Graphic Courtesy of the Little Rock Touchdown Club.
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR. — Bill Clinton and Jerry Jones talk about Arkansas ties at the Little Rock Touchdown Club.
This past Monday, Little Rock Touchdown Club guest speakers Bill Clinton, former U.S. president, and Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, spoke to an estimated 3,000 attendees in Simmons Bank Arena.
Both men are Arkansas natives and returned to their home state to share favorite Razorback memories and discuss the current state of the football world, and Jones concluded by announcing a sizable donation to the Clinton Foundation.
The Little Rock Touchdown Club, founded by media personality David Bazzel, is in its 22nd year celebrating football across Arkansas. With over 500 members, the club is one of the largest of its kind in the nation.
With two prominent Arkansas figures at the club, Bazzel said, “Today, to me, I think it’s a historic day because we’re welcoming two of the world’s most recognizable, high-profile figures, successful people in this country, and more importantly, two Arkansans.”
Jones graduated from North Little Rock High School, then played offensive line at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, co-captaining the 1964 undefeated football team. In 1989, he bought the Dallas Cowboys, which became one of the world’s most recognizable and profitable sports franchises.
Clinton was raised in Hot Springs and would go on to serve as Attorney General in 1977 and Governor of Arkansas in 1979, before ultimately becoming the 42nd president of the United States.
Clinton and Jones shared the stage for an hour, with questions from Bazzel, reminiscing about their favorite memories of past football teams, starting with Jones discussing Clinton’s 1978 decision to support former Razorbacks coach Lou Holtz.
Holtz had a “do right” policy that held players to a high standard, both on and off the field. When three star players violated this rule, Holtz suspended them from attending the Orange Bowl. The suspended players sued Holtz, who had gained the support of then-Attorney General Clinton.
“It looked like a bad career move for Lou Holtz, and a worse career move for me.” Clinton comments.
After winning the case, Holtz took the Razorbacks to Miami for the Orange Bowl. Jones credits the win with inspiring the team as they faced the Oklahoma Sooners, who were heavily favored over Arkansas.
“And the Razorbacks kicked their ass,” stated Jones.
The Razorbacks beat the Sooners 31-6 in the Orange Bowl, what Clinton describes as “the largest upset in Arkansas football history.”
After graduating from Hot Springs High School, Clinton attended Georgetown University for undergrad, the University of Oxford for his graduate studies, and Yale Law School. But through it all, he remained loyal to the Razorbacks.
“I didn’t have any conflicts about my football loyalty. I listened to every ball game, and they made fun of me because I could remember the stats. Then I would start describing the game, and they said nobody wants to hear that much detail.”
As the landscape of both college and professional sports changes, athletes are making more and more money through NIL, or “name, image, likeness.” In 2021, the NCAA officially allowed college athletes to monetize their personal brands and sponsorships. Before, players made no money from their likeness or the publicity they brought to their universities, but coaches’ salaries steadily increased.
Bazzel says, “When you don’t have to pay players, and all you do is pay your coaches and facilities, you’re making millions of dollars…Looking back, do you think the NCAA was just a little too slow to realize what was coming down the pipe? That legislators around the country will look and say, ‘My gosh, the coaches are making $10 million a year, and the players are getting nothing.’”
Jones states that he had always wanted to be a coach, especially after his own experience on the Arkansas football team, but ultimately wanted more money than coaches were making in the 60s.
“Had I known that I was going to be paying them what I’m paying them today, I’d have been a damn coach,” says Jones.
As for the current state of college athletic finances, Jones remarks that “the financial tide did rise for college football, and the climate around it gave incentive to go in and challenge the rules.”
As for Clinton, he says there are conflicting interests around the recent NIL changes.
“It would be a good thing if people who are recruited to play in the system are able to have some compensation from the beginning…We want young people to have some mobility, especially if they get stuck at a school. It’s a terrible situation, but it’s a balance beam…You don’t want to screw up what NIL has decided to do, which is to make it attractive to people to take the risks of playing professional football.”
