Organized Labor Has More in Store for Arkansas

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/05/organized-labor-has-more-in-store-for-arkansas/56986/

May 19 2010, 5:40 PM ET

Organized labor pulled down a surprisingly good result in Arkansas on Tuesday night, and it's prepared to keep the good times rolling for its chosen candidate, Lt. Gov Bill Halter, as he heads toward a run-off with Sen. Blanche Lincoln.

Labor has spent at least $4.5 million to back Halter -- or, just as accurately, to oppose Lincoln. With Lincoln's poll numbers sagging over the past year, labor encouraged Halter to challenge her. Lincoln had frustrated organized labor for years by waffling on the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that would make it easier for workers to form unions. (It was formerly labor's top legislative goal -- over and above health care -- though it's not moving anywhere at the moment.)

After labor poured those millions into independent expenditures, airing ads and sending direct mail on Halter's behalf, Halter still wasn't supposed to come close to Lincoln on Tuesday night. In the last polls before the primary, he trailed by nine percentage points.

But the unexpected happened: Halter forced a June 8 run-off.

The lieutenant governor nearly tied the incumbent, trailing 42.5% to 44.3%, and with neither candidate garnering 50%, a June run-off was mandated. Halter got a lot of help from the third candidate in the race, D.C. Morrison, who managed to rake in a higher-than-expected 13% of the vote.

So labor has three weeks to push Halter over the edge.

FULL story at link.

[Coyote_Bandit]

1. Ummmm......

What difference does it make if Halter wins the party nomination only to lose to Boozman in the fall? It really doesn't matter which Dem gets the nomination. Boozman will be hard to beat. But I guess the battle is more important than the war.

[mikehiggins]

2. That really isn't the point, now is it?

The point is sending a message to the Blue Dogs and others that their precious "they'll support us because they have no where else to go" philosophy is heading for the reefs. It wasn't labor that put Sestak over the top but it may well be labor that cripples Lincoln's bid.

As to the GOPuke in the race, we'll see how that plays out.

[Coyote_Bandit]

3. Sooooooo.......

you'd rather send a message to/about Blanche than to actually have a Dem elected in the general election?

But then you're not from Arkansas and do not appreciate the horror of seeing Boozman elected. And that is likely what will happen.

But you don't see that because it's all about winning the battle and making some statement - even if the cost of doing so is losing the fucking war (the Senate seat being held by a Dem).

Not being from Arkansas you don't understand state politics or the preferences of the Dems who live and vote there. You may not realize that some of those Dems affirmatively resent the desire of carpetbagger Dems to substitute their preferences for those of resident Arkansas Dems. They think the carpetbaggers are arrogant and should mind their own fucking business.

I suspect you're going to miss Blanche after Boozman is elected - even though you are not an Arkansas resident and will not be as directly impacted as those residents. But, hey, go for it. Maybe we can finally have some of that highly touted bipartsianship when we have a Dem President and a Puke Congress.

[Rageneau]

4. It felt soooo good voting against Lincoln on Tuesday.

It would have been nicer if I could have enjoyed voting FOR Halter, but my vote was purely anti-Blanche.

And -- hooray -- I get to vote against her corporate butt all over again come June!