Last Thursday, I interviewed
Rick Crawford, Republican candidate for Congress in Arkansas
District 1. Today, I had a chance to speak with his primary
opponent, Princella Smith.
The 26-year-old Wynne, Arkansas native is attempting to replace
the retiring Democratic Congressman Marion Berry, in a district
that has not elected a Republican since the Reconstruction.
Despite the Democratic hold, the Northeast Arkansas district is
rated “R+8” by Cook Partisan Voter Index. Hence, this race
is a golden opportunity to elect both a conservative and a
Republican into Congress.
As of February 20th, Princella Smith wants to seize that
opportunity. If elected, Smith could be the only Republican
African-American woman in Congress. She has had quite a few
political experiences in her young life — speaking at the 2004
GOP Convention, interning for Mike Huckabee and Arkansas Lt.
Governor Win Rockefeller, and working for Newt Gingrich and
Michael Steele. Most recently, Smith served as Communications
Director for Congressman Joseph Cao.
Smith went on the offensive against Crawford, who has been
campaigning since last April. “For somebody who has been in this
race for a year, he should have this thing locked up… but he
doesn’t. It’s not even close [to being over].” She then
questioned the validity of some of his endorsements, saying that
they came before she jumped into the race and before Berry
announced his retirement, particularly Crawford’s support from
former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and Congressman Asa
Hutchinson. “Mike Huckabee has known me since I was a teenager.
He knew my parents before that. He is a personal supporter of
Princella Smith. He endorsed Crawford but that was before Berry
dropped out, before I was rumored to get in this year,” Smith
asserted. Smith claims support from Newt Gingrich, Dana Perino,
Mary Matalin, and several Arkansas politicians and business
figures.
Despite Smith’s youth, she argued that she had a “better handle
on the issues,” than Crawford — saying that constituents
appreciate a candidate who “knows how Washington works.” When
comparing herself to Crawford, she cited her political
experience. “When you go to Congress, you need to know what’s
going on in the nation because your vote affects not only your
district but the entire country.”
A question that remains is whether her Republican experiences
will help or hurt with conservative voters. Smith contended that
she was not rooted in the Washington GOP establishment, pointing
out that she has lived all but four years of her life in
Arkansas. “All that I am and ever hope to be is because of the
people of Arkansas,” Smith attested.
Differentiating herself from Crawford, she continued,
Crawford’s platform is largely that he’s from Craighead County,
that he has a family and that he ran a business. That’s great
… but I think Americans are calling for a little more than
that. I know that Arkansans are … I’m a much better
campaigner. I have a lot more passion on the principles of
representing the district. I have a lot more energy. More so
than ‘this is something I want to do and it’s kind of my turn.’
Whether Smith is actually a better campaigner is something
Arkansas voters will decide, but on the issues both she and
Crawford both seem to endorse conservative principles. With
respect to the House healthcare bill that passed in November, she
absolutely denied that she would have voted in favor. Her last
boss, Joseph Cao, was the lone GOP vote in favor of a public
option. As Cao’s communications director, Smith explained, “My
job was to communicate why he did what he did. That’s it … He
pushed the button himself. ”
On other hot button issues, she said she plans to pledge not to
raise taxes, wants to keep away the Death Tax, and would like to
end capital gains taxes. With respect to national defense, she
supports the president’s Afghanistan troop surge, saying “we
should listen to the generals on the ground.” On social issues,
she declared that she was pro-life and pro-traditional marriage.
The primary is on May 18. It is an open primary, which means that
if Smith is able to motivate people to turnout and win over some
African-American voters to support her, that could be
significant. However, if Crawford is able to present himself as
the more reliable supporter of economic interests for the
district, and has a better infrastructure after a year of
campaigning, it may be his race despite the added competition.
