We see it everywhere. Turn on your TV and your phone; open the newspaper and talk to your neighbors: people are anxious, fed up with politics, and hungry for something different. We’re all tired of working hard but feeling like we can’t get ahead; trying to protect our families but seeing violence increase around us; voting in elections but watching politicians answer to Washington and special interests instead of the people of this great state. What we as Arkansans are feeling now is a result of what I call “political insanity,” electing the same ole politicians and expecting different results. We must stop electing the same do-nothing, career politicians; we must start holding them accountable. The career politicians in Washington are not listening to people here in Arkansas, and this is the fundamental problem with politics.
We need new leadership that works from the ground up, not the other way around. Our leaders should engage with the people, listen to their concerns, and find commonsense solutions. I left my job as a federal prosecutor to do something about this; that’s why I’m running for the U.S. Senate. In less than 10 months, our campaign has traveled to all 75 counties, and it’s clearer to me than ever: Arkansas is exceptional. The solutions to our problems are in Arkansas, not Washington. To make a difference, we have to restore government to its founding democratic principle—that it’s made of, by and for the people.
Folks in Washington may not be paying attention to Arkansas, but they’re wrong if they think we aren’t paying attention to what they’re doing. In Washington, politicians brag that unemployment is down. But in Arkansas, we know that participation in the work force is the lowest it’s been in almost 40 years; many people have quit looking for jobs; manufacturing plants are closing; and for those that have jobs, wages are running thinner and thinner. That’s a huge problem. To solve these issues, we need our leaders to sit at the table with businesses and workers together. We must incentivize our entrepreneurs to create the jobs of the future while ensuring that our working class are rewarded for their labor and have opportunities to achieve the American Dream.
We also see the violence percolating in our communities. As U.S. Attorney, I worked closely with federal and state law enforcement, and I know firsthand their dedication to our safety. But I also know that to decrease violence, our leaders must know and work with our citizens and law enforcement to build community relationships. We should always be tough on violent crime, no matter where it comes from, but we also have to invest in our children and their education to stop the cycle of violence and crime. That’s why, as U.S. Attorney, I worked with local law enforcement and educators to start the A-Chance Program, which aims to help children in crime-ridden homes succeed in school and in life. And that’s why as your next U.S. Senator, I will support efforts at increasing Pre-K education to get our children on the pathway to success.
These may sound like lofty goals, but Arkansans can accomplish anything we set our minds on. All we have to do is elect leaders who will do their jobs. My opponent, Senator Boozman, is a nice enough man. No one disputes that. But he just simply hasn’t done his job. In over 15 years in Washington, John Boozman has made over 120 visits to 53 different foreign countries while there is no public record of him visiting some Arkansas counties. Over his 15-year political career, he’s passed only 5 bills renaming 5 post offices. That’s millions of taxpayer dollars spent on his salary, his staff, and his travels—all in return for 5 renamed post offices. Senator Boozman may be nice, but he’s not doing his job. Sure enough, as election season revs up, Senator Boozman will come out of the woodwork, but that doesn’t cut it. To solve our problems, we need leaders who work full time, not just during election years.
I met recently with a group of workers outside of Little Rock. One man summed it up this way in a video we’ve posted on our Facebook page: “The people hire politicians. When you hire somebody, you expect them to do their job. Just do your job.” I couldn’t agree more. We need leaders who understand Arkansas and work as hard as the people who live here. We need leaders who are not afraid to stand up to anyone in either party, if it is the best for the people of Arkansas. Having served as the United States Attorney in Western Arkansas and prosecuted numerous cases, I approach every issue by focusing on the facts and then asking one simple question: “What is the right thing to do?” This is the approach we need in all aspects of our government. This is how we solve problems and move forward together. As we approach election season, we should ask ourselves if we’re getting this from our current politicians and recognize that the ultimate power is with us—the people—to demand more.
- Conner