Challenger Bill Halter and Sen. Blanche Lincoln debate last month in advance of next Tuesday's Democratic primary. (AP/Danny Johnston)
By James Oliphant
CONWAY, Ark.--The cramped conference room at the Howard Johnson's off the interstate held this night a small smattering of locals. In turn, they fretted about the economy and blasted Congress. Some carried hand-made signs that smacked Goldman Sachs, the current punching bag of choice for anti-Wall Street set.
But this was no Tea Party rally. They were here to listen to Bill Halter, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, sell his brand of progressive populism--which was anti-spending, anti-bailout, but mostly anti-Blanche Lincoln, Arkansas' resident Democratic senator. "There's an intense feeling out there of folks fed up with the Washington way," Halter said after the event.
But that same day, a thousand miles away in Washington, Lincoln was making her own bid for the populist vote, pushing forward an aggressive bill that would reform the derivatives market as part of the financial regulatory overhaul effort, to ensure, as Lincoln has said, "Main Street won't pay the price for reckless behavior on Wall Street."
This election season, no one wants to come off as an incumbent, as the favored candidate of special-interest-driven politics. Everyone wants to run as Everyman. But it's particularly true in Arkansas, where Lincoln is embroiled in the fight of her political career. With just a week before the May 18 Democratic primary, polls showed the two-term senator staving off Halter, the current lieutenant governor--but not by much.
While Halter and Lincoln have both attempted to portray themselves as people-first politicians, their campaigns have been fueled by money pouring into the state from outside, from labor unions, trade organizations and front groups. The cash has nationalized the race, transforming into one of the hardest-fought and vitriolic in the country.
Beyond the money, Halter's challenge has drawn interest because it offers a window into how much damage an anti-Wall Street and anti-incumbent message can do. If an established presence like Lincoln can't survive the spring, it suggests dire prospects not only for Democrats, but for office-holders nationwide. It's also a test of whether a staking a position left of center can be an effective strategy for Democrats like Halter, who view Lincoln--whose popularity across the state has plunged--as a middle-of-the-road vacillator who only stands for compromise.
"It's a pushback against trying to be all things to all people," Halter said.
To date, unions have spent more than $4 million to back Halter, while Lincoln is now enjoying support from pro-business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Both candidates have run ads charging the other is nothing more than a tool of special interests. Lincoln points to Halter's union support while Halter decries Lincoln's vote in 2008 to help prop up Wall Street banks.
Lincoln, the chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said in an interview that the financial support thrown Halter's way has established "an unlevel playing field."
"When somebody dumps four million on you in less than five weeks, it's huge. I can't compete with that," she said.
Lincoln did not help her cause during a debate last month in which she suggested a campaign contribution from Goldman Sachs was no different than that from a soybean farmer. "Soybean farmers aren't being accused of wrecking our economy," Halter was quick to retort and the line has resonated.
But both the state and national Democratic Party wishes Halter--whom they view as an opportunist--would just go away. ("I don't know anybody that cares what Bill Halter is going to do except Bill Halter," Arkansas Rep. Marion Berry said earlier this year. "He is only of consequence in his own mind.") They fear that even if he can't unseat Lincoln, he'll wound her enough to make her easy pickings for the eventual Republican nominee. That's likely to be Rep. John Boozman, who is battling no fewer than seven others for the GOP slot.
Halter, a former member of the Clinton administration who is best known in the state for successfully advocating a ballot initiative that provides college scholarships paid for by a lottery to public school students, jumped into the race after Lincoln earlier this year seemed to waffle on whether to support the congressional healthcare bill and was immediately backed by progressive interest groups such as MoveOn.org and, more importantly, national organized labor.
Lincoln ultimately voted for the bill, but opposed both the government-run health insurer, the "public option," and later the so-called "fix" bill that passed through the reconciliation process, a dance that has been difficult at times to explain. But unions were angry with her long before, after she withdrew support for legislation that would make it easier for workers to organize, a bill she previously co-sponsored. They supported her in 2004, the last time she faced re-election.
The appearance of oscillation has given Lincoln an image problem with many in the state who once supported her. "People are suffering," said Rick Houston, 51, who works in a paper mill in Morrilton, Ark. Houston, who attended Halter's event in Conway, said he voted for her six years ago, but thinks of her now as he does others at his mill who don't work hard. "They make eight [hours] and go home," he said.
