RGA Statement on Arkansas Primary Elections

Republican Jim Keet to face Gov. Mike Beebe

Arkansas voters tonight nominated successful businessman Jim Keet as the Republican candidate for governor to face incumbent Democratic Governor Mike Beebe.  Tim Murtaugh, spokesman for the Republican Governors Association, today issued the following statement.

“Jim Keet brings real-world knowledge of problem solving and innovation to the race for governor of Arkansas.  A successful businessman, he has helped create thousands of jobs.  In the coming months, he’ll lay out his vision for making Arkansas more competitive in the domestic and international marketplaces, and no one will outwork Jim Keet.

“Mike Beebe is a nice man. But Arkansas needs a governor who will tell politicians in Washington his opinion before a vote is cast on hugely important policy like government run healthcare.

“While every Republican governor in the nation and even a few Democratic ones were warning their congressmen and senators about the tax increases and job killing mandates this healthcare bill would place on states and small businesses, Governor Beebe was under a rock. That is unacceptable.  Jim Keet would have then, and will in the future, stand up to Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi.”