Arkansas - Lt. Gov. Win Rockefeller Pulls Out Of Race for Governor - Asa Huchinson nomination set

KTHV.com ^ | July 19, 2005

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Lt. Governor Win Rockefeller has a blood disorder and is ending his race for governor.

The 56-year-old Rockefeller says he was diagnosed in April and that the blood condition could develop into leukemia.

Rockefeller has been campaigning and raising money in the hope of following in his father's footsteps as governor of Arkansas. But his illness will derail that plan.

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more...

Rockefeller made his gubernatorial ambitions known in February. He is closing out a second four-year term as lieutenant governor, an office he won in 1996 in a special election after Mike Huckabee ascended to the governorship.

In a news conference moments ago, he said he is immediately leaving the race for governor, saying “effective immediately, I am retiring from this campaign."

Rockefeller, a billionaire, has emphasized economic development in his time in office and has traveled to foreign countries in efforts to rally business to Arkansas. He has also put a premium on literacy and education, saying young people are a resource Arkansas has to develop.

Rockefeller was to have faced former Arkansas congressman Asa Hutchinson in the Republican primary, setting up an expensive battle between two high-profile candidates. Attorney General Mike Beebe remains alone on the Democratic ballot.

Rockefeller has staked out a position in the political center. He's a life member of the National Rifle Association and has also been a board member of The Nature Conservancy.

Rockefeller is the grandson of former Standard Oil chief John D. Rockefeller Junior. The lieutenant governor's father, Winthrop Rockefeller, served as Arkansas governor from 1967 to 1971. The elder Rockefeller's time in office is regarded as a watershed for the state, bringing modern government and civil rights.

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KARN radio - Rockefeller says he will complete his current term in office, and he will undergo a bone marrow transplant.

[joyspring777]

The take a piece from Scripture:

Can anything good come out of the Rockefeller family?

[sure_fine]

Asa, Mr. (Hold Door Open for ILLEGALS) Huchinson is a big time loser

[samadams2000]

Thumbs down on ASA..he's butchered it. Another feckless milktoast nothing. Wow!..I guess I dislike him.

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I omitted a "t" from Asa Hutchinson's name in the headline. Sorry for the error.

[TomGuy]

Too bad.

Considering how Asa managed the borders/illegals in HSD, he'd be my last choice---out of either party.

[Arkinsaw]

Can anything good come out of the Rockefeller family?

His father, Winthrop Rockefeller, was a hero both in war, and in public service. Without Winthrop Rockefeller, there would be no Republican Party in Arkansas. He moved to Arkansas to make his own life away from the family.

Not only did he create a real Republican Party here, he forced the Democrats to reform their party somewhat and his era saw the end of the old-time brutal Democratic Machine.

Rockefeller faced a Democratic machine that held overwhelming majorities in both houses and attacked him in every way possible, including personally. When he came into office he was a big powerful man and when he left he was broken.

He did much to modernize the state, he quietly oversaw the completion of the integration of the schools that had been an embarassment under the Democratic Faubus junta. He modernized the prison system and ended many abuses there.

Can anything good come out of the Rockefeller family? Well, a hero did here in Arkansas.

[Dont_Tread_On_Me_888]

Asa Huchinson nomination set

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Asa Huchinson? Another RINO Republican who would not know border security if ten nukes were smuggled in and detonated. He would STILL sugar-coat the problem, or ignore the problem.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Not to mention what Winthrop, Sr. did to drastically improve race relations in the state. It was he and NOT the Democrats in the state that did that. The 'Rats were electing and nominating segregationist racists well into the '70s.

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

Disappointing news out of Arkansas. Win Paul was our best hope for holding the Governorship.

[AmericanInTokyo]

It's THIRD PARTY in Arkansas time for disgruntled, true Conservatives...if there is such and thing and it is not too late.

[joey'smom]

If only he hadn't smashed up all those slot machines -- what a party pooper!

[fieldmarshaldj]

3rd party won't get you bubkas in Arkansas. The GOP isn't developed enough yet. Arkansas can't afford a Governor Beeber (sic).

[Theodore R.]

Also, Asa Hutchinson has already lost a major AR race. Twenty years ago he was creamed by the popular Clintoid Sen. Dale Bumper, D-AR.

[Theodore R.]

Dale Bumpers, I should have said, who started out in politics as a foot soldier for Adlai E. Stevenson.

[Armigerous]

I agree. I met Win Paul some years ago when I was visiting my uncle in Little Rock and he dropped in to visit at my uncle's Quahpaw Towers office. We shot the bull for over an hour talking politics etc. He's a nice guy and a class act and here's hoping he has a speedy recovery and is back in the arena before too long

[spectre]

So sorry to hear him speak of this tonight. What a bummer..

One of my Doctor's was diagnosed with Leukemia, and he is doing just fine now.

God Bless this fine man, and grant him the time to stop and smell the roses..in Rockefeller style..He's earned it.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Disappointing news out of Arkansas. Win Paul was our best hope for holding the Governorship."

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I'm sad to hear that he's ill, but I don't know if he would have been as good a candidate as Asa. Hopefully Rockefeller will get better and run against Pryor in 2008.