The Blue Arkansas Heroes page is dedicated to candidates who stood up for progressive values and impressed us greatly in the course of their campaigns, only to come up short in the end.

Bill Halter (U.S. Senate 2010)-In response to an incredible draft effort, Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter put his political career on the line, giving up a safe bet for reelection to stand up to conservadem Blanche Lincoln in the Democratic primary.  Bill’s campaign tapped incredible energy from the grassroots and brought new hope to those taken advantage of by the Democratic party and left out of the political system as a whole. In the end, the Halter for Senate campaign lost a heartbreakingly close race, but none the less, labor, environmentalists, minorities, and progressives came within a hair of topping an incumbent with the full backing of her party in a conservative machine state.  For having taken on this incredibly tough challenge, and standing up for all of  us, we will always be greatful to Bill Halter.

David Cook (AR-01, 2010)-State Representative David Cook ran an underfunded campaign for Congress in AR-01, but none the less he stood up for a number of progressive positions, from health care reform to taking on Wall Street.  After his respectable third place finish, Representative Cook continued to aid those of us fighting for change in Arkansas by endorsing more progressive minded candidates running up and down the ballot.  For those reasons, and for being a stand up, straight shooting, honorable public servant, has become a Blue Arkansas hero whose efforts won’t be forgotten.

Jay Barth (State Senate district 34, 2010)-Jay Barth made an extraordinary effort to become a progressive champion in the state legislature. Had he been elected, he would not only have made history as the first openly gay man elected to state office, but he would have given district 34 a truly progressive voice and vote. Sadly, his opponent in the primary, Linda Poindexter Chesterfield, saw fit to stoop to gay baiting and race baiting in order to win the election, rather then trying to win it with honor and dignity. None the less, Jay himself ran an honorable campaign, and would have served the district with distinction had he been elected.