District 80 seat draws Democratic challenge

Democrat Kim Snow said Monday that she’s running next year for the seat held by state Rep. Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren, who is seeking re-election.

Fite, 67, a retired school psychology specialist, has served in the House since 2013. She represents House District 80, which includes parts of Crawford and Washington counties. She serves as the chairman of the House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee.

Snow, 46, said she will graduate in May from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, with a master’s degree in communications with a focus on health care communication. She also is an instructor who teaches public speaking.

She said her top priorities, if elected, would be making health care more accessible and affordable; bringing more resources to rural school districts; and House District 80.

Fite said she wants to continue her successful work in the Legislature for veterans, domestic violence victims and foster children.

Snow said in an interview that Fite “has become a puppet for her husband.” Tom Fite was disqualified by a Pulaski County circuit judge from running for a state House seat in 2010 based on a bribery conviction.

Asked about Snow’s suggestion, Charlene Fite said she would invite Snow to read her legislative record and talk to her legislative colleagues to learn about her influence in the House and the number of bills that she has successfully sponsored.

Among other things, Charlene Fite said she sponsored legislation that Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed into law in February that will exempt military retirement benefits from state income tax and cut the excise tax on softdrink syrup, starting with the 2018 tax year. The measure also will increase the 1.5 percent sales tax on candy and soft drinks to 6.5 percent, levy income taxes on unemployment insurance and impose a sales tax on certain digital products.

Fite said she set a goal to respond to her constituents’ requests within 24 hours and she believes that she has been successful in meeting that goal.

For the 2018 election, the filing period for state and federal offices will be Feb. 22-March 1. The primary will be May 22, and the general election will be Nov. 6, 2018.