Spotlight on the AR 1st Congressional District

Republican Winner, Rick Crawford
Arkansas' 1st Congressional District makes up the northeastern (Delta) portion of the state of Arkansas. Farming and agriculture are the primary industries in the district, but there are many small businesses in the district's urban areas as well. Jonesboro, the largest city in the district, is home to the Arkansas State University and former U.S. Senator Hattie Caraway, the first woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate. The 26 counties in the region reach from DeWitt to Mountain Home. Historically, this has been one of the nation's most Democratic districts in voter registration and until 2010, had not elected a Republican to the House of Representatives since reconstruction. The Republican lean of Jonesboro is balanced by the strong Democratic presence in the Mississippi River Delta. Al Gore narrowly won in 2000, but George W. Bush won by 5 points in 2004 and John McCain trounced Barack Obama by 20 points in 2008. Democrat Marion Berry had represented the district since 1996, but announced in January this would be his last term, so the seat was open. Considering the Republican trend in this district’s Presidential voting history, Republican primary winner Rick Crawford had a great chance to bring this one home for the GOP. Chad Causey defeated Tim Wooldridge in the June 8 Democratic primary runoff and faced Republican Crawford in the general election. Crawford notched a convincing victory over Causey on November 2, winning 52% to 43%.
Rick Crawford
  • Grew up in a military family where his father served in the United States Air Force
  • Served four years in the United States Army as a bomb disposal technician, achieved rank of Sergeant
  • Jonesboro resident
  • Earned numerous medals for service in the U.S. and Southwest Asia
  • During military service years, served on numerous U.S. Secret Service security details supporting presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and other U.S. and foreign dignitaries
  • B.A. in Agriculture Business and Economics, Arkansas State University, 1996
  • Professional Rodeo announcer while a college student at ASU
  • Named Announcer of the Year by the National Federation of Professional Bullriders in 1996, 1997 and 1998
  • News anchor and agri-reporter on KAIT-TV in Jonesboro, Farm Director on KFIN-FM in Jonesboro and producer/anchor of the syndicated Delta Farm Roundup TV show airing in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Greenville, Mississippi
  • Five years as marketing manager for the second largest John Deere dealer group in North America
  • Featured agri-columnist in the Northeast Arkansas Business Today publication
  • Owner-operator of the AgWatch Network – a farm news network heard on 39 radio stations in Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky as well as TV stations in Little Rock and Jonesboro
  • Tapped by former Republican Congressman and Undersecretary of Homeland Security Asa Hutchison to help lead his efforts for agriculture and agriculture policy in his campaign for Arkansas Governor, 2006
  • Broadcast council member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting 
  • NAFB Newscast Awards, 2006 and 2008
  • Member of the 4-H Foundation Board of Arkansas
  • First vice-chairman of the Craighead County GOP Committee

ISSUES

  • Repeal Democrat healthcare law and replace it with reforms that will preserve the best parts of the American healthcare system and address the problems of access and affordability; restrain the growth in government spending; pursue a comprehensive energy policy that ensures affordable, available energy which is crucial to farming
"I have served in the military, held a top secret security clearance, and engaged in critical missions.  Our nation is in desperate need of leaders who will devote their lives to addressing the monumental issues that face us.  You have my duty-sworn pledge to attack the political pandering that has led to our great country being on the brink of self destruction.  You have my word that I will stand up to the professional politicians in both parties who put self interest before the people’s interest.  We as citizens must take back our country by force at the election box, and you have my word that I will carry through with the mission until the job is complete."
CRAWFORD_WONT
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