Staff Report –

JONESBORO, Ark. – The state Public Television network held a debate on Tuesday between candidates in the First Congressional District in Eastern Arkansas, between the incumbent Republican and challengers from the Democrat and Libertarian parties. The issues included the role and funding for the Federal Emergency Management agency in natural disasters, the status of a federal Farm Bill and economic problems facing farmers, how to end the war in the Middle East, medical cannabis, food insecurity, the opioid crisis and abortion, as well as immigration at the southern border of the United States.

Brandon Tabor of KASU Public Radio kicked it off with the first question about how to balance the need for foreign aid versus domestic spending in the U.S.

Congressman Rick Crawford’s only response was to claim that the federal government response to Hurricane Helene has been “poor,” which does not comport with the facts being reported on the ground in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina.

Libertarian Steve Parsons also claimed that “F.E.M.A. does a terrible job” and “should be elliminated.”

Democrat Rodney Govens disagreed, saying we all cannot rely on philanthropic aid from “the haves vs. the have nots.”

“We need F.E.M.A.,” he said. “We need the Federal Emergency Management” agency. “We need our government to step up and do what’s right in times of disaster.”

He also disavowed the misinformation being spread on social media by the political right claiming money from F.E.M.A. has been diverted to illegal immigration.

Farm Problems

Diana Davis of KAIT News asked why this Congress has failed to pass a new Farm Bill, considering declining prices for crops and increases in the cost of fertilizer.

Parsons again came out against federal aid to farmers as a Libertarian.

“The need for subsidies for farmers is gone,” he said.

He said we can help farmers by ending the Trump trade wars with China and Cuba, cut tariffs and reduce regulations.

Govens suggested partnering with independent farmers, not so much the big corporate farming operations.

He pointed out the cattle farmers in Northern Arkansas are having trouble, along with the rice farmers and soybean farmers, who no longer enjoy federal subsidies for growing soybeans, he said.

“We need to bring back subsidies,” he said.

Crawford said the House did pass a Farm Bill, but he blamed the Senate for “refusing to act.”

He said the problem farmers face is “consolidation,” giving them fewer choices.

Parsons said the problem with subsidies is they “distort basic business practices” like planting and crop choices.

Govens said subsidies are needed. “We need to help our farmers because … Arkansas feeds America.”

He said Arkansas may only have one percent of the U.S. population, but rice, cattle, poultry and other products are shipped from Arkansas to feed people all over the country and the world.

He came out against deregulation, which is something Republican administrations always seem to want to do, which can lead to disasters like the BP Gulf Oil Spill in 2010.

Crawford said Ag policy is inadequate for the 21st century economy.

“We need to look at agriculture as an investment in national security,” he said. “The ability to feed and clothe ourselves is a national security imperative. A country that can’t do that is bound to be in peril, politically and otherwise.”

War in the Mid-East

George Jared of Talk Business & Politics asked about the war in Gaza and what policies need to be implemented to end the war.

“War is never the answer,” Govens said about the conflict between Israel and Hamas, reminding voters that he served in the Army from 2001-2005 and in Iraq in 2003-2004. “There’s never been a winner in a war.”

“We need to partner with the United Nations and start applying some real pressure. We cannot stand idly by while one of our allies, Israel, commits war atrocities, killing tens of thousands of Palestinian people. But we can also not stand idly by and allow Arab terrorist organizations like Hamas to go in as they did on Oct. 7, 2023 and kill innocent women and children of the Jewish community. We must take a stand. We must get to the table.”

Crawford acknowledged that Israel is our most important ally in the region.

Crawford stood solidly with Israel, and claimed the U.N. “has proven to be woefully inadequate.”

He said antisemitism is “proliferating across the globe.”

“I think what we need to do is stand by our ally Israel.”

Parsons said brokering peace is a legitimate federal government responsibility under the Constitution, and he said, “Mr. Govens is right. War is never the answer.”

“Israel does have the right to respond to protect their sovereignty,” he said. “But I think they are well beyond that.”