Alan Hughes, the state president of the AFL-CIO, said the move to abandon to back Halter wasn't made at the national level. "Our rank-and-file members made that decision," Hughes said. "They understand why we supported her in the past and most of them agree that we gave Blanche Lincoln a chance to support working families and she failed that test."
Lincoln says she's simply showing her independence--and that the interests backing Halter want to "control" the seat.
"The unions are upset I haven't voted with them 100 percent of the time. Move On.org is not happy with me because I have voted with them 100 percent of the time," Lincoln said. "You don't agree with anyone 100 percent of the time."
The ad war has turned noticeably nasty. Most recently, a front group supporting Lincoln is airing a controversial ad that accuses Halter's former company of sending jobs to India. The spot features purported residents of Bangalore saying "Thank you, Bill Halter"--and has drawn criticism that it is racist. Lincoln has distanced herself from the spot.
In the meantime, both President Obama and former President Clinton have recorded radio ads backing the incumbent. As a measure of how normal Democratic politics have been upended here, SEIU, the powerful union, ran an ad in response disagreeing with Obama's assessment of Lincoln at every turn.
With a week to go, both candidates are, in a sense, praying for time. Halter is hoping to keep Lincoln under a 50 percent share of the vote next week to force a runoff in June--and the presence of a third entrant in the race, D.C. Morrison, could result in just that. Lincoln would like to see that her tough derivatives proposal isn't stripped out of the final financial regulatory bill while it is amended on the Senate floor.
For Lincoln, the race is just another phase in what has been the most difficult stretch of her political career. In the fall, she was hammered by interest groups in waves of attack ads to urge her to vote against the healthcare bill. Now, she's under fire from the left. And if she does win Tuesday, she could be the underdog in the general election to keep her seat.
"It's a tough year. It's a crazy year," Lincoln said. "But I knew it was going to happen."
Comments
Anyone in Congress who voted to bankrupt this country through unbridled spending should be retired. And that includes the entire Chicago contingent in Congress. However, thanks to gerry-mandered districts, it's not likely to happen in Chicago. But elsewhere? Regardless of political party, it will be goodbye-time...and richly deserved. Before they turn the U.S. into Greece.
Posted by: Darius | May 13, 2010 10:17 AM
Very Interesting! Another incumbent elected official in trouble with their own party. There is definitely an Anti-Washington felling out there. The races in the Democratic Primaries in Arkansas and Pennsylvania on May 18th could be very interesting where incumbents Blanche Lincolin and Republican turned Democrat Arlan Spector both seem to be in real trouble. In addition to that Ted Kennedy's old senate seat in Massachusetts was won by a Republican, Joe Biden's and Barrack Obama's senate seats stand a good chance of also going Republican in the Fall. On the GOP side Governor Crist of Florida has left his party to run as an independent, Bennett was defeated within his own party for another senate term from Utah and John McCain is involved in a very tight race in Arizona. This is not the year to run as a Washington insider or incumbent. The next Congress is going to look a lot different from the current one There are going to be a lot more Republicans in the Congress next year.
Posted by: Depot- Jim | May 13, 2010 10:36 AM
Lincoln and Halter are basically one and the same: Democrats who give a hoot about the American people, could care less about the Constitution, and are tools of the anti-American union lobby. Either will lose come November.
Posted by: John D | May 13, 2010 1:00 PM
Funny, a few days ago all you loons were in here saying the GOP was going to the dogs when they got rid of Senator Bennet for a seantor further from the middle. Seems you loons are doing the same, but yet not a peep.
Posted by: Terry | May 13, 2010 6:53 PM
Depot- Jim
I agree with you that the Congress is going to a lot different come January 2011. I am looking at ideologies and beliefs more than I am looking at party lines. I will cast my vote for whatever candidate I believe it is not shaped in the mold of most members of the current Congress.
Posted by: CrooksInDC | May 14, 2010 10:31 AM
Alan Grayson Honors The Dead http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV9TRoYMtjs&feature=player_embedded
I want to commend all of you for working so hard and being so strong at helping the whitehouse and congress begin to address our U.S. and Global healthcare crisis. You have been AWESOME! my fellow Americans and peoples of the World. America and the World is better and safer for it. My greatest pride is the knowledge that I am one of you. And that you really get it. You really understand the importance of it all.
