Blanche Lincoln WINS Arkansas Senate Runoff, Defeats Bill Halter

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Sen. Blanche Lincoln has fended off a union-backed challenger and anti-establishment sentiment to win a runoff for Arkansas' Democratic Senate nomination.

Lincoln defeated union-backed Lt. Gov. Bill Halter on Tuesday. She'll face Republican congressman John Boozman in the Nov. 2 general election.

Lincoln was considered among the country's most vulnerable senators, as groups to her right and left criticized votes on proposed changes to the national health care system. The candidates themselves raised and spent millions of dollars. Labor and business groups from outside the state spent millions more.

Lincoln has spent 12 years in the Senate and four representing eastern Arkansas in the House. Halter has been lieutenant governor since 2006.

Comments

[ncvoter]

11:16 PM on 06/09/2010

Voters filed suit against Garland Co Arkansas. Garland Co had 2nd highest turnout yet voters were turned away due as polling places were cut from 40 to 2. Those changes were illegal says SOS. "They've tried this before," said attorney Ben Hooten who filed lawsuit on behalf of disenfranchised voters..
http://votingnews.blogspot.com/2010/06/voters-sue-garland-arkansas-election.html

Garland County: Tapp Resigns, Not Over Yet
http://bluearkansasblog.com/?p=3072
One of the better things that has come out of this is the real mandate for election reform in this state. Not only were problems reported in Garland County in the runoff, but there were some really bizarre things that happened in Monroe County in the initial primary.

[CTtransplant]

06:12 PM on 06/09/2010

I do not believe Lincoln is the legitimate winner in AR. And, according to someone from AR, this is not over yet...I sure hope he's right!

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/06/08/voter-lawsuit-filed-in-arkansas-blanche-lincoln-bill-halter-se/

Arkansas Election Commissioner Tapp has cut down the polling places in Garland County (a Halter stronghold) from 42 to 2!

Call the Garland County Elections Commission- 501-622-3622 – and the Arkansas Elections Commission- [phone] or [phone] .

If your vote is at risk, call the Department of Justice and tell them what’s going on. Switchboard- 202-514-2000, Voting Section- 202-307-27670

http://mydd.com/2010/6/7/ar-sen-not-enough-polling-places-in-halter-stronghold-2”

And Justdontgetit commented at 6:41PST/9:41EST : "My brother said places that had heavy turnout for Halter were being closed early with no notice."”

[Anthony Falkowski]

05:53 PM on 06/09/2010

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. If Bill Halter was the enemy seems reasonable that Organized Labor should now be friends with Sen. Lincoln. Someone has to be a little " bigger " here to patch things up between them. Blanche, I am convinced that you are the one who makes the first move.
You had a stunning victory. You are poised for the next battle. And Victory. Labor is your natural ally, period, as I view it. You, Senator, are more likely to vote favorably for their issues, however nuanced. Please, MAKE CONTACT. Let's start the healing process. It's just too damned important to the workers of this country for this conflict to continue. Let's use the Chinese model/symbol Crisis/Opportunity.

[CTtransplant]

06:07 PM on 06/09/2010

'Stunning victory'??? Her win was not legitimate! Where have you been?

[tedkuhn]

08:54 AM on 06/10/2010

Lincoln is not a friend to working class Americans, sure she voted with the dems 84% of the time, but it was mostly on minor issues that even 1/2 the reps voted for. That 16% that she voted with the reps was on some really major issues. I would rather see a real republican in the Senate than support her. At some point working Americans need to let the dems know they can't take our vote for granted and assume we'll support them no matter how they screw us. My support and money will go to Green Party candidate John Gray in Arkansas in 2010.

[DreamWeaver2nd]

05:05 PM on 06/09/2010

Fake memo going around on blogs and this thread about Senator Menendez on the Alabama election and Blanche Lincoln. Big Oil plays dirty politics ala Karl Rove, and one of the reasons why is clear here:

SENATOR MENENDEZ FIGHTS TO CLOSE BIG OIL TAX LOOPHOLES
The Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act Would Save Over $20 billion Over Ten Years; at least $750 million for NJ taxpayers

[Chernynkaya]

03:40 PM on 06/09/2010

Here’s why Republicans will lose in California and Nevada, and maybe even Arkansas:

They are angry but will not submerge their anger for the sake of winning elections. They won’t compromise their ideological purity to beat Democrats this fall.

Angle is the perfect symbol of the Republican base (i.e., Tea Baggers) in 2010: She's an outsider; she enjoys grassroots support, and she wants to take the country back to1920. Most Nevadans won’t vote for her.

In California, Tom Campbell (per the LA Times poll) would have led Barbara Boxer by seven points in the general election. Instead, Tea Baggers chose Fiorina, who opposes the right to abortion, can't decide if global warming is real, won the endorsement of Sarah Palin, and trails Boxer by the same margin Campbell leads her.

Lincoln? UGH!, but if Halter won the nomination he had to run as a left-wing Democrat with financial ties to unions (in an anti-union state). Arkansans are not that liberal. Boozman (quadruple UGH) is still in the lead. Lincoln may get Arkansas voters to take a new look at her and they may recall why they have twice elected her to the U.S. Senate. Believe me, she is 1000 times better than Boozman.