He said the U.S. “cannot be the world’s policeman,” with 750 military bases around the world, and that U.S. military spending is way too high, higher than any other country, and “ten times that of Russia, a country at war.”

Govens said being an ally does not come with “a free get out of jail card without being held accountable.”

“I think that we’ve gotten to the point where this is overkill,” he said. “Every nation has the right to defend itself, especially from unprovoked attacks.”

“Where I have a disagreement is that we are killing tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians, and we are sitting idly by while we watch our ally do that. There’s no accountability there, and it’s time we take a stand and that we do get the U.N. involved.”

Opiod Crisis

Brandon Tabor of KASU Public Radio asked about the opioid crisis, and how the candidates would handle mental health in contrast to criminal justice.

Parsons broke the issue down to substance abuse, mental health and incarceration.

He said the U.S. has 4.2 percent of the world’s population, “but 25 percent of the incarcerated population.”

“This has been a two party failure,” he said, taking the libertarian position that we should make all drugs legal to the maximum extent possible.

“Fentanyl is a separate topic” he said. “Because most deaths from fentanyl are accidental.”

He said studies show that treatment is 12-20 times more effective “dollar for dollar than incarceration.”

“Incarceration in the United States should be an embarrassment.”

Govens said as a court appointed special advocate volunteer for foster kids he sees the struggle with the cycle of abuse and drug addiction every day.

“When you see the cycles of abuse you start understanding that we are more reactive and punitive than we are proactive,” he said. “From a criminal justice perspective, the use of drugs is not criminal. It is the after effects. If we can become proactive and encourage people to stop using drugs we’re gonna see a decrease in theft … in armed robbery … in crimes across the board.”

“We should not just look to punish, we should look to help,” he said.

Crawford said mental health problems exacerbate drug problems and “drug problems exacerbate mental health problems.”

Immigration at the Southern Border

Crawford blamed the fentanyl problem on “our porous border,” repeating false claims about the Biden administration policy vs. the Trump administration policies, when in fact, Biden kept much of the Trump border program in place except for building the wall and separating families at the border.

Parsons brought up Crawford’s suggestion that there should be a high tariff on Mexican steel to protect the newer steel industry in Arkansas, which he talked about more in the last debate at Arkansas State when Crawford was a no show.

He once again said Mexico was the biggest customer of goods from the U.S. and Arkansas, and said we need their help as an ally and should not antagonize them with new, high tariffs.

Govens said the border problem is not the cause of one administration, since funding has been cut by both sides.

Yet the Biden administration did put forward a bill to beef up law enforcement at the border, which was ready to be passed in bipartisan fashion in the House and Senate, until former President Donald Trump called members of Congress on his side and asked them to kill the bill, as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris say, so he can use immigration and the southern border as a campaign issue in the 2024 election.

Crawford said Mexico should be punished for its role in dumping steel and fentanyl into the U.S. market.

Abortion and IVF

Diana Davis of KAIT News asked if the candidates believe Congress is more qualified than a patient or doctor to make “reproductive decisions.” Especially in the case of exceptions to allowing abortions in the case of “rape or incest.” But also in the case of IVF and “the storing of eggs.”

Govens said he went through In Vitro Fertilization and has “two beautiful children” as a result.

“So this is near and dear to me,” he said.

“A woman’s right to her bodily autonomy should not be a debatable topic,” he said. “This should be a no brainer. Women deserve to have the right to make their own choices over their own bodies.”

Crawford pointed out that the Supreme Court’s “Dobbs” decision allowed the states to make that decision, “which I think is the right decision,” he said.

Parsons seemed to agree it is a “states rights” decision, but “there should be an exception for rape and incest.”

Crawford clarified that he has always been “pro life” and opposed to abortion, but is for exceptions “for rape, incest and the life of the mother.”

FEMA Funding

George Jared of Talk Business & Politics said former President Trump has made false claims lately saying F.E.M.A. is “running of money because the money is being spent on immigrants.” He asked if we need to spend more money on F.E.M.A. or dealing with immigrants.

Crawford said F.E.M.A. has spent money on housing and other services for immigrants.

