Gun-range owner to challenge governor in primary

Jan Morgan, a Hot Springs gun-range owner and frequent Fox News commentator, formally announced over the New Year’s weekend that she would challenge Gov. Asa Hutchinson in May’s Republican gubernatorial primary.

The 54-year-old Second Amendment hawk had formed a committee last fall to explore a potential bid for the governorship, and she spent the final months of 2017 traveling the state and speaking to conservative groups.

Morgan, who would be Arkansas’ first female governor if elected, announced her plans during a New Year’s Eve speech in which she criticized Hutchinson’s stances on tax policy, health care and open carry of firearms.

“I’m Jan Morgan, a bornagain Christian, a genetically conservative wife, mother, small-business owner, certified firearms instructor, and yes, like our vice president of the United States, I ride a Harley!” Morgan said in closing.

“On this dawning of a new day of the new year, I am officially announcing my candidacy as a Republican for governor of Arkansas.”

Democrat Jared Henderson and Libertarian Mark West also have said they intend to run for governor.

Hutchinson last year announced his intentions to seek a second term. In 2014, he beat businessman Curtis Coleman in the Republican primary and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Ross of Little Rock, Libertarian Frank Gilbert and Green Party candidate Joshua Drake in the general election.

Hutchinson’s campaign spokesman, Jamie Barker, welcomed Morgan to the race in a statement Monday.

“The governor welcomes another candidate to the race,” Barker said. “Running for office is the marketplace for ideas and the governor

will run on his record of conservative, common sense policies like $150 million in tax cuts and creating jobs by the tens of thousands. Arkansas is prospering under his leadership. It is also about the future and specific goals will be presented in the coming months.”

Hutchinson, a former congressman, U.S. attorney and federal homeland security undersecretary, also announced his campaign team over the holiday, naming Robert Moery as campaign manager. Moery served as Hutchinson’s director of legislative affairs and formerly worked for U.S. Sen. John Boozman.

The campaign team also includes two younger Republicans — Barker, the communications director, and political coordinator Seth Mays. Mays is chairman of the Arkansas College Republicans; Barker chairs the Arkansas Young Republicans.

Jon Gilmore and Marie Holder were named chief strategist/pollster and finance director, respectively.

Henderson, the Democrat, said in a phone interview Monday that it would be good for voters to hear both Republican candidates’ ideas during the primary season. He said he wasn’t aware of any other Democrats planning to challenge him in the primary, but he said his focus would be the same either way, specifically mentioning economic

development in rural areas.

“It’s a good thing when voters have choices,” he said.

Morgan grabbed national headlines in 2014 when she declared her business, Gun Cave Indoor Firing Range, a “Muslim-free” zone.

Her camp has criticized Hutchinson, saying he “governs like a liberal Democrat.” While Hutchinson’s campaign has highlighted tax cuts, Morgan in her Sunday speech said those cuts were offset by increases elsewhere. She also criticized the governor’s quick closing fund, used to offer economic incentives.

Morgan said she wants government out of health care to “let the free market do what it does best.”

Additionally, Morgan called for the abolition of roll-call votes in legislative committees.

National polls have consistently ranked Hutchinson among the most popular governors in the United States, and he’s a favorite to win the May primary and November general election. However, some local politicos have wondered aloud on social media whether Morgan’s candidacy will move Hutchinson further to the right.

Last week, a letter was made public that Hutchinson wrote to the Arkansas State Police and prosecutors stating

his belief that a contentious 2013 law allows for the open carry of handguns.

Still, Hal Bass, professor emeritus of political science at Ouachita Baptist University, said there isn’t much room for Morgan to “elbow” Hutchinson to the right. The race, Bass said, will localize the national tension between the Republican Party’s establishment wing and its more conservative “resurgency” wing. Morgan highlighted that divide in her speech, saying career politicians must be replaced by citizen legislators.

“That said, I just don’t see

Hutchinson being vulnerable,” Bass said. “He’s extraordinarily connected with the rank and file of the Arkansas primary electorate.”

While Bass noted some ideological similarities between this race and last year’s special U.S. Senate primary in Alabama between Roy Moore and Luther Strange, he said Hutchinson is far better positioned than Strange and that Morgan lacks the statewide profile Moore had built over decades in politics.

“But the great thing about this field is you never know,” Bass said.