I would LOVE a true progressive to win in every election, everywhere. But I sure hope the Democrats don’t make the same mistake the Republicans are making. I am more motivated to keep Republicans from regaining power than I am about purity.

[jackbutler5555]

05:53 PM on 06/09/2010

"I am more motivated to keep Republicans from regaining power than I am about purity."

So am I.

"They won’t compromise their ideological purity to beat Democrats this fall."

I hope you're right. But, I have an idea that the GOP is more self-disciplined than Democrats.

[ebanks84]

06:18 PM on 06/09/2010

I agree, but they're also more wrong for all people than the democrats and that is why the democrats will win big.

[IDIOTA]

03:38 PM on 06/09/2010

Has anyone certified the electoral process in Arkansas? Are the voting machines pro establishment? I'm joking, but not completely.

Are there any Green Party candidates in Arkansas?

[Arkansawyer]

04:05 PM on 06/09/2010

Voting machines are just as prone to tampering with here as they are in Florida or anywhere else. And yes, there was a Green Party candidate elected (unopposed) to the State House, but then he switched to Dem and just lost in a primary this year.

[IDIOTA]

04:29 PM on 06/09/2010

I agree with the tampering problem being a rampant possibility, even in San Francisco where I live.

[CTtransplant]

06:08 PM on 06/09/2010

The votes in AR will not be certified yet. A lawsuit has been filed by voters in AR.

[DragonflyChase]

03:26 PM on 06/09/2010

Cheat to win! Voter Lawsuit Filed in Arkansas' Blanche Lincoln, Bill Halter Senate Runoff: http://bit.ly/dBNYvU via #msnbc #p2 #progressive

[DaveC19]

02:06 PM on 06/09/2010

There must be something in the water down there making people stoooopid.

[Bobo from Texas]

03:03 PM on 06/09/2010

I think that it's the same substance all of Daily Kos "progressives" consumed when they sent 3.5+ million buck to elect one of their own in Arkansas.

Hopefully they will engage in the same brilliant political stategery and ship millions to "progressive" candidates in Texas.

[zendem1]

03:29 PM on 06/09/2010

Nah. Don't think so. Nice try though.As far as texass goes, it's a lost cause anyway. Stupidity has been in the DNA down there for quite a number of years and it can't be fixed. Just look at the last two governors for all the proof you need.

[rlp-politcal]

01:26 PM on 06/09/2010

Politicans should be required to wear logo's like NASCAR... since they do the same thing

www.thePeoplesLink.com

[zendem1]

03:29 PM on 06/09/2010

it's getting to that point.

[Bobo from Texas]

04:35 PM on 06/09/2010

Damm, if that was the case, Obama would be a walking billboard of corporate logos.

[ebanks84]

01:23 PM on 06/09/2010

Why is Palin backing a democrat female? That tells me that Lincoln is a nothing but a republican in dem's clothing. I know there are many democrats who straggle the line, but not this one. She votes strictly republican it seems. I never trusted her and never will. Anybody that Palin likes has got to be bad news for sure. I just hope we win more democratic senators in total in November so her particular vote won't matter one way or the other.

[jbarelli]

02:02 PM on 06/09/2010

Exactly where did you get the idea the Ms. Palin supports Senator Lincoln?

I searched for a reference, and didn't find one, so this seems like one more "my guy didn't win, so let the Republicans have the seat" statement.

If the statement is true, then perhaps it's from a disgruntled Democrat. We do tend to eat our own, and many of us would much rather lose gloriously than take a partial win.

If the statement is false, then maybe not.

[ebanks84]

02:46 PM on 06/09/2010

My bad. I was thinking about the South Carolina candidate instead and replaced her picture in my mind with Lincoln. Sorry about that!

[dontblowit]

12:26 PM on 06/09/2010

Scratch off this Senate seat in November. Lincoln will lose to whichever dope is running for the republicans. There goes the "precious" democratic majority in the senate, the writing is on the wall. Obama will enjoy working with a corporate congress. Progressives in Arkansas better form a 3rd party as they are certainly not welcome in the democratic party. It's looking like the same goes for a lot of the rest of the country in the next few years as well.

[Bobo from Texas]

03:05 PM on 06/09/2010

Excellent idea. "Progressives" go 3rd party in Arkansas. I'm sure that they'll sweep elections once they loose those loser Democrats.

[LeftLeaner]

12:21 PM on 06/09/2010

How come Halter is not screaming for a RECALL after they closed 40 of the 42 polling centers the day before election day for early voting - IN GARLAND COUNTY, which HEAVILY FAVORED Halter.

Even the UNIONS NEED to start making a stir about this before it's too late!!

Read the link

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL1006/S00068.htm

[swtexas]

12:43 PM on 06/09/2010

They lack courage.

[ebanks84]

01:50 PM on 06/09/2010

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/06/08/voter-lawsuit-filed-in-arkansas-blanche-lincoln-bill-halter-se/

Don't seem like it!

