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Smith defeats Beckwith in House race |
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Wednesday, 21 May 2008 |
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Political newcomer Scott Smith won 56 percent of the votes in Tuesday’s primary election, edging out opponent Mike Beckwith by 146 votes, to become the Democrat nominee for the District 29 seat of the Arkansas House of Representatives.  Democrat candidate Scott Smith of Bryant looks at election results online with his two children, Brenna, 3, and Bret, 5, Tuesday night. Smith edged opponent Mike Beckwith of Benton to win the Democratic nomination.
“We are humble and happy that we won,” said Smith, 34, of Bryant. “I want to congratulate Beckwith on running a good, clean campaign and for his professionalism. We are obviously happy with the outcome and want to thank the volunteers, voters and other supporters for their hard work.”
The Democrat primary had a relatively low voter turnout with only a total of 1,160 votes for or against Smith and Beckwith. Of those votes cast, Smith garnered 65,3 or 56.3 percent, and Beckwith had 507 votes, or 43.7 percent.
“I know we had low voter turnout tonight,” Smith said late Tuesday. “I can understand that a little (bit) with so many big races on the Republican side, because of the sheriff’s race and the Saline County judge race, but we are going to make sure we bring the vote count back up for the Democratic Party.”
Beckwith, 47, of Benton also thanked his supporters and Smith for running a clean campaign. He said he is not sure whether he will run for this position or any other position in the future.
“As of right now everything is wide open ... We are going to re-evaluate and go from there,” Beckwith said.
“We’ll look and see what seats are available in the state or county in the future and think about it then. I want to thank the people of Saline County for voting, and Smith ran an excellent campaign. I wish him the best in the fall general election.”
Smith will face Republican nominee Ann Clemmer for the House seat in the the Nov. 4 general election.
“We are going to rest for the next couple of days and then gear up for the general election in the fall,” Smith said. “We’ll get back to work and try to keep the seat with the Democratic Party.”
Smith said that his main goal, if elected, is to help create jobs through new business and industry.
“We have good schools, we have a new county airport and we have the interstate,” Smith said. “I want to be a component of good economic development in central Arkansas.”
Smith is a graduate of Harding University at Searcy, a Sunday School teacher and he has served on the Finance Committee at Indian Springs Baptist Church in Bryant. He is a member of the Bryant Athletic Foundation and has coached the Bryant Boys and Girls Club football, basketball and baseball teams.
He is a senior managing partner of SKB Partners of Bryant, a company he founded eight years ago with one employee in a 500-square-foot office on Reynolds Road. The company now employs eight people and serves small- and medium- sized businesses with business and real estate development consulting, insurance services and leasing.
Smith and his wife, Kim, have two children, Brenna, 3 and Bret, 5, who are enrolled in the Bryant School District.
Beckwith, a native of Hot Springs, graduated from Benton High School in 1978 and owns Arkansas Online Marketing Services from his home in Benton.
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 |  |  |  |  | Just being with family and eating good food is the best part!!- Liz McGee Quantz (Haskell, AR)
The Mabelvale United Methodist Church in Mabelvale, AR will
be hosting a fall carnival on Sunday evening October 26th from 5 to 7pm in the
Fellowship Hall. Kids will love it, parents will too! - Roger Poole (Bryant, AR)
I make an awesome Pina Colda Cake. You buy a boxed yellow
cake mix and mix it and bake it per the instructions on the box. After you bake the
cake allow it to cool for about 15 minutes. Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke
medium size holes all in the cake. Take a can of Eagle Brand Milk and Cream of
Coconut and alternate pouring them into the holes. Place the cake in the fridge for
about one hour, remove and put Cool Whip on top, as much or as little as you like.
The cake is better if you let it sit all night in the fridge before eatting. It is
wonderful!!! - Kelly Chase (Alexander, AK)
My favorite memories of Thanksgiving were when we lived in
Tulsa, Ok. There were always folks that didn't have a place to go for the holiday-
so they wound up at our house along with most of my husband's family from Benton.
The house was packed. The Thanksgiving meal was wonderful. But the celebration
didn't end there. At night, all weekend, there were pallets spread throughout the
house and the good eats seemed to never end. And on Friday morning (after
Thanksgiving) all the females were up before dawn and Christmas shopping by 8:00
a.m. Those are memories that I will cherish forever. - Billie Loe (Texas)
I always get to make the turkey for our Thanksgiving. So
you can add more butter or flour for consistency. Wash your turkey, pat dry, take
another stick of butter and rub all over turkey. Then take with your hands and smear
the batter a little thick, all over the turkey. Once all of the turkey has the
batter on it, I will melt the another bar of butter and put it in the bottom of the
pan of my turkey. It will make a wonderful gravy to use on your turkey when done.
So, then get enough aluminum foil to make a "tent" over your turkey. Put in oven and
bake @ 375 all night. It will be so moist, the crispies are great and the gravy
makes it better. Now the flip side to this is, it will be so tender it will fall apart.
So, I do not serve as a whole turkey. I go ahead and slice up, pour some grave
over some of the sliced up turkey for those who like it and then slice up some
turkey without gravy. You will have many compliments on this. Happy Thanksgiving
and Enjoy! - Liz Johnson (Benton) We prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that morning.
Then we pack it all up and travel to deer camp in South Arkansas. We serve dinner to
all those who don't have family with which to share. We'll spend the afternoon
playin' dominos, pitchin' horseshoes and just visitin'. It's a wonderful time. - Pat Stuckey (Bismarck) We invite all the family in and cook the traditional feast.
Everyone gets silly when they get full. That is entertaining. - Jim Perry (Benton) Frozen pizza - Greg Marsh (Medicine Hat) The whole family gets together and we have dinner and noon
visit for a while then go home to take naps and get ready for black friday sales! - Terrie Schulz (Benton)
My childhood memories are of the sumptuous dinners my
grandfather, Byron Yarbrough, Sr. would prepare. Family members came from all over
Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to our home of South East Street. It was a wondeful
time I really didn't learn to appreciate until he and my grandmother passed away.
Later, my cousin Eleen Murray brought the tradition back and family members gathered
at their home near Lake Norrell. Today, it's the memories of
Thanksgivings past that I treasure. It was because of these gatherings that I came
to realize the importance of family. - David Hughes (Herndon, VA)
My favorite time of remembering Thanksgiving is when all of
my family would get together and enjoy the most wonderful feast I have ever tasted.
My mom would make at least 2 to 3 different stuffings, actually her and my sister
Tammy Parker(Schultz) would make everything. I am not quite the chef my mom and
sister are. I live now and have lived for most of my life away from home in
different states so I have tasted many other dishes. None can compare to my
mom's(Pat Brumley). But most of all it is the family being altogether and just
laughing and having fun. My husband experienced this tradition for the first time in
1999 and still to this day can not stop talking about it. His traditions were not
the same. He couldn't believe the amount of food, fun, and family we had for the
holidays. I didn't understand it because I am used to it always being that way. I am
very lucky to have the family I have. My ex-step dad (David Hughes) still treats me
and my sister like his own so I have extended family to share the holidays with too. Even if it
is just a phone call, prayer, or written. I sure so miss Benton. I was raised
there and even though I am in Hoosier state since 2001 I let everybody know I am
proud to be a Razorback. I will never be anything else. God bless everyone in
Benton and someday I hope to see you soon. - Debbie Brooks (Schultz) (Columbus, IN) |
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Razorbacks