Towards the end of the program, Bazzel announces that Jones has something very special to share with President Clinton. Jones first discusses how much Arkansas means to him, describing his family lineage and ties to the state.
“They have been indispensable in any kind of success that we might have had is really the culture of what we learn as we all spent our lives growing up here in Arkansas.”
Jones continues on to his special announcement.
“We want to give money today to the Clinton Library, particularly aimed at, if you will, the Clinton School for Public Service. We want to give that money today to lead the way, and hopefully others will follow for something that we’re very, very proud of, certainly you and what it stands for.”
Bazzel asks to disclose the donation amount, excitedly telling the crowd that the Jones family has donated $ 10 million to the Clinton Foundation.
Clinton graciously thanks the family for the donation and discusses future plans for the Clinton School of Public Service, such as creating a space for all of Secretary Clinton’s archives and expanding public access, and bringing more people to the school. He ends with a special thanks to Jones.
“I’m grateful that it is now my responsibility to hand along all these things we’re doing onto the next generation in good shape and make room for further growth”, stated Clinton. “But I couldn’t do it without help, and I am more grateful than you know. You’re a good man.”
“Well, Mr. President,” Jones says, pausing dramatically. “I ain’t going to let the old man in.”
Clinton jerks his thumb toward Jones and laughs. “That’s a good line.”
Story by DDNS Reporters Gracie Lunceford and Kinley Rainwater
U.S Representative Arkansas District 1 Democratic Challenger Dr. Terri Yarbrough Green.
U.S. Representative Arkansas District 1 Libertarian Candidate Dr. Steve Parsons
October 8th marked the second political debate at Arkansas State University. In the race for U.S. House District 1, candidates Dem. Terri Yarbrough Green and Lib. Steve Parsons attended, while Representative Rick Crawford declined.
Jonathan Reaves moderated the event, with the same four panelists as last week’s debate: LaGanzie Kale, Samantha Mitchell, Allie Carson, and Levi Seward. Both candidates agreed to the debate terms: a 2-minute opening statement, 2 minutes for each panelist’s question, an additional minute for the initial candidate to respond, and a 3-minute closing statement.
Green opens by saying she is a “semi-retired pathologist,” not a politician. She describes herself as a wife, mother, grandmother, and daughter of a World War II veteran.
“I am more comfortable behind a microscope than a microphone, which I think is a good thing.”
Green says she has practiced pathology in northeast Arkansas since 1988, and as a doctor, they are taught to look for what isn’t working and find a way to fix it.
Green says when she looks at America, and looks at Arkansas, she sees things that need fixing.
She says she sees farmers being “squeezed by forces beyond their control,” farm bankruptcies, families stretched by costs of housing, healthcare, groceries, fuel and childcare.
Green mentions struggling rural hospitals and how many are closing. She criticizes the incumbent for the worsening situation.
“The incumbent has had 16 years to do something about these problems,” stated Green. “They have only gotten worse. And I hope tonight to draw a distinction between what the incumbent has and has not done. And what I would like to do for the people of the 1st district of Arkansas.”
Parsons begins his opening statement by explaining how being a third-party candidate has made it difficult to find platforms to voice his stances. Growing up in a small, family-owned business shaped his core politics.
“We lived on 17 cents an hour,” stated Parsons. “All the money that we earned went back into building that business…My parents complained the taxes and regulations made it increasingly difficult to create many new jobs. They believed that both political parties had failed them.”
He went on to earn two fellowships that let him attend a writing school for a PhD in economics, then made a living helping companies around the globe make business decisions, doing corporate training, and teaching the economics of technology at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Parsons’ campaign focuses on offering voters another choice aside from the typical two-party system that controls the U.S. government.
“Voters deserve another choice besides the two parties that have a stranglehold on politics in this country…My campaign is about less government and more freedom.”
