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Candidate’s claims lead to response from Beebe |
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Monday, 19 May 2008 |
Numerous questions from voters about a local legislator’s claims of support have led Gov. Mike Beebe’s office to issue two statements emphasizing that Beebe is neither endorsing nor supporting either candidate in the District 28 House of Representatives District 28 primary race.
Newspaper advertising and direct mail campaign literature from Rep. Lamont Cornwell of Benton included a photo of Cornwell with the governor and implied that Beebe was endorsing Cornwell’s bid for a second term in the Legislature.
Cornwell is opposed by Benton educator Barbara Nix in Tuesday’s Democrat primary. The winner will face Republican David McCoy of Benton in the November general election.
Cornwell states in advertising and direct mail literature that “I’m proud to have the support of Governor Mike Beebe for my re-election ... .”
Matt DeCample, the governor’s spokesman, on Thursday afternoon issued a statement from the governor that said Beebe “has not and will not endorse either candidate in the House District 28 [primary] race.”
DeCample issued another statement via e-mail on Friday afternoon in which he reiterated the comments he made Thursday.
The governor’s spokesman further stated that Beebe, a Democrat, “has not and will not offer any formal or informal support for either candidate” in the District 28 primary contest.
DeCample quoted the governor as saying that he looks forward to working with the candidate who “ends up winning the House District 28 seat.”
Cornwell did not deny that he used the word “support” in referring to the governor in advertising and campaign literature. Cornwell did deny, however, that he made any specific reference to an endorsement from the governor. “I was careful not to say that he endorsed me,” Cornwell said.
Nix said she “never thought that the governor had supported a candidate in this race.” “I’ve been involved in politics too long to have not known that,” Nix said. “The governor will need to work with whoever is elected and will have not have wanted to state a position for either candidate until after the election.”
Nix said she appreciates the governor’s quick response to the “misconception of the support propaganda.”
“If elected, I will look forward to working with the governor as well as the other legislators,” Nix added.
Several people contacted the Courier after seeing Cornwell’s ad in Wednesday’s Courier and after receiving Cornwell’s campaign literature in the mail. The people said they had directed inquiries to the governor’s office to find out whether Beebe had indeed pledged his support to Cornwell.
In an e-mail Friday afternoon, DeCample said he has “continued getting calls ... about the Democratic Primary in District 28 and the governor asked me to follow up with everybody I’ve talked to and reiterate his position.”
DeCample again said the governor is “not getting involved in the race.”
Beebe “is not making endorsements in any legislative primaries,” DeCample added.
Cornwell said the governor attended a May 1 event related to Cornwell’s re-election campaign. He said the governor spoke on his behalf at the event and that Beebe’s press secretary gave Cornwell permission to use a photograph of Beebe posing with Cornwell.
Cornwell said he “did not want to put him (Beebe) in an endorsement position.”
“If I am fortunate enough to be re-elected,” Cornwell said, “I plan to continue using my relationship with the governor and other ... legislators to do the best job for my constituents as I possibly can.”
Cornwell, 60, has been endorsed by the Benton-Bryant Realtors Association, Saline Home Builders Association and the Arkansas State Employees Association’s political action committee.
Nix, 58, has been endorsed by the Benton Education Association; Benton Association of Support Staff; Arkansas Education Association; Benton Fire Department’s Local 2765, an affiliate of the International Association of Firefighters; Benton Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 63; and the Arkansas AFLCIO.
McCoy, 43, said Friday that “the lesson to be learned” surrounding the controversy with Cornwell’s advertising and campaign literature “is we have to be careful about the accuracy of the things we say about ourselves.”
Nix also said she disputed Cornwell’s claim in separate advertising that he appropriated $1 million in state funding for District 28. She countered with advertising stating that legislators receive equal appropriations and imploring voters to “Look at the facts.”
Cornwell earned a seat in the Legislature with a narrow general election victory over Republican candidate Kim Hammer of Benton in 2006.
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