging a little mud," he said of the PAC. "I didn't like that."
The PAC spent more than $40,000 to support Webb through mailers. The money wasn't donated to him, which Webb said he has had to explain to many while door-knocking.
It's legal for a political action committee to drop money into local elections, but the $40,000 was a generous amount for a local mayoral race, Sebold said.
"This is how money in politics works. It's completely legal," she said. "But people in smaller states though, like this, seem to be very suspect of outside money."
It's difficult to measure the effect outside money has on elections, Sebold said.
Job-offer allegations
Skaggs sent an email to Orman shortly after the general election claiming Webb offered him a city job in return for his endorsement, Skaggs and Orman said. Skaggs and Orman exchanged a few emails about the potential illegality of Webb's alleged offer, according to Skaggs.
Webb said he never offered Skaggs a job but has said he looks forward to working with Skaggs to remove the failed dam at Lake Bella Vista.
Orman said she sent the information to the local office of Federal Bureau of Investigation since offering a job in exchange for an endorsement is a misdemeanor offense in Arkansas.
Elevator pitch
Orman said her experience serving residents as a City Council member and having the endorsement of McCaslin makes her the choice candidate. McCaslin understands the daily pressures of the mayoral office.
"That gives people confidence [in me] that he has confidence in me," she said. "We have a wonderful city, and I come in to it on my own just wanting to serve Bentonville. My game plan all along is to be fair and respectful to all and welcoming to all."
Webb said his professional experience and his ability to listen and work with various types of people to find mutually beneficial solutions makes him the better candidate.
"Being a third generation Bentonville native, I can bridge the gap from old school to new school," he said. "I've got a business background. I've managed tens of millions of dollars in [profit and loss] budgets."
NW News on 11/25/2018