The first panelist was LaGanzie Kale, founder of Jonesboro’s first minority-owned radio station KLEK. His first question concerns how the democratic party has struggled to connect with rural voters, and asked, “Is that because rural voters misunderstand democratic policies, or because the Democratic Party has fundamentally lost touch with the values and priorities? What is your party getting wrong?”
Green couldn’t answer for her party; she says she just knows what rural voters need.
“I’ve been visiting throughout the district and talking with people in rural areas so that I know everything,” stated Green. “And what I discovered that, uh, rural areas need is infrastructure, maybe clean water, sewer systems, roads that are passable, jobs, but they’re not going to get businesses to go back into rural areas, uh, to provide those jobs if you don’t have clean water.”
Since Parsons is a libertarian candidate, Kale clarified his question to, “What do you think the libertarian party can do that the other parties are not doing?”
Parsons explained that two years ago, 97% of U.S. House incumbents won their races, making it a difficult jurisdiction to compete in. He says the issues most important to rural voters also matter to all Americans. For instance, stopping the surplus of money in corporate welfare.
“Part of the reason that’s important in more rural areas is, there are not big corporations in rural America in general, and certainly not new corporations in the vast majority of rural areas in District 1,” said Parsons.
He went on to talk about reducing federal regulations because smaller local companies can’t fully understand them.
“That’s because if you’re a large company, you can specialize in bringing someone who understands the regulations. Small companies can’t do that.”
Green responded to say that she totally agrees with reducing the burden of regulations, especially in areas such as healthcare.
Kale’s second question regards raising the federal minimum wage. “Many small businesses in rural Arkansas operate on extremely thin margins. What should happen to a small business that genuinely cannot afford a federally mandated wage increase? Would you accept business closures or job losses as a necessary trade-off, or what else would you do to help alleviate that?”
Green made it clear first that she would not accept job losses or closures as a result of raising the minimum wage. She says she would like to see something gradual and with safeguards in place.
Green says part of the problem with wealth inequality and why people can’t afford things isn’t the living wage; it’s the expenses of other things.
She stated there has to be a way to get back to the economy that allows for comfortable, one-income households.
In Parsons’ response, he says many well-intentioned policies have unintended consequences and proposes other steps instead of a minimum wage.
The next panelist was Samantha Mitchell, an Arkansas State alum and news director for KASU public radio. Her first question for Dr. Parsons focused on ensuring everyday voters have the same resources to make their voices heard as those with political influence. “How will you ensure that a single parent working two jobs, a senior living on a fixed income, or a resident of a small rural community has the same opportunity to influence your decisions as someone with political power?”
Parsons describes the issue as “amazingly difficult,” and part of his solution is to recognize the varying circumstances that affect policymaking.
“I will try to recognize the nature of the diversity and the geographic areas in which people live, and what their circumstances are, and propose good policies that correspond to dealing with circumstances.”
He continued by discussing inflation control and how to “neuter the Federal Reserve” as part of his policies.
“(The Federal Reserve) is the one that has the greatest long-term influence on inflation, because they have control over the money supply,” said Parsons. “There have been massive increases in the money supply over the last six years or so, and that is at its heart one of the basic causes of inflation.”
Green believes the government exists to level the playing field and ensure corporations don’t have a louder voice than working people.
Green mentioned reversing the Citizens United decision as a possible way to help, along with getting the money out of politics, including stock trading in Congress.
Green mentions that ensuring rounds around the district are done is important for a representative, especially during breaks. She says this helps elevate individuals’ voices over corporations.
Mitchell’s next question raised concerns about Flock cameras and government surveillance. “At what point does a public safety tool become an infringement on individual freedom, and who should have the authority to make that determination?”
Parsons argued that although the cameras are technically legal, those legal interpretations do not match his views. He continued, saying that any jurisdiction with data from these surveillance tools should be held to a higher standard to ensure the data is not abused.
“Perhaps there needs to be a law passed to make it easier for people to sue when (infringement of privacy) happens,” stated Parsons.
