My morning fund-raising stint on KUAR puts me behind. So I’ll wrap up some stuff quickly.

* THANKS TO ALL: Looks like I’ll be out $300 or so for the Arkansas Blog pledge on KUAR this morning. The morning pledge session brought in more than $15,000. My apologies to Stephens Media columnist Steve Brawner, who I slandered by attaching a “perhaps Republican label” in thanking him for a contribution. (I offered a bigger incentive to Republican donors.) He’s an independent.

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* A DEMOCRAT FOR STATE HOUSE: John T. Adams, who made an unsuccessful race for Congress as a Democrat in 2010, tells me he’ll be running for House District 32 in western Little Rock, a seat now held by term-limited Republican Allen Kerr. He’s a lawyer and senior vice president and general counsel at First Federal Bank who’s been active in good government causes, including stronger ethics laws. He’d be a strong candidate on resume alone, but I must reveal a personal sympathy. He was the assigned “big sibling” to my daughter in her freshman year at the college both attended.

* JUDGE PITTMAN RETIRING: Arkansas Court of Appeals Judge John Mauzy Pittman announced today he will not seek re-election in 2014. He’s been on the court 22 years, the longest tenure of any Court of Appeals judge. 

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* MEET THE BIPARTISAN MIKE HUCKABEE: Florida resident Mike Huckabee may no longer pay any taxes in the state that elected him governor, but he’s happy to drop by and offer some commentary. This morning, he spoke to the Political Animals Club. The headlines probably will include his continuation of saying he hasn’t ruled in or out a race for president in 2016. But this is the real headline, as Tweeted by Roby Brock:

Huckabee tells Pol. Animals Club supermajority of Dems he worked w/ in #arleg put state before party. Suggests DC could learn lesson.

Oh, yes. he blasted Obamacare. But he said mainstream Republicans (are there any?) need to push back against Freedom Works and the Club for Growth (Greed), the billionaires who are puppeteers of the Tea Party movement. He decried the division in the party by the faction hoping to root out those who stray. He said it could cause the party to lose control. He also reiterated his support for college scholarships for illegals and defended the Common Core curriculum.

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Huck’s departure from rigid GOP orthodoxy was certainly refreshing in the current climate. And a good platform to strive for consensus support in a presidential run.

Except …. can a candidate talking bipartisanship win a Republican primary? Wouldn’t he be dimissed with a sneer as a RINO?

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