Little Rock Public Radio

Democratic state Rep. Steve Magie faces a challenge from Republican Mark Brannan in the Arkansas House District 56 election. He’s looking to defend the seat steeped in a sea of Republican districts again this year.

Brannan did not respond to requests for an interview, though an invitation still stands. Little Rock Public Radio’s Amir Mahmoud spoke with Magie. You can hear their conversation, which has been edited for length and clarity, in the link above, or read an edited transcript below.

Amir Mahmoud: House District 56 is kind of a blueberry in the tomato soup, and it's been closely contested in recent elections. Tell me about that.

Rep. Steve Magie: Well it's tough. I have a tough district. Conway is pretty purple. Before redistricting, the district that I represented was a pretty strong Democratic district. It was probably sixty-forty Democrat, Republican, and that district still had tough races…

In 2020, they changed the district, and they spread it out horizontally toward Vilonia and into West Conway. And that was one of the toughest races that I've had. I had a very likable, very knowledgeable opponent. [He had] great communication skills, [and was] a good looking guy. I'm not saying some of [my other opponents] haven't been tough, but that was really a tough race. In the end, I won by ten votes.

AM: The Democratic Party is a big tent with all kinds of political views. How would you describe your political views?

SM: I hope they let me in the tent. I'm really sort of a left of center type of person. I'm pretty practical. I'm open to discussion and reasoning [on] just about anything. I tend to be maybe a little more fiscally responsible or fiscally aware of what we're doing and what we're spending, and how we're spending it. That's one of the reasons that I've kind of stayed on budget over the years that I've been there. I’m kind of a Mike Beebe kind of guy really. You don't spend what you don't have.

On the other side of the equation, I'm probably a little more liberal than some people want me to be. I think everyone's created in God's image. And we may not like them, we may not like what they do or who they are, but we got to respect them.

AM: What are some of the big issues affecting Conway in your district that you've taken note of?

SM: There are a lot of issues that come with a lot of rapid growth: building the streets and building the roads and the infrastructure; servicing the fire department, having adequate fire service, having adequate police service; and EMS services and hospital services… All those things are always things that we continue to work on [with] the growth of the city. And Lake Brewer – I mean, we've had to curtail water all summer.

I stay in very, very close contact and communication with all the local leaders in the community. I stay in touch with them, and I stay in touch with a lot of the developers.

We'll get legislation [that] comes up that may be good for Fayetteville, but it's not very good for Conway. You know, I'm a local guy. I'm going to take care of my folks. I'm going to take care of Fayetteville too, but my allegiance is here.

AM: There's talk of bringing a data center to Conway. What are your thoughts on that?

SM: We're potentially going to have a data center. That's one of the things that I've been hearing a lot about [while] canvassing. People have a lot of concerns, and I have concerns. I think that's something that the legislature – like with the cryptocurrency things.. is going to address some of those concerns this next session.

If they can work it all out, great. But I wouldn't be opposed to having a moratorium placed on them until adequate studies were done. If we can alleviate people's concerns, and it turns out that they could be good community corporate partners, well, great. But if you can't get rid of those concerns, maybe you have to put a moratorium on them for a period of time.

AM: As a doctor, how do you feel about the state of healthcare in Arkansas, particularly Medicaid?

SM: A lot of people don't think that anything that happens to Medicaid affects them. [They think], “I'm not on Medicaid, you know. How's that going to affect me? That's not my insurance. I got private insurance at work.” Well, let me tell you what, it’s going to affect you.

The ARHOME program... was the private option when I first went in, which Gov. Mike Beebe championed and put through with bipartisan support. It's been a big fight to keep it over the years. But that was a great program, and it saved our hospitals. Not only did it save our rural hospitals, it saved Conway Regional Hospital – it did. And now, because of the federal legislation, it’s not state … they changed the way they’re going to pay for that.

So it's gone. Reimbursement is going to go down for hospitals. Hospitals are already … under a lot of financial difficulties. And not only that, with some of the requirements to stay on Medicaid, all the work requirements and that sort of thing, there's going to be a number of people that are dropped off. Doctors don't turn people away because they can't pay and hospitals don't either. But somewhere the system's going to break.

AM: So why should voters select you in November over your opponent?

SM: People know me in the community; I've been here a long time… [When] I get go to the doors [they say], “Hey, doc. I voted for you every year.” And that's both sides of the aisle. So, I think my name recognition is more than his.

I've been active in community affairs for a number of years. I've not seen him have any real activity in community affairs. I go to city council meetings. I just don't know who he is, and I think he's a little unknown.

The other thing is I think I have the temperament and the experience that you need to deal in today's environment. You can't just go down there with a boisterous attitude [thinking] that you're going to change the world.

Here's the latest local and regional news from the Little Rock Public Radio Newsroom for Friday, October 9, 2026.

- Arkansas farmers will see as much as $1 billion in federal payments starting this month to recoup a portion of their losses in 2025

-An Arkansas Supreme Court justice will remain on a case after conflict of interest accusations

-Conway School District residents file a lawsuit against district officials for misuse of tax dollars

- The Arkansas Court of Appeals has upheld a ruling ordering insurance companies to defend Walmart in opioid lawsuits.