Green argued that the individual right to privacy should be “paramount,” although she understands the need for security and public safety.
With the creation and implementation of AI and facial recognition, Green says the amount of data the government has on us is frightening.
“I do not trust that the people that have that information are going to use it wisely,” stated Green. “I think we need much more regulation in place, and to protect the individuals working for us.”
In his rebuttal, Parsons states, “I want government to be at the lowest geographical level possible.”
He follows by explaining that the federal government is “bureaucratic” and that he hopes laws, like those concerning flock cameras, are championed at the local level.
Allie Carson, editor of A-State newspaper The Herald, was the third panelist. Her first question went to Green and addressed the growing university population and rural communities. Carson asks, “How would you balance the needs of those two populations when making federal policy?”
Green says that, although difficult, balance is key.
Policy can help residents by building infrastructure, and Green says the university can help with that.
“I think it’s better when you don’t separate those needs, that these needs are different than those needs, but to look at the system as a whole, and how they interact, and different parts of the system benefit from another,” stated Green.
Parsons began by saying he believes this is another example where the federal government should have little role. He says that at the local level, rules should be established early so they don’t change people’s incentives.
As Arkansas State University is one of the largest economic drivers in northeast Arkansas, Carson’s second question to Green was “What role do you believe the government should play in supporting the university?”
Green says that when she was in school, student loans were interest-free until you had a job and could pay them back, when they began to accrue interest.
Now she says students are being asked to take out loans that, by the time they retire, they still owe as much as they did originally.
Green says the government has a responsibility to educate citizens and provide low-interest or no-interest loans.
Parsons responded that the American public has been sold a “bill of goods” to entice them into earning a four-year degree in college, but he claims that this belief is incorrect. He encourages universities to have “more skin in the game.”
“If you have a student who graduates from your university, in whatever program it is, if they can’t make the loan…(the university) would have to repay part of that loan…it incentivizes them pushing students to more productive degrees you can earn a living in,” stated Parsons.
The federal government provides grants for basic research. Green says the current administration is slashing many of these, and without the ability to advance knowledge, other countries are recruiting American scientists.
Levi Seward, president of A-State’s pre-law club and an aspiring law school student asked his first question for Parsons, discussing the statement found on Parsons’ 2024 campaign website claiming that Social Security is “the worst social program ever created,” and that “Congress has an ethical responsibility to avoid cutting benefits.”
As the national libertarian party moves toward phasing out the program, Seward asks Parsons, “Do you support phasing out Social Security?”
Parsons replied that Social Security is “one of the hardest nuts to crack” because of its complexity and said action should’ve been taken long ago to avoid “not be in the circumstance we’re in.” This concern grows as the Social Security fund approaches running out by 2032.
Green says we may be in a bad situation with Social Security but that we’re stuck with it, so we need to fix it.
Although she admits there are many proposed ways to do so, Green says she will not advocate for or go into detail on any of them.
Parsons says he might have been exaggerating when he called Social Security the worst program, but believes the program “should’ve been recognized as a failed pyramid scheme.”
In 2024, Representative Crawford was involved in a class-action lawsuit over congressional pay. Seward’s second question for Parsons is, “Should members of Congress get a pay raise, why or why not?”
Parsons described this question as exceptionally easy to answer, with a strong no. He notes that Crawford also sued for an increase in back pay, which Parsons finds “repugnant”.
Green said “no” to Congress receiving a pay raise.
“I don’t think that congressional pay should be increased until tax dollars are going to the people and we have an economy that is working for the working people,” according to Green.
Parsons did not disagree with Green and pointed out that the national debt is now three times what it was when Rep. Crawford first ran for office. He proposes that Congress’ pay should depend on whether it ends up with a deficit.
“I would love to see it where if you end up with a deficit, you get no pay,” stated Parsons.
The national midterm election is on November 3rd, including the vote for the House of Representatives. For voters in Craighead County, ballots can be cast at the Election Annex, 315 W. Jefferson Avenue in Jonesboro, from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm.
