Subject: FW: From today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette
From: "Jefferson, Deshundra" <[email-masked]>
To: Comm_D <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 5 May 2016 09:14:12 -0700

Arkansas Dems CD was quoted below.

From: HL Moody [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Thursday, May 05, 2016 12:11 PM
To: Jefferson, Deshundra
Subject: From today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette

  Arkansas GOP says loyal will sign on to Trump bid
0<http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/may/05/state-gop-says-loyal-will-sign-on-20160/?f=news-arkansas>

By Frank Lockwood<http://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/frank-lockwood-blogger/>

This article was published today at 5:45 a.m.
The state's Republican elected officials, who previously steered clear of Donald Trump's presidential campaign, will rally around the New York businessman now that he's the presumptive nominee, state party leaders predicted Wednesday.
Party stalwarts predicted that Republicans will come together and work hard to defeat Hillary Clinton, the Democrats' delegate front-runner.
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced Wednesday that she would run as a Trump delegate May 14 when the Republican State Committee picks its final 25 delegates.
Rutledge said she would support Trump "because he is the presumptive nominee, because I have been asked by the campaign to run as a delegate and because I want to use my experience to unify the party, to ensure ... that we all come together."
It's "obvious and evident" that Trump is going to end up with enough delegates to claim the Republican presidential nomination on the first ballot in Cleveland, so the party needs to begin pivoting toward the general election, said Republican National Committee member Jonathan Barnett of Siloam Springs.
"It's going to take some time, of course," he said. "Some people are going to be slower to come around than others. Some people are going to have questions and wonder and hope for the best. But, you know, I think for the most part, the party will unite."
Grass-roots activists can now shift their focus to the fall election, Republican National Committee member Jonelle Fulmer of Fort Smith said.
"I think there are a few people out there that right now are still nursing some wounds from their losses, but I think that, in the end, everyone will pull together, and we'll elect Donald Trump as our president in November," Fulmer said.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who ended his 2016 presidential bid after finishing ninth in the Iowa caucuses, said he'll be in Trump's corner.
"I will be all in to help him defeat Hillary Clinton, and I call upon all fellow Republicans to unite in defeating Hillary and abandoning and repudiating the hapless 'Never Trump' nonsense," he said in a statement posted on mikehuckabee.com<http://mikehuckabee.com>.
Barely a month ago, television pundits were predicting a contested national convention. But that changed after a series of landslide victories for Trump, spread out over three successive Tuesdays.
"You know, when you win seven states in a row and five of those states you carry every county in the state, that's ... a remarkable accomplishment," said Republican Party of Arkansas Chairman Doyle Webb.
A Democratic Party of Arkansas official said it's too early to say how Trump's nomination would play out in Arkansas.
"We're in uncharted territory right now," said party spokesman H.L. Moody. "What was funny yesterday is no longer a joke, and no one is laughing today."
Trump's ascendancy is cause for concern, he said.
"This guy is the most dangerous person who the Republican Party could possibly nominate. He doesn't have the knowledge or the experience or the worldview to be the commander in chief," Moody said.
State Rep. Nate Bell, an independent who left the Republican Party last year, also questioned Trump's fitness to be president.
"Mr. Trump is, I believe, by far, the most dangerous candidate running for president. Dangerous to the Constitution, dangerous to conservatism. I don't believe he is a conservative," he said. "I absolutely will not be supporting him and, frankly, I'm disappointed in anyone who does."
The Mena lawmaker said he'll be voting for the Libertarian nominee for president.
Sen. Jon Woods, R-Springdale, was the first legislator to publicly endorse Trump in Arkansas.
"I'm excited for him. I'm excited for the party," Woods said. "With Trump, you're seeing thousands and millions of new faces" at the ballot box.
Trump won the March 1 Arkansas primary with 32.8 percent of the vote, despite receiving little support from the state's top elected officials.
And thus far, he hasn't been endorsed by any of the six members of the Arkansas congressional delegation, all Republicans.
On Saturday, U.S. Rep. French Hill of Little Rock was elected as a delegate for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.
U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs, who initially planned to seek to be a delegate for Ted Cruz, said recently that he may withdraw his name now. Cruz left the presidential race late Tuesday.
U.S. Sens. John Boozman of Rogers and Tom Cotton of Dardanelle, and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack of Rogers are traveling to Cleveland for the convention, but say they won't be serving as delegates. U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro won't seek a delegate slot.
Others, including Gov. Asa Hutchinson, say they are committed to supporting their party's nominee.
"I do not agree with everything Mr. Trump has said nor have I endorsed every policy he's announced, but I do believe the Republican Party's fiscally conservative approach to government and the values we stand for are far greater than what the other side has to offer the American people," the governor said.
A Section on 05/05/2016

Print Headline: State GOP says loyal will sign on
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/may/05/state-gop-says-loyal-will-sign-on-20160/?f=news-arkansas#/

HL Moody
Communications Director
Democratic Party of Arkansas
1300 W. Capitol Ave.
Little Rock, AR 72201
(501) 410-0595 Mobile
(501) 374-2361 Office
[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>
@HL_MoodyAR