Contrary to the national blue wave that conspired this midterm election, Arkansas had an overwhelming red wave and I fear this may impact journalists across the state.
At an Arkansas Press Women Conference on Nov. 12, Talk Business & Politics editor-in-chief Roby Brock gave a quick overview of the recent Arkansas election results.
He said that there is traditionally a national trend where the sitting president’s political party loses seats in Congress during midterm elections.
Although this was nationally not true as Democrats officially gained control of the U.S. Senate Nov. 12, all Arkansas federal races and constitutional offices resulted in a Republican victory.
Sen. John Boozman was reelected and all U.S. Congress districts were filled by Republican candidates. Constitutional offices — including governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, auditor of state, commissioner of state lands and state treasurer — were all bright-red wins.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who won the Arkansas gubernatorial race, has been notoriously against the media. Out of all the candidates who were newly elected, she is my main concern for Arkansas journalists.
You would think Sanders would understand the value of the relationship between journalism and politics with a degree majoring in political science and minoring in mass communications.
As many of you know, she also served as White House press secretary for former President Donald Trump. On sarahforgovernor.com, she described what her job entailed and one of the tasks she collaborated with the former president on was “battling with the media.”
This rhetoric devalues the purpose of the media, which is to provide the public with the truth.
While Sanders was on the campaign trail, Brock said he unsuccessfully reached out to Sanders for an interview 28 times. These interviews could have allowed more attention directed to her plans for public safety and education.
She was given a platform to flesh out her plans at the only debate she attended. At the Arkansas PBS Debate, she was able to expand on her education plan but, in return, she avoided all the actual questions the moderators asked and constituents needed to know.
Following the debate, Sanders declined to participate in the press conference. Although this wasn’t surprising, this could have given her an opportunity to talk more about her mission. Reelected Secretary of State John Thurston, Attorney General-elect Tim Griffin and Lt. Gov.-elect Leslie Rutledge also declined to attend the press conferences following the PBS Debates.
Declining to attend press conferences reflects government officials’ discomfort with answering hard questions and their increasing distrust in journalists to do their jobs. If they are secure in their plan and how they plan to serve the public, press conferences shouldn’t be intimidating.
In the same regard, providing blanket statements to all news organizations is also detrimental to not only the media organizations but also to constituents.
Single statements are calculated and don’t allow for follow-up questions. This leaves constituents confused about a government official’s true intentions. Single statements also don’t open up challenges, and instead, make the media function as a channel to deliver propaganda rather than a channel to convey the truth behind a candidate, policy, etc.
If Sanders’ reputation precedes her and the rest of the newly elected officials follow suit, I anticipate a rocky road for journalists in Arkansas these next four years.