- Lindsay Rankin, a Springdale special education teacher, has been named Arkansas' 2027 teacher of the year

-The National Rifle Association's Youth Hunter Education Challenge brings a gun safety message to Northwest Arkansas

Listen to live newscasts from Little Rock Public Radio each weekday during NPR's All Things Considered from 4 to 6 p.m., and online at littlerockpublicradio.org.

Pulaski County’s top spot is up for grabs this election season, with two newcomers vying for the position after a primary challenge unseated longtime County Judge Barry Hyde.

A county’s judge is often thought of as its CEO. In Arkansas, while the quorum court typically drafts ordinances and votes to put measures in place, the judge oversees and officiates all business.

Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde, a Democrat, has held the position since being elected in 2014, and after a decade-plus in office had aimed to seek yet another term.

But after a controversial land use plan was revised and presented to citizens just three business days before a scheduled quorum court vote in late 2025 and alongside growing concern among residents about hyperscale data center construction, Hyde ultimately lost his primary to challenger, retired Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen, with 63% of the vote.

Now for the general election, Griffen faces off against Republican Candidate Michael Rushin in November.

While Griffen and Rushin share much common ground on the county’s future, they differ in their approach and on a few key points.

Rushin says the county has been unfairly categorized as stagnant or even in decline.

"Since 2000, Saline County and Faulkner County have grown at 55% to 60%, and Pulaski County, the capital county, the seat of state government with all the benefits you can think of, has only grown at around 11%," says Rushin. "We should be the engine of the state, and it kind of looks like we're the caboose."

Griffen agrees.

"We are the largest county in Arkansas, population-wise; we are the most diverse county in Arkansas, population-wise; we have a wealth of resources and infrastructure. We need to position ourselves so we can take maximum advantage of that and make ourselves globally attractive, locally sustainable, and constantly evolving."

To repair that future, both men see a need to improve county infrastructure to make it more desirable for industrial development.

For Griffen, his vision for the county’s future hinges on breaking down the budget; he feels the current budget situation is a failure of management and lack of transparency.

In the first 100 days, he plans to study it carefully.

"As far as I'm able to discern, we have two big problems: We spend more money than has been appropriated by our quorum court; we spend it in ways that are, secondly, not transparent or accountable," says Griffen. "The public and the quorum court were surprised to learn there was a deficit last year, but more importantly that there had been a years-long run of multi-million-dollar deficits."

Rushin’s approach, as a long-time real estate developer, is to lean into that skillset to rebuild the county’s languishing properties.

"What we have to do is, we have to contact the owner of that property and say, 'Look it's obvious you have no interest in it. So instead of waiting for five years for the city to tear it down, which also depresses the neighborhood because no one is building on that lot, sell it to the county for nickels on the dollar or let us give you a letter for your donation to the cause so that you can write it off on your taxes, get you a benefit for this.'"

Rushin’s take is that the county would remodel the home and sell it under its appraised value, recouping losses and generating a small return on investment. He says he would seek grant money to cover any shortfalls.

Two realms in which the candidates differ: hyperscale data centers and policing strategy.

Griffen has spent much of the year working to curtail future data center development. He drafted the ordinance the county quorum court passed just weeks ago.

Again, much of his discomfort with the status quo sits with a lack of transparency and infrastructure.

"Pulaski County does not have the power to ban [data centers]. I would have loved to have had that option because I think we should have the responsibility of saying whether or not a given use fits. We do have the power to regulate, and what I have drafted is a rigorous regulatory framework that goes from preapplication all the way through the lifecycle of a data center all the way to decommissioning."

Rushin says he disagrees with the state control over municipalities when it comes to data center bans, but he also sees artificial intelligence as the next wave of internet technology, and believes the county should be open to partnering with Big Tech.

"Well, AI isn't smarter than either one of us, but it sure is a lot faster than both of us, right? So how do we embrace that coming to town? How do we take that opportunity and give it to the public? So one thing I'd love to do is sit down with AVAIO and say, 'Look, we've already paid for all these public libraries in Pulaski County. Why don't you partner with us and let's put classrooms, basically, in these public libraries to teach the citizens how to utilize the benefits of AI?'"

He also likened the AI race to the space race of the 1960s, saying he would rather have the data flowing locally than in China.

The pair also differ in their approach to policing and public safety.

Wendell Griffen says he has no issue with Sheriff Eric Higgins’ track record as Pulaski County sheriff, and takes a hardline stance against Flock or any mass-surveillance cameras.

"To deploy any apparatus in the public context is a direct challenge to the fundamental principle that we have a free and open society where every person is presumably innocent of wrongdoing. I see no reason to basically treat the entire population of any community as under suspicion of crime."

Rushin says he is not outright against Flock-style surveillance cameras, but says he thinks citizen privacy is an important counterweight, and he prefers maintaining a robust police force rather than police tech.