[jbarelli]

03:05 PM on 06/09/2010

They had 42 manned polling centers for early voters in a county with just under 71,000 registered voters? (Garland County, AR, registered voters - 70,637)

Let's see. Assuming a 25% turnout (statewide average was just under 13%) that would give one early voting polling place for every 425 people. How many days before the election were those 42 early voting polling places open? Could it be that the county was simply not willing to keep paying for polling places where nobody was showing up?

Those were early voting stations, not election day polling places. Seems more than a bit excessive to me.

Could it be that Mr. Halter simply lost?

[Arkansawyer]

03:19 PM on 06/09/2010

I agree, I think it's more incompetent election officials trying to cut corners and costs than it is conspiracy.

[zendem1]

03:38 PM on 06/09/2010

I would agree with you to a point. I wasn't involved in either campaign so all I know is what i'm reading. But when i see good polling data showing a 5 point spread the day of the election, and that turns out to be wrong, it sets off alarm bells.

[jbarelli]

12:20 PM on 06/09/2010

Once again, we have two groups, both claiming to be Democrats, decrying the results of a Democratic primary.

The first group appears to be the "I didn't get my way, so I'm going to take my ball and go home" group. All or nothing. Better to lose gloriously than to go for a partial victory, and shouting defiance at power is much more fun than actually having to govern.

The second group consists of Republicans that encourage that first group, and try to get Democrats to stay home.

That second group says "they're all the same", but they know that there is a huge difference between the most conservative Democrat and any Republican. They know that the only way they'll get back into power within the next generation is to get Democrats to stay home from elections.

Senator Lincoln is a conservative Democrat. Up here, in Washington State, she wouldn't stand much of a chance.

She's not here. She's in Arkansas. They're pretty conservative down there. Unions aren't that popular there. She represents her state pretty well, as she should.

She helps us. The Republicans won't provide a rational conservative voice, but she does. With her, we keep control of committees, and leadership roles. She actually has good ideas in some areas.

Still not convinced? Compare these two records:

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Blanche_Lambert_Lincoln.htm

http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Thad_Cochran.htm

She's not perfect, but she's much better than having a Republican in there.

[Jack Webb]

02:01 PM on 06/09/2010

She killed the public option and, in effect, she ruined health care reform.

If Arkansas wants to send a Republican to Washington, they would do better to send one with the guts to admit that he (or she) is just that.

[jbarelli]

02:11 PM on 06/09/2010

So, you compared the two records, and Senator Cochran is more to your liking?

And, perhaps you haven't noticed, but the health care reform bill we got is a lot better than nothing, gives a framework for more reform, and breaks a twenty-year loss record when it comes to getting anything at all passed.

Considering that the best any incumbent party is likely to do in an off-year is to hold its own, the HCR bill is the best we're likely to see for a generation.

But you'd rather have a "Real Republican".

There are a number of people in the country that agree with that opinion, and there is even a name for that group of folks.

They're called "Republicans".

[Arkansawyer]

03:34 PM on 06/09/2010

jbarelli gets it. If you want to see more progressive legislation passed, throwing money at opportunists like Halter (who isn't even progressive, who'll take anyone's money if they think it'll help them) does not work. It only helps republicans beat blue dogs, which, maybe makes you feel better, but it really f**king sucks if you live here and have to deal with their s**t (Tim Hutchinson, anyone? John Bozeman, anyone?)

Despite what you might think, there aren't enough progressives currently actively involved in the political process to get real progressive legislation passed. It might seem like there are, if you are surrounded by people who think like you, but if you've been following this administration/congress, then you should have figured it out by now.

If, instead of blindly supporting any candidate who starts saying 'the right things,' progressives were to work to grow their base all over the country, esp. in places like AR, you don't even need to get rid of Blanche. Blanche would vote the right way if there was enough pressure coming from her constituents to do so. Unfortunately, most of her constituents are largely uninformed about what's going on. Even if you manage to squeeze through a 'progressive,' like Halter, he/she is just going to turn into another Blanche unless there's enough progressive support in the state to push him/her to vote the right way.

[lennapae]

12:01 PM on 06/09/2010

Just more reason to LOL every time you read a Daily Kos pol.
Two days ago they polled AR-Sen: Halter maintains lead, 49%-45%
I guess you could say that Daily Kos is at least consistent.... consistently WRONG.
HAHAHAHAHAHA

[Bobo from Texas]

02:20 PM on 06/09/2010

From their fundraising total, ti looks like Kos was wrong about 3.5 million times.

[zendem1]

03:34 PM on 06/09/2010

Wow Genius. 20 more years and they'll catch up to Kristol.

[Bobo from Texas]

11:38 AM on 06/09/2010

3.5 million sucked out of "progressive" wallets and spent in a red state. Way to spread that wealth around.

Hopefully you can do several times that for Democrats here in Texas.

[Cookie100]

12:18 PM on 06/09/2010

how'd you ever get 37 fans here? Quit fanning youself, you've been told about that before!

[swtexas]

12:49 PM on 06/09/2010

Ignorance is bliss. We are not ALL like this down here ya'll.

[Bobo from Texas]

03:07 PM on 06/09/2010

38 now and counting. Haven't been on very long so the total is a bit low.