“F.E.M.A. should reserve that money for spending on American citizens because that’s what it’s for,” he said.

Govens said F.E.M.A. “definitely needs more money. Federal emergencies happen.”

Brandon Tabor of KASU Public Radio asked about how candidates would keep constituents informed in such a large district.

Govens pledged to hold quarterly town hall meetings all over the district, something the incumbent has not done, he said.

Crawford defended himself and said he does have contact with his constituents through a bot text system on his website.

“Where’s Rick?” Govens asked.

Medical Marijuana

Diana Davis of KAIT News asked about medical marijuana and why it’s still against federal rules for banks to do business with the suppliers.

Govens said studies show the medicinal benefits of cannabis, to limit seizures in epileptic children, to help those who suffer from PTSD, yet the federal government still lists it as a narcotic. He advocated for downgrading marijuana on the list of controlled substances, which would allow banks to legally invest in medical cannabis in Arkansas.

He said if the state were to allow recreation use, it would benefit the state and schools from the tax benefits.

Crawford said the federal limit on banking to invest in medical cannabis is “problematic.”

Back on immigration, Govens said he visited the southern border with Mexico and talked to border agents and asylum seekers and said the U.S. should bring back the drone program to monitor the illegal traffic.

“A wall is just a wall,” he said. “Anybody with a shovel can dig up underneath it…. You can climb over it with a ladder.”

He said we need better vetters and a better immigration court system.

Crawford said some work had been done in a bipartisan fashion on immigrants in the agricultural work force.

“But it doesn’t take away from the problem at the southern border,” he said. “The cartels run the southern border.” He said the solution is the “remain in Mexico” policy.

“And by all means build a wall,” he said.

Food Insecurity

Brandon Tabor of KASU Public Radio asked the candidates how they would tackle “food deserts” and food insecurity in such a large, sparsely populated district.

Crawford said it is an irony that Arkansas is such a productive part of the world for agriculture, “Yet we have folks that are suffering from food insecurity. How do we get fresh food to communities?”

He said the private sector is playing a role. Stores like Dollar General are coming into areas other stories are not willing to serve, he said. “But it’s not enough.”

He said people have talked about tax incentives and economic opportunity zones in underserved areas.

He said he’s helped raise money for the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, “and they do a fantastic job.”

Parson’s said it’s not the job of the federal government.

Govens said it was unfair for people to have to drive 45 minutes to get to a grocery store, and some people don’t even have a car so walking is out of the question.

He said when he is elected he would be looking to come up with special subsidies to encourage grocery stores to go into those underserved areas, similar to what’s done with farmers to subsidize the rice crop.

Parsons said with a $35 trillion debt, the U.S. does not have the money to provide subsidies “to all of the good things that you’d like to see done.”

Govens said food pantries are great, although some county food banks don’t get the level of support they need, and that’s not enough anyway, he said.

“We need grocery stores,” he said. “We need access to healthy, nutritional food.”

Closing Statements

In closing statements, Parsons said 97 percent of incumbents in Congress are reelected and as a third party candidate, he needs 4 percent to “send a message that business as usual, big government as usual is no longer acceptable.”

He said the Democrat will only get 22-25 percent of the vote.

Crawford compared the U.S to being on a plane which has lost air pressure and “the mask is in front of us,” which they tell you in air safety briefings to secure your own mask first or you won’t be any help to anybody else.

“We need to be able to breath before we can help the rest of the world,” he said. “We need to start putting Americans first … then we can be a good neighbor to the rest of the world.”

Govens said there is a lot of fear and uncertainty in the U.S. today.

“We’ve got an incumbent who prays on that uncertainty and fear,” he said.

He said Crawford claims to visit the district, but everywhere he goes people say they’ve “never even heard of him.”

He said there are water system and water tower failures in parts of the district, and cattle farmers struggling in northern Arkansas and rice and soybean farmers “across the Delta who are struggling to make ends meet.”

“It’s time for a change,” he said. “That change can’t come if we continue to vote in the same feckless leadership every single election. The only way that changes is with you at home. Cast your ballot for a new voice.”

Watch the full video of the debate here:

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