State Sen. Bob Ballinger, facing former Sen. Bryan King in a race for a seat Ballinger took from King previously, is using a fundraising advantage and the help of dark money to hammer King on an issue where he wears few clothes himself.

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Ballinger faults King for missing roll calls during the 2017 legislative session while drawing per diem for attendance.

There’s plenty to say about Ballinger’s legislative record and his personal record as well, but first the matter of these dark money mailers from an independent Committee for Lower Taxes. Where’s the money coming from? Good question. The committee was organized by lobbyist Rett Hatcher and this mailer is typical of his work. It is timed in such a way that there’s yet been no disclosure about the money before Tuesday’s runoff.

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But back to the hypocrisy. Ballinger, a lawyer notes, has collected far more per diem annually for his so-called legislative work, including support for laws that have incurred legal expenses for the state in unsuccessfully defending unconstitutional acts.

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Since the attack mailer hits King for per diems, it’s important to note that Ballinger topped the lists in 2020 and 2021 for collecting the most in per diems of any state senator in Arkansas. Both years he drew more than twice the amount the mailer is dinging King for. Ballinger charged the state $32,254 in per diem expenses in 2020, and $35,975 in 2021.

King isn’t taking the hits lying down. See one mailer against Ballinger. His defense of the soiled Duggar clan (and financial support from them) is the headliner, but the fine print gets into his aromatic connection to scandal-plagued Ecclesia College. And there’s not room there for questions about his cozy relationship with players in the medical marijuana industry, also backers of his campaign.

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About marijuana, Blue Hog has receipts:

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And then there’s the matter of Ballinger’s delinquent tax record and mortgage payment difficulties (perhaps points on which he’d garner voter sympathy.)

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The district has been reshaped since the election King lost and is less friendly to Ballinger than before when sleazy dark money mailers were part of the strategy. But his appeal undoubtedly remains strong. King’s politics are not ideal, but he’s been outspoken on government integrity issues, a fight you won’t see Bob Ballinger wage. Whoever wins faces a Democratic opponent in November. Until then, a vote for King is a vote for an improvement in Senate representation for that part of the state.

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