"I've heard the great things about how it tracks this, and easier to find that. The one downside to it is, how many police officers are going to lose their jobs because the Flock camera can do their looking for you?"

Overall, both candidates say they are running to represent the concerns of all Pulaski County residents. Both say they are tired of the perceived "great political divide" and that the issues facing voters don’t have strictly partisan roots.

"We're one county, and we have to think of ourselves as a 400,000-population community," says Griffen, "with great people, and great schools, and great faith systems, and great coaches, and great opportunities and great potential. But we can only maximize it if we do it together."

"I've said many times on this trail, I don't care if you vote blue or red, I don't care if you're Black or white, I don't care if you're rich or poor, I don't care where you live," says Rushin. "If you are a taxpayer in Pulaski County, you deserve for your county government to represent you when things need to be done."

FUN

The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, 503 E. Ninth St., Little Rock, hosts its 13th Vintage Vehicle Military Show, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday on the historic parade grounds behind the museum. The show features Jeeps and other vehicles from the Arkansas Military Vehicle Preservation Association as well as displays from the 87th Troop Command of the Arkansas National Guard. Also part of the event: living history exhibitors of military memorabilia. BlueBell Creameries, Central Arkansas Water, Home Instead and Hospice Home Care are providing refreshments. (501) 376-4602.

The North Little Rock Fire Department comes out to meet the public for Fire­fest 2026, 6-8 p.m. Thursday in the Dillard’s parking lot of McCain Mall, 3929 McCain Blvd., North Little Rock. The festival, which spotlights fire prevention week, features fire trucks, food, special operations demonstrations and a kids combat challenge among other games.

MUSIC

The Arkansas Chamber Singers open their 2026-27 season with a concert titled “A Pale Blue Dot,” 7:30 p.m. Friday at St. James United Methodist Church, 321 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, and 5:30 p.m. Sunday in Morgan Hall at the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s Stella Boyle Smith Music Center, 1101 E. Third St. in Little Rock’s East Village. The program takes its title from an image taken, at astronomer Carl Sagan’s suggestion, by Voyager 1 on Feb. 14, 1990, in which Earth appears as only a pale blue dot. arkansaschambersingers.org

Mean Mary performs for the Little Rock Folk Club, , 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Hibernia Irish Tavern, 9700 N. Rodney Parham Road. (501) 246-4340; hiberniairishtavern.com.

THEATER

Actors Theatre of Little Rock wraps up the run of its “immersive” production (in which members of the audience become part of the production) of the musical “Come From Away,” 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church, 1601 Louisiana St., Little Rock. The theater group rates the show PG-13 and notes that “due to the nature of this production, there will be no late entry.” actorstheatrelr.org.

And two nuns have been secretly making wine to keep their convent’s doors open; with two reporters hot on their trail, wine and secrets are inevitably spilled in “Drinking Habits” by Tom Smith, wrapping up its run at Murry’s Dinner Playhouse, 6323 Colonel Glenn Road, Little Rock. The buffet opens 30 minutes before curtain time: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. (501) 562-3131; murrysdp.com.

FILM

Celebrate! Maya Project will screen the documentary “W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel with a Cause,” 2 pm. Friday at Central Arkansas Library System’s Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Ave. in Little Rock. The film documents the life, journey and contributions of W.E.B. DuBois in America and around the world. A conversation between Rita Coburn, the film’s director and producer, and Netflix Vice President and former NFL player Wade Davis will follow. celebratemayaproject.org.

ART AND EXHIBITS

New this week:

“The Age of Anxiety: German Expressionism in Art and Film,” a melding of early 20th century German Expressionist art and period films, opens Friday at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. It’s up through Jan. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday. (501) 372-4000; arkmfa.org

“Painting the Arkansas Parks,” a traveling exhibition of paintings based on sketches at state parks in each of Arkansas’ five major geographic regions, goes on display with a 5-8 p.m. 2nd Friday Art Night reception, Friday in Trinity Gallery for Arkansas Artists at Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third St., Little Rock. Artists made sketches “from the historic trails of Historic Washington State Park to the tranquil waters of Cane Creek State Park; the finished paintings are paired with original plein air studies. It’s on display through January, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday.

Also opening for 2nd Friday Art Night, “In Hot Water: Betting on the Spa City,” an exploration of the rise and fall of gambling in Hot Springs, opens with a 5:30-8 p.m. reception with music by Hot Springs guitarist and singer Easton Thomas, Friday on the front lawn of the Old State House Museum, 300 W. Markham St., Little Rock. It remains up through 2027. Museum hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. arkansasheritage.com/events/

Continuing:

“Unexpected Perspective,” paintings with abstract elements by Matt McLeod of items he has viewed through a camera lens, is up through Oct. 31 at The Art Group Gallery, in the Pleasant Ridge Town Center, 11525 Cantrell Road, Little Rock, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday or by appointment. (501) 690-2193.

“Big Fig,” large figurative portraits by Jason McCann and Ray Allen Parker, is on display through Oct. 24 at Boswell Mourot Fine Art, 1501 S. Main St., Suite H, Little Rock. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and by appointment. (501) 454-6969.

