[MainstreamConservative]

Do you think Asa Hutchinson can win? I do. He already has one statewide run under his belt (a run against Dale Bumper in 1986) and he did better than most Republicans running against entrenched democrats in that awful year. Plus, he can count on the full backing of the White House.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Do you think Asa Hutchinson can win? I do. He already has one statewide run under his belt (a run against Dale Bumper in 1986) and he did better than most Republicans running against entrenched democrats in that awful year. Plus, he can count on the full backing of the White House."

Actually, he received the lowest % of any Republican running in AR since 1968 save the two non-candidates that ran in '74 & '78, a paltry 37%. Comparing him nationwide, he was, I was surprised to learn, in the bottom 7 worst GOP-performing candidates in '86 (only Roger Eddy (CT), a sacrifical lamb in HI (also named Hutchinson) and candidates in IL, KY, SC, VT (the last against a popular recently-departed GOP Governor !) did worse). We actually didn't do as bad as it appeared in '86 (most of our candidates received above Hutchinson's 37%), just that we lost so many close races (and came close in picking up potential 'Rat seats) with the upset winners of 1980.