Political notables talk up Elliott, Hill
Congressional race draws big names
JACKSONVILLE — With Election Day looming and polls showing a close race, top U.S. House Republicans have traveled to Central Arkansas to stump for U.S. Rep. French Hill and the rest of their party’s ticket.
Meanwhile, Hill’s Democratic opponent, state Sen. Joyce Elliott of Little Rock, received the backing of former Gov. Mike Beebe.
On Thursday night, U.S. Rep. Steven Scalise, R-La., appeared at the Republican Party of Arkansas’ Ballots, Boots, and BBQ Rally in Benton.
On Friday, U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., crisscrossed Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District, visiting an elementary school in Greenbrier; a hospital and a campaign luncheon in Searcy; and a museum in Jacksonville where she met with military families.
Along the way, she was joined by Hill and other Republicans from Arkansas, including U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Rogers. U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton of Little Rock and U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro also joined in.
As minority whip, Scalise is the chamber’s second-ranking Republican. As House Republican Conference chairman, Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, is third-ranking.
Hill, she said, is “influential enough and. enough of a leader” that people pay attention to what he says.
In April, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., appointed Hill to the congressional oversight commission in charge of monitoring $500 billion in covid-relief-related funds.
“The depth of his knowledge, his experience and his ability to walk through really complicated issues for us on economics, in particular, as we’ve been dealing with the challenge of covid is just something that’s been invaluable for all of us in the conference,” Cheney said, adding “he’s been a huge help to me.”
Hill, a former banker who serves on the House Financial Services Committee, is facing a stiff challenge from Elliott, a retired teacher.
Both candidates have raised more than $3 million, with outside groups expected to spend millions more.
Since the onset of the covid-19 public health emergency, Elliott has steered clear of crowds and avoided indoor gatherings. Instead, she held drive-in rallies in Conway, Searcy, Benton and Little Rock.
On Friday, she visited early voting stations and greeted those who were waiting in line. Similar stops were scheduled for today and Monday.
Thus far, Elliott hasn’t appeared on stage with her party’s national House leadership.
Instead, she has joined forces with one of the state’s most popular Democrats, Beebe.
In a video this week, Beebe endorsed Elliott, calling her “somebody who can work across the aisle, somebody who brings folks from all sides [together].”
“She’s somebody with integrity, somebody with courage and somebody who always fought,” he said.
Hill has the support of current Gov. Asa Hutchinson, as well as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who touted Hill’s reelection Thursday.
Huckabee’s daughter, former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, is scheduled to campaign for Hill at a rally this afternoon in Conway.
While U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi isn’t campaigning with Elliott, she is helping her raise money.
In an email Friday, the California Democrat solicited funds on Elliott’s behalf, telling recipients, “I know Joyce can win this race and become Arkansas’ first ever Black member of Congress. But it’s going to take all of us banding together to put her over the top.”