“Pulp Fictions,” works by Central Arkansas artists Robert Bean, Phillip Rex Huddleston and Greg Lahti that explore the shadowy world of dime-store novels, femmes fatale, retro sci-fi, horror and more, is on display through Oct. 31 at Gallery 26, 2601 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday. (501) 664-8996.

“Barbie and Friends,” a display of “the dolls, styles, and cultural moments that have inspired generations,” including the first Black Barbie and Black Ken, is up through Feb. 28 at ESSE Museum & Store, 1510 Main St., Little Rock. (501) 916-9022.

Made-in-Arkansas objects, including paintings and sculptures, is on display in the “Collecting Arkansas Made” exhibit at Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third St., Little Rock. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. (501) 324-9351.

“In Natural Space,” recent landscapes and other paintings by Pope County artist David Mudrinich, a professor emeritus in art at Arkansas Tech University, “drawn from many of his experiences roaming within the Arkansas River watershed,” is on display through Oct. 17 at Cantrell Gallery, 8202 Cantrell Road, Little Rock. The exhibit remains up through Oct. 17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. (501) 224-1335; cantrellgallery.com.

“Clara Barton: Angel of the Battlefield,” a traveling exhibit on loan from the National Museum of Civil War Medicine showcasing the life and legacy of one of the most celebrated Civil War caregivers, is on display through Oct. 31 at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, 503 E. Ninth St., Little Rock.

Also at the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, “Through Darkness to Light: Photographs Along the Underground Railroad,” color photographs by Jeanine Michna-Bales and narratives that tell the story of the Underground Railroad and the enslaved people who risked their lives along its many routes, on display through Jan. 7.

And still at the same museum, “Manufacturing Victory in Arkansas: Supplying the Battlefront and Changing the Homefront During World War II,” “highlight(ing) the role and contributions of ordnance plants in Arkansas during the war,” remains on display through Dec. 31, 2027. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. (501) 376-4602.

“Icons in Transformation,” three-dimensional paintings inspired by traditional Russian icons by Ludmila Pawlowska, is on display through Nov. 8 in The Oasis at St. Margaret’s at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 20900 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock. Gallery hours are 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, 1-5 p.m. Saturday. theoasisatstmargarets.com.

“Play in Arkansas,” examining how people have created joy through play and how the history of play can contribute to understanding of both past and present, is on display through Dec. 15 at the University of Arkansas Little Rock Downtown, 333 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. The exhibit includes handmade and mass-produced toys, dolls and game paraphernalia, as well as a memories section, where individuals can share their personal reflections on childhood play. Hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

“Material Nature: Gifts From the John and Robyn Horn Collection” is on display through April 25 in the Robyn and John Horn Gallery in the Windgate Art School at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, 501 E. Ninth St., Little Rock. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. (501) 372-4000; arkmfa.com.

“Kuimeaux’s World,” drawings and paintings by late Little Rock native Dwight “Kuimeaux” Drennan, is on display through spring 2027 at Little Rock’s Historic Arkansas Museum, 200 E. Third St. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Sunday. (501) 324-9351.

Democrat James “Rus” Russell is challenging Republican incumbent Rep. Bruce Westerman for Arkansas' 4th Congressional District seat in Congress.

Calling it an uphill battle is an understatement for Russell, as Westerman has won the seat with two-thirds of the vote or more in each election since 2016. Russell said he understands the challenge.

"If I have spent my entire life fighting anyway, then it needs to be fights worth having. And this is one of those fights," Russell said. "You’re fighting for people who have been taught that they cannot stand up for themselves. So for me, it’s supremely important to be that voice to let them know that, no, your voice does matter.”

Russell lives in Little Rock where he runs a counseling practice with his wife. He previously ran as a Democrat to challenge U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, but switched to the Congressional race last October. He also ran unsuccessfully in the 2022 Democratic gubernatorial primary.

He doesn’t live in the 4th Congressional District, which encompasses the southwest portion of the state, part of Central Arkansas and areas north of Little Rock. Still, Russell said he has deep ties to South Arkansas. Several generations of his family lived and farmed in the region, and he has lived there before.

He plans to move back to the district if elected, he said.

Westerman has been in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2014. If he wins in November, it will be his eighth term in Washington. The Hot Springs native has an undefeated record in the ruby-red district.

Westerman said he thinks voters appreciate the work he’s done in his most recent term in Congress as chair of the House Natural Resources Committee.

“And those are mostly bipartisan bills [coming out of the House Natural Resources Committee]. You’ve got to be able to find agreement in areas where you can agree if you want to get bills actually passed out of committee, passed out of the house and on the president’s desk," he said. "I’m very proud of the work we’ve been able to do.”

The Wetland Conservation and Access Improvement Act and Modernizing Access to Our Public Waters Act are both bills that became law in 2025 that passed through the Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support.

Both Westerman and Russell see an issue when it comes to inflation and the cost of living. Westerman, however, has a more positive view of the economy.

“I think the economy is actually strong, if you look at the number of jobs that are out there, if you look at the investment growth in the economy," Westerman said. "The reality is that inflation is still too high.”

