Gwatney successor on Beebe’s to-do list
Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Gov. Mike Beebe said Tuesday that he’ll soon start to think about who should succeed Bill Gwatney as state Democratic Party chairman.
The governor’s longtime friend was shot to death Aug. 13. Beebe spoke at the funeral Monday.
Naming a new chairman will help the party in legislative races and aid the party’s efforts to elect U. S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., president, Beebe said.
“Bill Gwatney will be hard to replace,” he said. “Obviously, if I had my druthers, it would be someone with those same characteristics. How closely we’ll be able to do that will be problematic because he was a unique individual. But we’ll do our best to find the right person.” Beebe, a Democrat, has described Gwatney as smart, dedicated, quick-thinking and quotable. As a car dealer and former state senator, Gwatney could mingle with business interests but also was sympathetic to the needs of the less well-to-do.
“He was someone who brought together the various constituencies that the Democratic Party represents,” Beebe said.
He said he doubted that the position could be filled by the time the Democratic National Convention in Denver starts Monday. According to party rules, an election by the party’s state committee must be called within 60 days of a vacancy in the chairmanship.
Gwatney would have been a superdelegate at the convention. The first-alternate delegate pledged to presumptive nominee Barack Obama is state Rep. Linda Chesterfield, D-Little Rock.
A former party chairman, Ron Oliver, now director of the state Racing Commission, suggested that the party keep Gwatney’s position vacant.
“I think that would be the symbolic thing to do for Gwatney,” Oliver said. “The vote [nominating Obama ] is going to be the same anyway.” He also suggested naming the party headquarters for Gwatney.
Party spokesman Darinda Sharp said the party hasn’t decided whether to fill the delegate position or leave it unfilled. She said she’s not sure whether it would be Chesterfield if the position were filled.
The Democrats have no statewide contested elections against Republicans in the Nov. 4 general election, with the exception of the presidential race.
U. S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., faces Green Party candidate Rebekah Kennedy of Greenbrier.
“I think it’s important to [name a chairman ] relatively quickly,” Beebe said. “You want to not rush to it. It’s the kind of decision that could be long lasting. Obviously, if we had someone in mind and we could act relatively quickly, that could help in the legislative races and would certainly help in the presidential race.” Despite the lack of big state races, Pryor said, the naming a chairman is important.
“Elections in Arkansas are probably more candidate-driven than party-driven,” Pryor said. “But [having a chairman ] helps the overall team effort. I still think Arkansas may be a battleground state in the presidential race. A party chair could help a lot in that way.” Beebe said the new chairman will be helped by the good staff that “Gwatney put together.” He singled out Bruce Sinclair for praise. Sinclair, a former party executive director, is a consultant for the Democratic Governors Association but works at the party headquarters in Little Rock.
Unlike Democratic chairmen during the tenure of Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee, Gwatney had the backing of the state’s sitting governor, which added to his clout in running the party.
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said that whoever is chosen likely will be considered an interim chairman since the regular election for chairman is in February. The chairman has a two-year term.
Vince Insalaco of North Little Rock, a longtime party activist who sought the chairmanship in 2007 when Gwatney got it, has been mentioned as a possible candidate. He didn’t return a phone message.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
