If you want to predict who’s going to end up on the Arkansas Times list of worst legislators, here’s a good place to start. 

At a press conference today at the Capitol, the Ted Cruz campaign announced the endorsement of 18 state legislators.

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The announcement comes in the wake of a slew of endorsements for Cruz’s rival for second place, Marco Rubio (nearly 30 legislators back Rubio, along with Gov. Asa Hutchinson and several of the state’s other constitutional officers and congressional delegation). 

While the establishment lines up to back Rubio, many of the hardcore True Conservative types are backing Cruz. This doesn’t track perfectly, but there are some parallels with the split within the GOP on the private option. 

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Here’s the list:

Linda Collins-Smith, State Senator District 19
Terry Rice, State Senator District 9
Scott Flippo, State Senator District 17
Gary Stubblefield, State Senator District 6
Bob Ballinger, State Representative District 97
Kim Hammer, State Representative District 28
Donnie Copeland, State Representative District 38
Bruce Cozart, State Representative District 24
John Payton, State Representative District 64
C. Brandt Smith, Jr., State Representative District 58
Rick Beck, State Representative District 65
Mary Bentley, State Representative District 73
Justin Gonzales, State Representative District 19
Stephen Meeks, State Representative District 67
Michelle Gray, State Representative District 62
Dan Sullivan, State Representative District 53
Robin Lundstrom, State Representative District 87
Jack Ladyman, State Representative District 59

I see that the Cruz-Rubio battle has divided the Meeks family. Intense. 

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