Democratic leaders are probably right. Though Arkansas is just one of almost two dozen states with primary or caucus votes Feb. 5, it’s better to be voting before the race is over, even if the state won’t be a highlighted early predictor as was discussed when the legislature acted.
We’ll get a Hillary visit before it’s over, I’d guess. And perhaps an Obama fly-in, too. He has canvassers at work. More interesting is what effort, if any, will be made on the Republican side. Huckabee is the presumed heavy favorite, but some prominent Republicans, particularly in vote-rich NWA, are working actively against the former governor. There’s talk of a Romney ad being made by one Republican legislator. And I know personally of a small rump effort by a long-time party insider to stir some Democratic crossover against Huckabee. That seems unlikely given the passion on the Democratic side, however. John McCain, you ask? Brummett suggests it’s time for Republicans to make peace with him and his occasional moderate leanings as their nominee.