Jonathan Bobbitt (left) and Ryan Bane (right) stand near field at Apex Ag Solutions. Photo courtesy of DDNS reporter Kinley Rainwater.
For farmers, the stress of running a farm can extend far beyond long hours and unpredictable weather. With financial uncertainty, rising costs, and pressure to keep their farms afloat, farmers’ mental health has taken a toll. These challenges make an already demanding lifestyle even harder.
Jonathan Bobbitt is a fourth-generation farmer who runs JAB Farms in Bay, Arkansas. He grows corn, cotton, and peanuts. Bobbitt bought his first acres in 2004 and has been adding on for the last 22 years. He grew up on a farm where he regularly saw and assisted with farm work. Bobbitt started driving tractors at thirteen, and after graduating, he worked full time for his father on the farm before getting his own farm loan at 19.
“Even on the days I don’t want to do it anymore, there’s still nothing else I want to do,” says Bobbitt.
Bobbitt spoke about his struggles both on and off the farm. Bobbitt says the current financial crisis has been going on for years. Bobbitt says his major struggles started in the early 2020s.
“We’re doing our jobs, we’re producing good crops, but we aren’t getting paid for them,” said Bobbitt. Bobbitt described the uncertainty and financial concerns farmers across the state faced as a time of despair. Bobbitt states the worst time for his mental health struggles started in 2022. “ The financial crisis that we’re in has been this steady bottleneck effect to the point where it’s just gushing out all over everybody.” He states that farmers are making crops but not being paid for them, which has had a detrimental effect on his mental health.
Branon Thiesse is the Staff chair of the Craighead County extension and works with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. He says farmers are facing an issue that has been a topic of discussion for years but has grown in the last year.
“Well, just about like every year, but this year is even worse, is the price that they’re receiving for their commodities. You know, all those are low,” says Bobbitt. “The input costs that they’ve experienced this year have been extraordinarily high, and that’s causing them to have money flow problems. Plus the diesel prices and that kind of stuff is just out of sight right now, and it’s not getting any better, and we’re in the meat of harvest right now, so it’s costing them more to harvest their crop.”
Thiesse says this is leading to the loss of 4th- and 5th-generation farmers.
“You know, the farmer is one of the only occupations that I know that they don’t set their price for the goods that they sell. They just have to rely on what the market will pay. You know, if you have a restaurant or something and your food costs go up, you just raise the price of the menu to cover those costs. Farmers don’t have that ability to do that, and that’s kind of how we’ve gotten in this shape.”
Thiesse shares a concern about what could happen if no change arrives. He says the possibility of corporate farming lingers in this issue, and he doesn’t believe it’s good for farmers or the economy.
“I don’t think that’s a good thing for our farmers because, you know, especially in Arkansas, you know, farming provides so much income and things for the state, you know, it’s a multimillion-dollar operation, and we start losing that, and farmers start losing their identities, and I just don’t like that.”
Thiesse says he is concerned about the loss of small farms in Arkansas.
“I don’t think that it would be a good idea to have these big corporate farms running, you know, because well people will be losing their jobs, and so, you know, it’ll hurt the economy of these small towns that the farmers use, you know, buy goods and services from them.”
From a citizen’s standpoint, Thiesse says you would notice this in the control of these farms. They wouldn’t be run and regulated by a local farmer, but by a corporation that may not even be based in Arkansas.
Thiesse says the Craighead County Agriculture Extension tries to be a resource for farmers to reach out to with economic questions, fertilizer recommendations, and help with insect and disease control.
Bobbitt shared the thoughts he carried during his struggle. “You do it year after year for four years, and you aren’t promised any hope.” He says there’s some hope on the market now, but for years there wasn’t.
Another stress Bobbitt shared was maintaining his personal life off the farm while feeling needed there.