The October jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the economy added 29,000 jobs in September.

According to the congressman, inflation is driven by high energy costs as a result of the war in Iran. If the conflict is resolved, much of the inflation will ease, Westerman said. To him energy costs are foundational to the entire economy, so when those go down, things will stabilize. Westerman voted against a war powers resolution meant to rein in the war in Iran.

Russell has a different view. He said inflation is partly being driven by the war, but sees a larger issue at play.

"The biggest driving factor behind all that is corporate greed, because we’re looking at stagnant wages while CEO benefits and shareholder values constantly are going up. So there’s definitely economic drivers being created. It’s just not actually making it to the people who need this to survive," Russell said.

To Russell, one way to combat the affordability crisis is to ensure that tax dollars go to benefit those in need, instead of providing tax cuts to the wealthy like in President Trump's massive tax and spending bill passed in 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Westerman voted for the tax cuts. Many Republicans have lauded the cuts in the bill as beneficial for economic growth. Democrats, like Russell, have criticized the move as disproportionately benefitting the wealthy and driving up the national debt.

As far as the war in Iran goes, Westerman sees confronting Iran as a necessity.

"Iranian-backed terrorists have killed a lot of Americans and a lot of other people around the world. And I do believe they were very close to getting an atomic weapon. And unlike other countries that get nuclear weapons, I think they fully intended to use it," he said.

"So, I think everybody wishes it hadn’t have had to happen, but I think, we would be in a whole different scenario had Iran not been stopped from developing a nuclear weapon," Westerman continued.

Westerman called Israel America’s strongest ally in the Middle East. He said this is in part because of shared principles like freedom and democracy. Israel has the right to defend itself and the right to exist, Westerman said.

Russell said the U.S. has “absolutely no business bombing Iran.” He says the current conflict could have been avoided if the Iran Nuclear Deal, an Obama-era agreement meant to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, or something like it were in place.

He is critical of the actions taken by the current Israeli government.

"I stand firmly with the Jewish community and I stand firmly with the people of Israel, but I cannot in any way endorse the actions of the Netanyahu regime" Russell said. "I don’t know when it became taboo to sit there and say that I don’t support genocide."

Russell wants to see a return to diplomatic solutions to conflicts like those in the Middle East.

At home, both Russell and Westerman see the struggle of Arkansas farmers.

Russell said he’d work to bring more farm-to-table measures, enact more sustainability practices and stop or roll back measures taken by the federal government that have hurt farmers, like the Trump Administration’s dismantling of USAID.

Westerman says the high cost of farming supplies, like fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides, and diesel are leading to issues for growers. The 2025 budget reconciliation bill has measures meant to help farmers like a permanent small business tax deduction, he says. He also hopes to pass the most recent Farm Bill, a package of legislation that focuses on agriculture and food programs.

Russell ran for governor as a Democrat in 2022, but lost the primary to Chris Jones. As someone with experience in other elections, he knows he has his work cut out for him if he wants to win this race. He says the key to winning is mobilizing people who are tired of the “chaos” and “confusion” that’s become common in politics.

“We’re a small grassroots campaign. We don’t have the money to run polls. And I’ve been asked about that before and I tell them all the time, literally the only poll numbers I care about are going to come out on November the 3rd. We’ll find out what happens then," he said.

Westerman on the other hand says his work in Congress will pay off in November.

“What I’m going to continue focusing on is doing the work and getting good policy in place," Westerman said. "And I’m not necessarily concerned about cable news and clicks on social media. I try to stay focused on the job and doing the work for the people of Arkansas.”

Here's the latest local and regional news from the Little Rock Public Radio Newsroom for Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

- Former State Rep. Austin McCollum is out of jail once again after posting bond

- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has no deadline for returning the Little Rock housing authority to local control

- The Little Rock Board of Directors passed a resolution on Monday to fund the construction of a health clinic for city employees.

- A civil case stemming from the 2024 death of former Little Rock airport director Bryan Malinowski now has a trial date

- A West Arkansas school district is the latest to join a lawsuit targeting social
media companies

- The state House and Senate Education committees made new recommendations for public school funding on Monday

- US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged NWA business leaders
on Monday to consider creative solutions to funding infrastructure projects

- Arkansas legislators make new recommendations for public school funding

- A new STEM-focused higher education institution is officially under construction in Northwest Arkansas.

- The first of eight German training aircraft arrived at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith on Monday

-The CEO of the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce will leave his position Friday

Listen to live newscasts from Little Rock Public Radio each weekday during NPR's All Things Considered from 4 to 6 p.m., and online at littlerockpublicradio.org.

Democratic state Rep. Alex Holladay has an unusual amount in common with Bo Renshaw, his Republican opponent.

Both candidates want to protect Medicaid. Both candidates want to regulate school vouchers. And both say voters' top concern is cost of living.

“My insurance rates have gone up,” Holladay said. “My new property tax bill has gone up. My utilities have gone up.”

Renshaw had the same experience.

“You've got the cost of groceries going up, you've got the cost of gas going up.”

