Cong. John Boozman was absent from the forum, but was represented by his campaign manager Sarah Huckabee, daughter of the former Arkansas Governor.
There were shots taken at Boozman’s absence and assertions that his Washington, D.C. service was a liability not an asset.
John Lyon with our content partner, the Arkansas News Bureau, reports:
“I’m not from D.C. or connected with D.C.,” said state Sen. Gilbert Baker of Conway. “I hear time and again, folks want to sweep everybody out and start over. I opposed the bailouts, which started with the TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) bailout.”
Baker prefaced his comments by saying he wanted to contrast himself with incumbent Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln, but that he could as easily have been contrasting himself with Boozman, who has served in Congress since 2001 and voted for TARP.
“John Boozman doesn’t have a bit of D.C. in him, not now, not today, not tomorrow, not ever,” Sarah Huckabee said.
Baker prefaced his comments by saying he wanted to contrast himself with incumbent Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln, but that he could as easily have been contrasting himself with Boozman, who has served in Congress since 2001 and voted for TARP.
“John Boozman doesn’t have a bit of D.C. in him, not now, not today, not tomorrow, not ever,” Sarah Huckabee said.
You can read more on the debate at this link.
Boozman’s campaign spokesman Patrick Creamer said that the Congressman was in D.C. working on health care reform and wasn't afraid to debate his challengers.
“There will be other debates before the primary and I am confident that Congressman Boozman will participate in them if he is not required to be in DC representing his constituents, especially with a vote of this magnitude pending before the week’s end,” Creamer said.
“If there is a candidate who disagrees with the Congressman’s decision to return to the Capitol to fight Obamacare, then by all means, that candidate should go on record telling voters of Arkansas that they would have skipped the opportunity to try to stop this bill in D.C. to instead participate in a discussion about why it needs to be stopped in Little Rock. Because let's be honest, there wasn't a candidate at that table last night who doesn't oppose this bill. There is one candidate, however, who couldn't make the event, because he is actively working to stop it's passage,” he added.