“It’s just this crushing factor that you have with a job you love and don’t want to let go of, and then you have your personal life on top of that. Whether you’re going through a divorce, or relationship problems in general, or just anything in general, it combines to a point where it’s just a crushing situation where you don’t have anywhere to really turn.”
He said depression led up to him seeking out a therapist because he felt he “had become cynical and bitter.” This led to a new set of challenges, however.
Farming comes with a unique set of struggles, and that became evident in my conversation with Bobbitt. “We’re built different. We talk different. We’re just different individuals,” said Bobbitt. Bobbitt said the therapist he had did get through to him enough to help, but that it wasn’t the same as sitting and talking with someone who understood.
Pride was a word given by Bobbitt to explain why a lot of farmers don’t reach out. “Farmers don’t like to be seen involved in any of this. It’s a very egotistical type of situation,” said Bobbitt. Throughout the conversation with Bobbitt, phrases such as “Men don’t get help” and “Pick yourself up by your bootstraps” were brought up as ideas that stop many farmers from reaching out.
Bobbitt says, “We’re supposed to toughen up through it, and we’re losing too many, so that situation is not working. So it’s time to do something else. We have to somehow get over that barrier of letting people know that it’s okay, you know, to reach out for help. That there’s no harm in it.” Bobbitt’s story led him to use it to help others and inspire them to reach out, too.
Tailgate Time is a non-profit located in Bay. This is a mental health service centered around the agriculture industry by getting rid of the red tape and financial concerns.
Ryan Bane is the co-executive director of Tailgate Time, as well as the CEO of Apex Ag. Solutions in Bay. He has worked in the agriculture industry for 24 years, mainly on the retail side.
Bane shares that he had gone to a meeting at a church in Brookland where a woman stood up and said her area alone had lost three farmers. He knew he needed to do something to help.
After seeing Bobbitt post on Facebook offering an ear to those struggling, he reached out to talk, and they agreed something needed to be done; Bobbitt just said he wanted to be a part of it.
Bane says he doesn’t know a lot about mental health, but he knows how to build a team. So he played to his strengths and found Mandy Young, who he describes as “the best of both worlds.” She knows how to relate to the farmers, but she also knew the gray areas he didn’t.
Mandy Young is a licensed clinical social worker, community outreach, and educator for Tailgate Time. She grew up with an agriculture background and started working in the mental health field in 2007/2008, so she truly felt she was in the middle of both worlds.
She says their partnership began with a coffee date, where they discussed non-profit work and how to reach men in agriculture.
Bane states that he has never found a group quite like Tailgate Time. The closest things were hotlines and other small groups in other states or countries. There were campus groups that offered telehealth visits every so often, but nothing like what they offer.
Young says this therapy is unlike anything you would receive locally or even nationally. She says it isn’t restricted by the same red tape most therapists face, such as confined spaces or time limits.
Tailgate Time will go to the farmer, whether you want to talk at your tailgate, the shop, or on the combine. They can meet for as long as the farmer needs, but typical sessions run about 50-60 minutes. Young says this sets them apart.
When a farmer first reaches out, they don’t schedule therapy right away unless requested. They maintain a working relationship with Young and are eventually matched with a therapist when the farmer is ready.
When meeting with farmers, Young says the main goal is to let them know they aren’t alone.
“They often are very private individuals. They care deeply, but sometimes that comes out in very inappropriate emotions or reactions to behaviors that have been a pattern in their families for years.”
Young mentions again that they often have mentalities of “picking yourself up by the bootstraps,” and they often forget to check on themselves or on their families and to assess how they are coping.
Tailgate time eliminates the financial worry from therapy, so they do not charge for their services.
They mainly run on donations. They receive not only monetary donations, but also items like furniture and flooring for their physical therapy space and office, and even citizens’ time and labor.
As a 501 C3, they are tax-exempt and can apply for some grants, which they are currently looking into, as well as some fundraising options.
Young says the ones benefiting are also the ones choosing to donate so heavily.
Bane also believes pride to be the biggest barrier between farmers and the mental health care they need. He says they often would rather hurt themselves than see someone else hurt.