There are some potentially very good things in the healthcare legislation. Especially with the reconciliation fix’s. The Democrats, Bernie Sanders and the Whitehouse did a GREAT! job of fighting to produce the best healthcare legislation that they could. They have earned all our strong support. And we should give it to them.
But it was your relentless pressure and hard work that made the difference. Whatever good comes from this healthcare legislation, America and the peoples of the World will have each of you to thank. You were smart, creative, courageous and relentless. You fought together for the best legislation possible. And when you had to, you fought alone. No matter who stumbled and fell you continued to push and forge ahead. Fighting for the lives and health of the American people and the World. YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOUR-SELVES :-)
It may come to pass that future generations will look back on us and say that we were ALL Americas Greatest Generations. And that healthcare reform was our finest hour. You should be proud of our leaders President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid and the many other Democratic and independent fighters for the people in congress. They proved them-self worthy of the leadership of a GREAT! PEOPLE.
But we are not done yet. This was just the beginning of healthcare reform, not the end. WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, ARE NOT! divided on healthcare legislation. The vast majority of you have been consistently crystal clear that this legislation does not go far enough. You want a strong Government-run Public Option CHOICE!! available to everyone on day one. And you want it NOW!
YOU MUST NOT ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TO STAND WITHOUT A STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.
WE THE PEOPLE have been crystal clear that we want an end to dependence on for-profit healthcare and the for-profit proxies called private for non-profit healthcare. The American people want the CHOICE! of a strong Government-run Public Option to replace their need or dependence on healthcare providers whose primary motivation is profit. Rather than providing the highest quality, easiest accessible and most affordable medically necessary healthcare possible. This is what the rest of the developed World has. And the American people want it too. They want healthcare ASSURANCE! Not, for-profit health insurance. And they want it NOW!
Now is the time to continue the push for a strong Government-run Public Option CHOICE! available to everyone that wants it on day one. Rationally it’s clear what we have to do to get this done. SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATS that supported you with a Public Option choice, and REMOVE as many republicans as you can. Not one republican in congress was willing to step across the isle to support a strong Government-run Public Option CHOICE!! available to everyone on day one. NOT ONE! Let no candidate prevail this November that does not support a Strong Government-run Public Option.
47,000 AMERICANS die each year from lack of healthcare. 120,000 die from treatable illness that don’t die in other developed countries. Hundreds of thousands of you are dieing from medical accidents in a rush to profit. And Millions of your are injured. Millions more are driven into bankruptcy. All for the privilege of paying two to three times as much as any other people in the developed world for healthcare. HOGWASH!
Additionally, tens of thousands of you and your children were killed and millions sickened and injured from a terror attack with H1N1 (swine flu). Released on the American people and the World by the for-profit healthcare industry. All in an attempt to panic and frighten you into accepting the oxymoronic criminal enterprise of private for-profit healthcare (The most costly, deadly, dangerous, and disgraceful product sold in America). H1N1 is still sickening people and killing them. Especially children, the young and the middle aged. And there will be a third wave. These are the terrorist you need to worry about the most. Even the so-called international terrorist would not do something so INSANE! But greed driven medical profiteers would and did.
Apparently as far as republicans in GOVERNMENT are concerned, YOU! my fellow Americans – CAN JUST DROP DEAD! Including their own family members. Fools!... Hundreds of thousands of you, and possibly millions of you will die from the long-term effects of your infection and poisoning with H1N1.
So my fellow Human Beings. Rest-up, Take good care of the basics (Balanced nutrition, hydration, exercise, rest and POSITIVE emotional supports). Then wade back into the FIGHT! for a strong Government-run Public Option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one. Drug re-importation, Abolishment or strong restrictions on patents for biologic and prescription drugs. And government controlled and negotiated drug and medical cost. You must take back control of your healthcare system from the Medical Industrial Complex. you MUST do it NOW! This is a matter of National and Global security. There can be NO MORE EXCUSES.
God Bless You My Fellow Human Beings. I’m glad to know of you. And proud to be one of you.
See you on the battle field.
Sincerely
jacksmith – WorkingClass :-)
Posted by: jacksmith | May 16, 2010 7:47 PM