Ross Clear Winner in First Debate

Press Release

Stark Contrast between Candidates, Ross says Hutchinson "Too Disconnected" to Fight for Working Families

Former small business owner and Democratic nominee for governor Mike Ross was the clear winner in the first debate of the campaign for Arkansas governor, hosted by the Arkansas Press Association on Friday in Hot Springs. Ross said he will fight for working families in Arkansas, strengthen public education and help grow the state's economy for everyone, while Congressman Asa Hutchinson is a former D.C. lobbyist who is too disconnected to fight for working families in Arkansas. Ross, originally from Prescott who now resides in Little Rock, is a former state senator and U.S. Congressman.

Ross outlined his positive vision for Arkansas's future and highlighted his job creation plan to strengthen public education, cut taxes, reduce government regulations, reduce crime and create more and better-paying jobs. Ross also touted his plan to make quality pre-kindergarten education accessible to every 4-year-old in Arkansas.

"I'm running to be the "Education Governor' because improving the quality of life in Arkansas on everything from poverty and crime to homelessness and hunger starts with education," said Ross. "By prioritizing education and workforce training, tax cuts, government efficiency and economic development, my job creation plan outlines my positive vision for the future of this great state and will guide my work as your next governor. And, we will do all of this by putting an end to the partisan bickering and start working together to put jobs first."

Ross said Hutchinson's record as a Virginia resident and Washington bureaucrat-turned-lobbyist proves he's too disconnected to lead this state as its next governor, citing Hutchinson's opposition to increasing access to pre-kindergarten education in Arkansas.

"Congressman Hutchinson voted against pre-k programs, voted to cut investments in job training and voted to cut college loans when he was in Washington," said Ross. "Now, he says increasing access to pre-k is "irresponsible' and "the wrong direction' for Arkansas, which is just more proof that he's too disconnected from Arkansas to fight for working families here. I believe in education and want make pre-k accessible to every child, while Congressman Hutchinson is so disconnected that he'd rather cut taxes for the wealthy before investing in Arkansas's children."

Ross said he will fight for working families -- and that Hutchinson won't -- as Arkansas's next governor. Ross said his tax cut plan will cut taxes for nearly every working family in Arkansas and will cut taxes for manufacturers to help bring manufacturing jobs back to Arkansas. Ross also said he supports an effort to raise the state's minimum wage and will work with the legislature to protect the state's bipartisan Private Option. Congressman Hutchinson, he said, opposes every one of these efforts.

"Congressman Hutchinson apparently spent too many years as a voter and resident of Virginia and working in Washington as a D.C. lobbyist that he's become out-of-touch with working folks in Arkansas: he won't cut their taxes, he won't raise their wages, and he won't say whether he'll protect the Private Option. As governor, I'll say it and I'll do it: I will fight for working families in every corner of this state," said Ross. "The irony of Congressman Hutchinson's opposition to raising the minimum wage is that an Arkansan working 40 hours a week making minimum wage earns just $13,000 a year, while Asa Hutchinson gets paid $15,000 to make just one speech. Congressman Hutchinson's history of hyper-partisanship and his refusal to stand up for working families shows just how out-of-touch and disconnected he is from working families in Arkansas."

Ross said when he's elected, he will work to bring Democrats and Republicans together to find solutions.

"I'm running for governor, because I believe in Arkansas and I believe in its future. I want every Arkansan to have the same opportunities to succeed that I did, and I believe it all starts with education," said Ross. "My priorities as governor will be to improve education, cut taxes and create more and better-paying jobs. And, I'll do this just like Governor Beebe did: by working in a bipartisan manner to pass fiscally responsible laws that maintain our state's balanced budget. I've spent most of my life bringing Democrats and Republicans together to find bipartisan, commonsense solutions to our most pressing problems. And, that's exactly what I'll continue to do as our next governor."

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