Bane gives an example with air masks on an airplane. He says you’re told to put your mask on first in an emergency so you are strong enough to help someone else, even if it feels selfish in the moment.
A misconception Bane says people often have is that you have to be in full crisis mode to reach out. This is far from the case; they can make one phone call to let you know you aren’t alone, or offer multiple sessions depending on the farmer’s needs.
One thing Bane thinks helps farmers feel more comfortable is that he’s also had therapy, as he considers himself the “first line of defense.” He can give you a listening ear, or he can direct you to one of the therapists.
“We have people in place, whether it’s personal or on the business side. It’s something that we believe in. It’s something all of Apex believes in. And we’ll make sure at least that part of the structure will carry on and move forward.
Young says they actively see about 6 people at this time. She says even though the number may seem small, the volume of calls they get isn’t. They allow call-ins to continue calling and often express appreciation for it.
The name originated from the idea that there are two times you spend with a farmer. Windshield time and tailgate time, and tailgate time is usually the end of the day.
“I think that kind of signifies the end of a journey or a crossroads. That there’s a lot of problems solved around a tailgate.”
Bane jokes that there’s an Irish goodbye where you leave without saying goodbye, and there’s an Arkansas goodbye where you tell each other goodbye about 10 times and you’re still standing around the tailgate talking.
JONESBORO, Ark. — At Arkansas State University, students are concerned about a myriad of issues during this year’s midterm elections.
With the 2026 midterm elections coming this November, citizens are eager to vote on a range of issues. After interviewing three students at Arkansas State University, it was found that top concerns are healthcare, the rising cost of living, and protecting agriculture. Voters are seeking out candidates who are focused on protecting their community.
Evelyn Rogers, a wildlife biology major at Arkansas State, says her biggest concern is farming and agriculture. According to Rogers, the condition of the state’s agriculture is a crucial part of Arkansas’s economy and identity.
“Supporting farmers in rural communities, while also protecting our water, land, and wildlife, is important to me because I want to see those resources available for future generations,” says Rogers.
Although she identifies as a Democrat, Rogers agrees with the Republican Party’s support for agriculture in Arkansas.
“When it comes to supporting farmers in rural communities and protecting wildlife, I think it’s important to look at individual issues and candidates rather than automatically agreeing with everything one party represents.”
Aspen Frank, a strategic communications major, says what is driving her to the polls is a concern about the high cost of living in Arkansas.
“Coming from a state where every day I have to witness firsthand the suffering, [due to] the struggle that comes from high poverty rates, it’s important to me that the extra costs of living can be diminished rather than increased,” says Frank.
Along with the rising cost of living in rural areas, access to healthcare is also one of her biggest concerns, specifically as a type 1 diabetic herself. According to Frank, her firsthand experiences of receiving life-saving healthcare, but dealing with extremely high costs of medicine, have had a profound impact on her personally.
“There are people in Arkansas that can’t even afford rent due to the overwhelming cost of medical care. Insulin is a necessity for survival, and we should not have to question whether you’ll be alive by the end of the week if your paychecks don’t come in on time,” according to Frank.
Many young people are excited to get to the polls and fulfill their civic duty as American citizens. Nathan Boone, a chemical engineering major and cadet in the Red Wolf Battalion, is passionate about voting in the midterms this year. Part of the reason for his passion comes from being in a migrant family.
“We escaped communism,” says Boone. “I believe voting is half the luxury of being an American. You get to speak out about your government, participate; in Vietnam, if you spoke out, you were directly taken to a re-education camp.”
This election season, many students are eager to have their voices heard on the issues that matter most to them: healthcare, agriculture, and the rising cost of living in Arkansas.
Early voting in Arkansas begins October 19th through November 2nd, with the general election on November 3rd. In Craighead County, voters can cast ballots at the Election Annex, 315 W. Jefferson Avenue in Jonesboro, from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm. This is part of the national midterm elections.
