What
Others Have Said About Jim Holt
Candidate For AR US Senate Against Blanche Lincoln
What Other Have Said About Holt
Jim Holt's opponent's negative
comments can be expected from a liberal arriving in Arkansas after many years
and seeking immediate election. Let's review just a few of the many statements
by others who have lived in Arkansas and know Jim Holt:
In a report on
Senator Holt's military records: Reporters found that on
evaluations, supervisors said Holt "exhibits high morals" and
is 'totally trustworthy and honest' They also reported he
held a "top secret" clearance under three presidents.
by Laura Kellams Article, Arkansas
Democrat Gazette, 9/12/04
"Sen. Paul Miller, D-Melbourne, who doesn?t count Holt as an extremist,
said Holt votes his conscience.' You have to give him credit
for that. Against all odds he will stick with what he believes in,'
Miller said. Sen. Jimmy Jeffress, D-Crossett, called Holt 'a good man
and a well-principled man and a man of good morals.'"
Article on Holt in Democrat Gazette by Wickline 7/2/06
Jimmy
Cunningham (a Democrat), the superintendent of the Danville district and the
past president of the Arkansas Rural Education Association, said, ?"He
[Holt] never wavered and we never had to lobby him because we knew where he
stood. Everyone who didn't know already, learned that if
Senator Holt tells you something, you can count on him to keep his word."
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Lavina
Grandon, who heads up "Save Our Schools" and who organized the entire state to
fight consolidation had this to say,. "We could always count on him to
keep his word concerning any legislation we asked him to support even when he
faced extreme pressure from other legislators."
Holt said
some of his supporters advised him to vote for the Minimum Wage. When a
retired Jonesboro teacher said she tried to convince Holt "his opponents would
hammer him incessantly on this." Political campaigns revolve around "sound
bites," she said, and it's hard to explain a vote against the wage increase in
a sound bite. Holt answer was he has never voted for his own political
gain.
Article on Holt in Democrat Gazette by
Wickline July 2, 06
"He is a true rarity in
politics today: He says what he means. Voters know exactly where he stands on
issues and why. He doesn?t peddle his views to the highest bidder or spin his
positions according to some handler?s advice, even if his beliefs mean lost
votes."
"Holt?s poll vault" by Mike Masterson, May 30, 06,
Arkansas Democrat Gazette. 5/30/06
Every
election year, people ask me why Holt does so well. In more or less descending
order, here are my best guesses. People get tired of lip service on things
they believe are important.Article
by Doug Thompson, Arkansas News Bureau, "Loaves and Fishes" 9/23/06
Authenticity is a resonating market force today, and Holt seems
very genuine and sincere? People still cling to simple
truths, and they crave simpler distinctions in politics. Holt goes
back to basics and keeps it simple,"
by Dana Kelly, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, "The Holt
Phenomenon" in trying to explain Holt's success in the Primary 5/19/06
His vote reflects his words, and He is not afraid to be in
the minority when voting his conscience. He has done that over and
over. Senator Holt has experience; he has faced the heat, stood the
test, and responded with integrity. Senator Holt is the type of
committed legislator with strong convictions that many of us Arkansans have
been looking for now for a long time." Bob Hester former President of
American Family Association and now President of Arkansas Family Coalition.
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Jim
Holt Introduction
Given
at the 2nd Amendment Meeting January 14, 2010 by Debbie
Pelley
Retired Teacher And Activist Who Works With Almost
Every Conservative Organization in Arkansas
It is
a real honor to introduce former Senate Jim Holt tonight as a candidate for the
US Senate. I, personally, am a very strong supporter of Jim Holt, to say the
least because I don't have to support Holt based on campaign promises or on what
I hope he will do once elected. I can support Holt based on his
actual
voting
record
and actions in the past.
I
spent many, many days at the Capitol during the most
expensive legislative session in history, when about $3.2 billion dollars were
added to our tax burden and much of our local control was destroyed.
I was
appalled that many Republican legislators voted for
all those taxes and government control but watched in awe as Jim Holt actually
broke with his own party and voted against all those taxes, sometimes being the
only senator to do so. He took a lot of heat
for those votes, but that just taught us that Holt can take the heat and keep
his principles. Jim Holt was the Tea Party
candidate before there was a Tea Party.
Not
only does Holt have a 100% solid conservative voting
record;
but while many other legislators were hunkering down to avoid negative media
coverage, he championed and fought for the issues that most concern
conservatives and
kept fighting and kept fighting
despite negative media attacks.
I
have also found Jim Holt to be one of the most
spiritual, courageous,
principled, sacrificial, men I know. And in a way that one
rarely finds in a couple, his wife equals
him in those characteristics. And those who know his
family, will tell you their children
reflect those qualities as well.
This
has been a busy decade for Jim
Holt and his family. He was elected to the House in 2000,
then to the senate in 2002.
In 2004 he ran against
Senator Lincoln and won every county in the state
in a 3-way race in the Republican primary. Then in November he won 44% of the
vote with approximately $150,000 to Lincoln’s $6.3 million and shocked the
media. who had predicted he would pull only about
30%.
In 2006
he ran for Lt. Governor and surprised the entire state by winning the Republican
primary in a 3 way race with 57% of the vote without a run-off with only 17% of
the money spent by the three candidates. In November, he won more votes than any
Republican running for state office, including the Republican nominee for
Governor, who was very well funded, with about $4.5
milllion compared to Holt's $200 thousand.
If you've
never been closely involved in a campaign, you have no idea how much time,
energy, and stress is involved, even in one campaign. Jim Holt has run four
campaigns in six years, two of them statewide races.
And he is still willing to do it again, not for
personal gain, but sacrificially to help save our country.
I believe
Jim Holt is the candidate for such a time as this, and with a little more
financial support he can finish what he started in 2004 and be our next US
Senator