Little Rock Public Radio commented that Rep. Holladay was similar to his opponent.

After his interview, Holladay called back. He didn't like the description of him as “similar” to his opponent.

“When you said we're so similar,” he said, “it's just, we’re not.”

Holladay chalked up the differences to “leadership.” He says, as a state representative, he thinks for himself. He makes decisions based on what his constituents need.

“I am going to push back against the governor,” he said. “Where if you look at the way Republicans vote, they may cause fuss in the meeting, but they are still going to push the button yes for what our governor wants.”

The candidates have limited overlap in their personal lives. Renshaw is a physical therapist who once treated Holladay for an injury. Both candidates work in the medical field. Holladay is a Program Manager at UAMS. He lives down the street from Renshaw’s clinic.

Renshaw disagrees with Holladay on one vote. He thought Holladay was wrong to vote “no” on cutting the state income tax.

“He was a very very vocal no,” Renshaw said.

When Holladay ran the first time, he said he would vote to phase out the income tax, even though he's a Democrat.

Today, he says he would still love to get rid of it. He was a “no” on this most recent proposal because it didn't provide much relief.

“About 80% of our citizens were going to get $77 for the whole year,” said Holladay.

Renshaw would have been a “yes” on the tax cut. He even sent out a campaign mailer saying: “Holladay voted for you to keep paying higher taxes.”

“I think that's going to put pay back in the pay check,” Renshaw said. “And people need to be able to keep what they earned.”

District 70 covers the suburbs north of Little Rock. Local elections in District 70 are nailbiters. It's one of the few truly purple districts in Arkansas.

In 2016, President Donald Trump won District 70, while the two national elections since went for Democrats.

In 2024, the statehouse race came down to a few votes. Holladay ran against then-Republican Rep. Carlton Wing.

Wing won by 286 votes.

But, midway through his two-year term, Wing left. He was appointed to oversee Arkansas PBS. The station has now rebranded to Arkansas TV.

The statehouse was one person short. A special election was held in March of this year. Holladay tried again. He ran against Bo Renshaw. An identical race to the one we're seeing now.

But this time he won. Holladay flipped District 70, and got to serve out the one remaining year of Wing's term.

This gave him five months to serve in the legislature. Not a great opportunity for him to pass legislation. But he says it's a great opportunity to grow in the job.

“The only thing I was able to do at the capitol, was build relationships.”

The next general session promises to be eventful. The statehouse may debate affordability, healthcare and school voucher regulations in 2027.

Arkansas Senate District 16 covers a large swath of Saline and western Pulaski counties.

Saline County Sheriff Rodney Wright is running as a Republican in the race. Wright did not respond to multiple requests for an interview with Little Rock Public Radio, though an invitation still stands.

Little Rock Public Radio’s Daniel Breen spoke with the Democratic candidate in the race, Joshua Irby. You can hear their conversation, which has been edited for length and clarity, in the link above.

Joshua Irby: I've spent the last going on over 16 years in corporate security and the last six of those in the corporate security intelligence environment. And really what drew me to politics was the 2024 election and just seeing how divisive our politics had gotten and just thinking to myself, not only could we do better, but we absolutely needed to do better. And so I decided to run because I wanted to bring about centrist, pragmatic solutions that could get past the partisan divide so that we could actually build bridges and break down barriers and actually get good things done for the state of Arkansas.

JI: I grew up in Little Rock and Ferndale and my wife and I, we moved to Saline County, which is where she's originally from, in 2022. And when we moved there, I just fell in love with the community. And that also was a really big driving factor in what made me want to serve and run the race that I'm running. Saline County is just, it's booming right now. People are moving there... more and more businesses are starting to move there, small businesses, and that comes with its own issues. And that's, once again, one of those reasons that I want to run is because you want to be able to manage growth responsibly and really focus on how to best address those challenges as they come.

Daniel Breen: What do you see as the biggest issue in your district right now?

JI: Oh, there's quite a bit. But one of them that's going to be on the election ballot is the Saline County Library. And it gets to the heart of education and how we're addressing that, especially with the vouchers and everything.

JI: But there's an opportunity that the tax in Saline County will be reduced. And obviously, that is not something that I, as a state senator, would necessarily have a focus on per se. But it is something that's a near and dear issue as a resident and as someone who, in high school, one of my first jobs was at my local library. So that definitely kind of hits a nerve.

JI: But I think one of the biggest issues in Saline County is, once again, that growth and how that correlates to everything that comes with that growth as far as public safety, strains on infrastructure, your roads, and just the congestion that faces. I think the biggest issue is just smart development and planning for that growth and making sure that however the state can best serve the community, the state isn't micromanaging the problem. They're working with those local governmental structures to make sure that the solutions that work best for them are what the state is implementing so that we're allowing the people who are closest to the issue to handle it while making sure that the state sets the foundation, but your local government gets to set the ceiling. I think that's probably one of the biggest issues that we're seeing right now in the state government is just not allowing local communities to have an actual say in how they run things.

