Suddenly the political rumor mill is grinding furiously about the 2022 race for governor.
First, it was Michael Wickline of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a denial from Attorney General Leslie Rutledge of speculation that she was exiting the governor’s race.
Asked about speculation about her leaving governor’s race to run for lieutenant governor, Leslie Rutledge said: There is absolutely no truth in that whatsoever. After working a full-time job with a staff of 180 people, I’d be bored with a part time job and a staff of two.
— Mike Wickline (@MikeWickline) February 5, 2021
My own thought was, given his professional past as a political dirty trickster for the G.W. Bush campaign, that Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, currently leading the money race for governor, was behind this particular rumor. But then came reports from multiple places, several claiming good sources of their own, that it was Griffin who’d be leaving the race to run for attorney general or maybe nothing at all.
Reason for the potential shuffles: Unsubstantiated rumors about continued strong gubernatorial polling for Sarah Huckabee Sanders, whose only connection to Arkansas politics is recent years has been fronting for the lies of Donald Trump. The traitorous Trump is undeniably popular in Darkansas, it must be admitted. Note that she has not yet granted an interview to anyone since announcing for the office. She makes Sleepy Joe’s basement campaign look like the Barnum and Bailey Circus.
I’ve sent queries to Griffin. I doubt he’d confess to me first in any case. If a shuffle produced a candidate to stop Dennis Milligan from shuffling over from treasurer to auditor, it would be a good day for Arkansas.
I invite explanations for Sanders’ supposed high numbers. And, also, does anyone see a path in a Republican primary for a better qualified Republican candidate such as Sen. Jim Hendren?
Coronavirus
The count today is 306,064, an increase of 1,341 new cases over yesterday.
Deaths: 5,061, 11 more than yesterday.
Active cases: 16,811, a rise of 133 in 24 hours.
I’ll add the summary when it arrives.
The line is open. Update: