ARRA News Service [Original Post: 12/5/09 5:45 PM] - Today, in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the Republican Party of Arkansas held a leadership conference at the Arlington Hotel with an estimated 3000 people attending various events. Announced Republican candidates were spoke to the attendees. Later a ceremonial straw poll was held for the announced candidates running for the US. Senate. Seven of the announced GOP candidates for the Arkansas Republican nomination for U.S. Senate participated in the straw poll. Arkansas voters attending the RPA Leadership Summit GOP could register and vote in the straw poll. Participants were required to pay $15 for a ticket to vote unless they acquired one free from a candidate who had purchased the ticket. Over 700 people participated in the straw poll [more than 1,300 tickets were sold]. Gilbert Baker took the top spot with 35% of the vote and Curtis Coleman was second with 33% of the vote.
Updates from various wire services (12/06/09):
Today's THV: Colonel Conrad Reynolds was third with 23% of the votes. Tom Cox received 4% of the votes; Senator Kim Hendren and Fred Ramey both came in with 2%. Buddy Rogers received 1%.
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The City Wire: Stanley Reed and Jim Holt, who have mentioned an interest in the race, did not participate in the straw poll. The candidates each gave 7 minutes speeches, with Baker touting recent poll numbers, which have shown him to be competitive or leading U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., in a general election match-up. “I’m proven and battle tested,” he said. “I will raise the money to beat Blanche Lincoln and move Arkansas from a liberal Democrat [seat] to a conservative Republican one.”
Coleman called the national debt “a clear and present danger” stressing that the “cost of government has gotten too big because government has gotten too big.” “We must reduce the cost of government by reducing the size of government,” said Coleman. “We don’t need a government that lives within its means. We need a government that lives within our means.”
Conrad Reynolds stressed a theme of “restoring a voice” to Arkansans, Conrad Reynolds delivered a confident speech on what he will do as the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate. “We want to wipe the slate clean in Washington D.C. and here in Arkansas,” Reynolds said. “We must select the right candidate to restore our voice in Washington D.C.,” Reynolds said, adding that he didn’t think Republicans needed to make a decision early and that party insiders shouldn’t be afraid of a tough primary fight. “They want you to follow a path of least resistance. Arkansans do not want to replace a politician with another politician,” he emphasized. Reynolds stressed his military experience and lack of political experience as assets to his campaign.
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Jason Tolbert, The Tolbert Report has posted his video interviews of the Baker, Coleman and Reynolds after the RPA's Straw Poll.
Tags: 2010, Arkansas, Conrad Reynolds, Curtis Coleman, Gilbert Baker, Hot Springs, Republican Party of Arkansas, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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