DB: Your district leans more Republican. The legislature certainly has a Republican supermajority. Why are you running as a Democrat?

JI: Because I want to be able to give people an option and a choice and for them not to feel like this election is already just predetermined and the result is already concluded. I think that people deserve to have representation and the best way to have representation is to truly have choice when it comes to deciding that.

JI: For me, I feel like the Democratic Party has been the best avenue and approach for me to provide that. That's not to say that I agree with all things in the Democratic Party platform. And I actually have pieces of draft legislation on my website. And I've actually gone through the process of getting input from friends of mine, my wife included, family members who are more conservative-minded. I want to get their perspective on these things so that at the end of the day... you can have the best idea in the world, but if you can't get buy in, that's all you got is a great idea.

DB: Could you tell us a little bit about those draft pieces of legislation?

JI: The Civic Education Act, that would effectively make civic education from K through 12 a required part of Arkansas school curriculum. And that would include any school that's receiving state funding, any sort of public funding as well. Because the next generation, whether they like it or not, they're going to own self-government. They are going to be the ones in charge. That will fall on their shoulders, and I want to make sure that the next generation and the generation after that is best prepared to take on that responsibility.

DB: In Arkansas, obviously a very deep red state, I feel like no Democrat who is a candidate or an officeholder is in lockstep with everything with the national Democratic Party's priorities. Where do you break with the Democratic Party?

JI: If I had to narrow it down to two issues that I would say are maybe outside of the mainstream, I would say that me being pro-life would be one. And I believe that, because I truly do believe that life begins at conception. And for me, that is the basis of inherent dignity, worth and value. And that doesn't mean that I don't believe that there aren't certain exceptions when we're talking about medically, ethically necessary [exceptions].

JI: But I would say that that definitely probably puts me outside of the mainstream. That and the fact that I am avidly pro-Second Amendment. I was in the military, and I'd say when it comes to the Second Amendment, it is first and foremost, it's a constitutional right. But with any right that you have, it has to be handled responsibly because any right that's handled irresponsibly, you're basically asking for it to be taken away. And that is something I don't ever want to see. So I'm always going to advocate for responsible gun ownership and making sure that we're maintaining and defending that right.

DB: You have a corporate security background. Your opponent is the sheriff of Saline County. What would be your approach to policing, law enforcement, attacking crime? Certainly the issue of prison beds is very big in the legislature right now.

JI: So I think when it comes to public safety, we have to develop trust. And I think that's one of the things that we're experiencing with just government overall is this lack of trust. And I don't think that law enforcement necessarily is lacking in trying to establish that trust, but we have to look and see like, okay, what are the root causes where this trust isn't there and let's mend that.

JI: I know plenty of guys who are in law enforcement. They're doing the job because they care about their community and they want to protect their community. And I think we need to do a better job of making sure that that's understood, that law enforcement isn't the enemy. They are there to serve and protect... and making sure that when there are issues with law enforcement, they're held accountable and that we're not creating this barrier to trust by not allowing that accountability to happen.

JI: I think when it comes to the need for prison beds, we need to work on rehabilitation and recidivism. Our recidivism rate is not great, and that is a factor in what's causing the need for more beds. So I think we need to address that to make sure that we're not constantly needing more beds because at this point, a 3,000-bed prison is like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. And that will only go so far until we're going to need another 3,000-bed prison if we're not addressing what's causing our higher incarceration rates.

Here's the latest local and regional news from the Little Rock Public Radio Newsroom for Tuesday, October 6, 2026.

- The special election to fill the state Senate seat vacated by Jonathan Dismang last month has been moved up

- A federal judge has ended a decades-old desegregation measure for two south Arkansas school districts

- Much of southern Arkansas remains at an elevated risk of wildfire

- Agrochemical giant Monsanto will pay Arkansas up to $80 million in a settlement over environmental damages

- Employees of the University of Central Arkansas expect an increase in health insurance premiums

- UA Little Rock is launching a new artificial intelligence program

-University of Arkansas researchers make health survey information available online

- Former head of the University of Arkansas system B. Alam Sugg has died at age 88

Listen to live newscasts from Little Rock Public Radio each weekday during NPR's All Things Considered from 4 to 6 p.m., and online at littlerockpublicradio.org.

Little Rock’s Ward 3 runs the gamut. It encompasses part of the 12th Street corridor, sweeping through Capitol View/Stifft Station, rising up through Hillcrest and the Heights, and is bounded to the north by the Arkansas River. It’s diverse not only in topography, but in race and socioeconomic status.

Now, two very different candidates are seeking to represent the ward; the longtime incumbent City Director Kathy Webb, and her challenger, Lake Smith.

“It’s a wonderful ward, I grew up in the ward, I believe I know the residents of that ward well and love serving them,” Webb said.

“A lot of the time, people in a city, they don’t think anything is possible. And I was in that same boat too. And I saw that we didn’t have anyone running on what I wanted them to run on," Smith said. "We didn’t have any ‘DSA-lite’ candidates. We didn’t have anyone young, really, running.”

