Tom Cotton Visits Texarkana

Congressman Tom Cotton rolled into Texarkana without the same fanfare that Senator Pryor put on a few days ago.  The lack of fanfare is likely due to something that Senator Pryor has forgotten over the years.   Senator Pryor has forgotten about Texarkana and as such he has neglected to visit Texarkana.   Pryor needed a fanfare to boost his standing with people in Texarkana.  Tom on the other hand needed no boost to remind the citizens that he listens.    Tom hosts "Coffee with your Congressman" around the southwest on a regular basis.  The visits brings Tom to Hope, Texarkana, Prescott, and other locations, even during off election years.  The fact is, Tom's tours have brought him to Texarkana more than times than Pryor has visited during his entire time as a Senator.   The simple fact is Tom did not need to put on the fanfare that Pryor seemed to want so badly.

People in Texarkana recognize that Tom listens.  The local radio station was present for Tom's visit, as was the newspaper, state representatives, business leaders, party members, and a host of other people.  The Cattlemen's was packed with so many people that it would be hard to list them all here.  Cotton started the meeting by standing outside the front door in the heat and meeting guest as they arrived.  He shook hands, talked about his last visit, and took time to hear what each voter had to say.  

Once inside the room, the Cattlemen's banquet room was packed wall-to-wall.  Several people sat at tables visiting, others wandered around the room and some found nice little corners where they could watch all the events.  If you did not know Tom Cotton, you would not be able to find him in the crowd.  He wore a regular shirt, easily moved around the room and most people acted as if Tom had lived his entire life in Texarkana and we were all visiting at a local football game.  Tom did not present himself as someone special, nor did the crowd who has been accustomed to seeing so much of Tom view him as someone special.  To everyone in the room, Tom was simply our Congressman visiting us in Texarkana.  

After a short time, Texarkana Mayor candidate David Haak was introduced and then in turn introduced Tom.  Tom spoke briefly about the campaign by stating his goals and desires once he takes over the Senate seat for Arkansas.  Finally, instead of the usual pleas for money that most politicians make, the crowd was encouraged to join in singing happy birthday for Tom's wife who turned 37 today.  

As people began to leave the gathering slowly, it was apparent that while Tom is our Congressman, and will soon be our Senator, that he is also something different.  He is not the politician as usual running around only during the campaign season.  Most people were comfortable with Tom because he's here...in fact he's here a lot.   A few people may remember a few years ago when Tom came to town during a televised Presidential debate.  Tom bought pizza and hosted the event at the local Republican Headquarters.    It makes a person wonder how many other Americans can say they watched a Presidential debate with their Congressman?  But then again, that's simply Tom Cotton, a Congressman more interested in spending time working for the people and spending time with the people than playing golf during these troubling times when men like Cotton are so desperately needed.  

 

Cathy Hardin, A Hard Act to Follow!

Republican Cathy Hardin (A Woman!)

Democrats have started to turn their "Name-Calling" toward the next presidential election in anticipation that they will run Hillary on the ticket. They are focussing on making Republicans look like the party that hates women. Everyone in the party seems to lean toward the idea that Republicans are trying to control contraceptives because they hate women. Another Democrat outright lie. Sorry, I for one am tired of sitting on the sidelines and watching Democrats bash Republicans. It's now time to take the fight back to them with a little dose of the truth regarding our candidates and our standards. To meet that end, it's important that we look at local candidates first-they are the heart of the Republican Party.

Republican Cathy Hardin stepped into the race for Miller County Tax Collector after issues came up with the former Miller County Tax Collector. You may remember that Miller County Tax Collector Melissa Barnes was arrested and finally plead guilty to a lessor charge: (LINK). Because Ms. Barnes is a woman, it is certain that Democrats will view this as an attack on women again! Yes, those mean Republicans are out to destroy women. Sorry, the bottom line is Melisa Barnes, a Democrat who has held the office of Miller County Tax Collector is guilty of Abuse of her Office. She plead out of the charge of stealing tax receipts and using county money for her own use. This is not a Republican attack on women because if it was, why would the Republican party be running Cathy Hardin for the office?

Cathy Hardin decided to run when she saw the corruption that had occurred under a Democrat's watch at the Tax Collector's office. She decided to take the bold step to run for office and make a difference for Miller County. Cathy is not a long-standing politician, and in fact she is the opposite of most politicians. She is quiet, soft-spoken, strong, and proud of her family ties to Miller County. When a voter speaks to Cathy, she does not yell at them, but instead forces the conversation to a level that you would reach sitting in a coffee shop with a good friend. She brings the conversation down to Earth, but reminds the voter that she is running for the office of Tax Collector and she is going to make a difference. This stray from typical politics makes Cathy unique. It also makes her something that we all need more of in county offices...it makes her real.

Beyond being a candidate though, Cathy Hardin is something else. Cathy is a woman. She has chosen the Republican Party as her platform not because Republicans hate women, she simply would not be part of a party that hated women, but instead because she chose a party that she believes can make a difference. Already Cathy has been elected as the Miller County Republican State Committeewoman for the Party, an office that could lead to national conventions. She has stepped up at the headquarters, along with her son, and helped prepare for the coming elections. She has attended state and local party meetings and continued to impress people across Arkansas. This soft-spoken lady is quickly growing into one of the major representatives for the state. The voter will do well to consider this Republican woman for the office of Tax Collector because Cathy Hardin is a hard act to follow, and after all, a Democrat woman held it before and we all remember how that turned out right? (Remember this Link?)