Candidates clash on voter-ID ruling

3 in governor debate back high court

CONWAY — Democratic gubernatorial nominee Mike Ross and his Republican rival, Asa Hutchinson, on Thursday disagreed about the state Supreme Court’s ruling striking down the state’s voter-ID law and accused each other of flip-flopping on various issues.

The state’s high court Wednesday upheld a Pulaski County circuit judge’s ruling that Act 593 of 2013, which requires voters to bring photo identification, violates the constitutional rights of Arkansans.

Last year, the Republican-controlled Legislature passed the voter-ID law over Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe’s veto. During a 90-minute debate broadcast Thursday night on the Arkansas Education Television Network, Ross said he agreed with the state Supreme Court’s ruling.

He also said he agreed with Beebe that the law “was an answer in search of a problem.” When the law was enacted, there wasn’t a single example cited of someone voting fraudulently, Ross said.

He said he was concerned about numerous absentee ballots that were thrown out during the primary election, including those of World War II veterans.

People who cast absentee ballots are typically homebound and do not have a driver’s license because they can no longer drive a car, he said. Most of them don’t have a copy machine at their house, so it’s hard for them to make copies of their identification, he said.

Hutchinson, who is an attorney, said he was disappointed by the state Supreme Court’s ruling Wednesday night.

Four of the seven justices on the state’s high court said the voter-ID law added a qualification to the voter qualifications long enshrined in the state’s constitution. The three other justices said the Legislature failed to enact the law with the two-thirds vote required under the Arkansas Constitution to amend voter-registration measures.

Hutchinson said he’s worked for a few decades to make sure there is a two- party system in the state, and he’s seen a sheriff write a book about stealing elections, “So there is fraud out there … and we need to have integrity at the voting booth.”

“I want more people to vote” and not suppress voter turnout, Hutchinson said.

He said he wants to make it easy to verify who people are before they cast their ballots and, “I think showing an ID is not an unreasonable request of our voters.”

Green Party candidate Joshua Drake of Hot Springs said he supports the Supreme Court’s decision and that Hutchinson’s support for the law is “part of the war on the working people of Arkansas that’s going on.”

Arkansas Republicans “want to suppress the vote,” Drake said. “We don’t have too many people voting. We don’t have enough people voting.”

Libertarian candidate Frank Gilbert of Tull said he wants each election to be “absolutely fair,” and efforts to cut voter fraud should be aimed at government officials, not voters.

Candidates also clashed on other issues during the debate.

Ross said Hutchinson has changed positions on raising the minimum wage and expanding the state’s pre-kindergarten program.

He said Hutchinson has “a questionable past” and represented millionaires, billionaires and Wall Street as a lobbyist. As an attorney, Hutchinson was paid to represent a government official who was later convicted of spying for the Communist China government, Ross said.

But Hutchinson said that “no one has flipped-flipped more than Mike Ross where it comes for or against [U.S. House Democratic leader and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi], supporting gun control and opposing gun control [and] when it comes to pro-life issues. He was prolife in Congress. He comes back and changes his position in Arkansas.”

He said Ross voted for a federal health care overhaul in a U.S. House committee that was worse than the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act enacted in 2010.

Ross said he voted against the Affordable Care Act in Congress and was one of three Democrats who voted to repeal the federal law. He also said that he opposes gun control.

As far as Ross’ “challenge about representation of clients,” Hutchinson said, “I think back to John Adams, one of our Founding Fathers, and he was criticized because he represented a British solider who was charged with murder. He did the right thing. He did what he saw as his duty.

“I think that we should honor and respect those that take that same position. I think Mr. Ross is way out of bounds with his attack on someone asking for counsel and legal representation.”

Hutchinson said Ross’ attacks don’t create one job in Arkansas or improve education. He called Ross “a hyperpartisan.”

Gilbert said the state ranks last in the nation in terms of return on its investment on tax dollars, and “it’s almost criminal.” He wants to eliminate the state’s income tax within eight years without raising taxes to make up for the reduced tax revenue.

Drake said he’s the only gubernatorial candidate who favors abortion rights, universal health care, raising the minimum wage to $ 10 an hour, increasing taxes on the wealthy and outlawing fracking.

Ross is a former 4th District congressman, state senator and Nevada County Quorum Court member.

Hutchinson is a former 3rd District congressman, federal Department of Homeland Security undersecurity and director of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Gilbert works for the Bauxite School District and is the Dekalb Township constable in Grant County. Drake is an attorney. They are vying to succeed Beebe in the Nov. 4 general election. Early voting starts Monday.