On paper, Webb and Smith are very different. The 77-year-old Webb’s a former state lawmaker, restaurateur, nonprofit leader, and has served on the City Board since 2015. Smith is 25 years old, a union organizer, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, and works as a restaurant cook.

Their differences don’t end there. Webb is running as the seasoned incumbent, pointing to her years of service on the city board, and her ability to navigate the organs of city government effectively.

“You have different wards with different needs, and so sometimes, obviously, we have to compromise and get something that’s going to pass the board and then, hopefully, that the residents are going to respond to.”

Smith is challenging Webb from the left, with a laser-focus on housing, public transit and affordability. She’s also adopted a grassroots approach to campaigning – releasing a series of direct-to-camera videos seeking to demystify city government and some of Little Rock’s biggest issues on social media.

It’s drawn her comparisons to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who Smith cites as an inspiration.

“He kind of won on just being like, ‘Hey guys, this is what’s going on. Let me record this.’ So I think that’s a big strategy for me has just been to go to these people… go to the apartments, not just the Heights and Hillcrest.”

Smith’s campaign focuses on the issues she says are keeping residents from living their best lives, and being more involved in politics — like not being able to get where they need to go.

“The bus system, pre-COVID, was a lot more expansive. So increasing public transportation kind of goes hand-in-hand with that, we can increase density, we can increase housing, we can get people in the places they need to be, because right now we have a very disjointed city.”

Smith favors expanding the Rock Region Metro system, giving buses signal priority at red lights, and converting some one-way streets downtown into bus lanes. Webb also supports a more robust public transit system – she co-chaired an unsuccessful campaign for a sales tax increase to fund transit improvements in 2016. She says that experience highlighted the barriers to expanding transit access.

“Since COVID we have had more issues because we’ve lost a lot of drivers, and the public transit system in Little Rock is not just Little Rock’s transit system. We don’t make decisions about routes and route frequency just with Little Rock. We participate in this system with other cities and the county, and we don’t always get exactly what we want.”

Both candidates place public safety as a high priority – for Webb, it’s her number one issue. She says she attends quarterly meetings for both LRPD divisions in her ward.

“And the numbers that I see, generally, crime is going down. There often is a perception that it’s not, but on the data that I look at, I think we have made progress.”

Smith says, like with many other issues, she wishes the city would take a proactive, not reactive, approach to crime.

“Addressing the symptoms will start to reduce crime. We’ve seen this in New York with the markets they have and a lot of the programs they’re doing. Immediately, a drop in crime. It’s the lowest crime they’ve had in years. So I think we don’t need more people with guns, we need more people with food.”

Smith takes particular issue with the use of surveillance technology, like Flock automated license plate reader cameras, of which Little Rock has more than a hundred.

“The Flock cameras haven’t really been used for anything good. There’s a big problem, though, where we don’t know what they’re being used for. The city voted against a transparency thing recently to where police would have to say what they’re doing with Flock, how it’s being used. We don’t really know at this point. You have to go to the meetings, you have to FOIA, to really get the nitty-gritty of this kind of stuff.”

Webb last December voted against the transparency ordinance Smith mentions. She supports limits on Flock cameras, in particular ensuring they aren’t misused by law enforcement. But, she says she sees the pros and cons of the technology.

“I have a couple of neighborhoods in Ward 3 that have specifically said ‘We like those tools. Those are helpful in our ward.’ I have progressives saying ‘Get rid of those… those help prosecutors.’ Sometimes when something comes up for a vote, I don’t necessarily feel 100% good about either of my choices.”

Both candidates cite the need for infrastructure improvements in Ward 3. Webb says parks and streets need particular attention – Smith highlights pedestrian infrastructure and vacant houses, calling on the city to refurbish them and enact rent controls to provide more affordable housing.

But these policy goals come with the context of the city’s financial reality. Little Rock residents voted down two separate ballot measures to fund infrastructure improvements through sales taxes. Webb says a third attempt anytime soon would probably meet a similar fate, given voters’ focus on affordability.

“In Ward 3, we have right now over $104 million in infrastructure requests. We did pass a bond measure a few years ago that the residents voted on, but in the next cycle of bonds in Ward 3 we will have $5 million. That means telling a lot of people that we can’t do that request right now.”

Smith says she would take a hard look at the city’s budget priorities to free up extra cash for much-needed improvements.

“We have $300,000 that went to Flock to maintain our contract… $1.8 million that we’ve given to them. We have $180,000 for the AI chatbot on the Little Rock city website. I get the money, it’s a problem, but there’s also money to do all this other frivolous stuff that’s really just to maintain the surveillance state and to do all [these] really silly things that I don’t think we need.”

In the end, both candidates say they’re the best for the job – Webb says experience matters, and points to her record of service.

“I work well with all levels of government, and I think that’s been important to the things that I’ve been able to champion in Ward 3 over the last 12 years.”

Smith says it’s time for a change, and for a forward-looking approach to city government.

“The city, traditionally, they’re not thinking about these long-term kind of things… but we also need to be thinking 30 years, 50 years, 60 years in the future.”

Election Day is November 3rd.