Lu Hardin: Another Swine Switches Parties

Lu Hardin: Another Swine Switches Parties
Lu Hardin, as he views himself.

Thursday, August 21st 1997: It never ceases to amaze me that loser politicians have the gall to cavalierly switch party loyalties because they simply have to win. One such head case is Luther "Lu" Hardin of Arkansas -- "friend" to the Clintons, White House sleepover guest, and Democrat money thief.

Now don't confuse this Lu Hardin with Cornhusker Luther Hardin - the senior Nebraska football star. No, this Luther Hardin was born in White County Arkansas in 1951. He lives in Russellville and married the former Mary Bowen. Hardin is a Methodist with the mandatory daughter and son. He is listed as a Democrat State Senator for the 12th District of Arkansas. This Luther Hardin carried the Democrat banner for 25 years. This Luther Hardin danced at Democrat functions, lip-serviced Democrat ideologies, used President Clinton and ten thousand other Democrats to make his career.

Hardin was a DEMOCRAT candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1996. Now the little interloper is trying again, this time as a REPUBLICAN. What chutzpah. Imagine a 14 year Democrat veteran senator changing clothes with such aplumb?

You betcha.

Last time out Hardin was a big loser. He raised and borrowed $945 thousand Democrat dollars to run for the vacant US Senate seat held by David Pryor.

He lost -- in the primary no less.

When Hardin shut his '96 campaign doors he owed $232,000 - mostly to himself. He only managed to attract $56 thousand in PAC contributions with the balance coming largely from Democrat supporters.

Senate Gingrich Clone Tim Hutchinson

The winner was Republican Tim Hutchinson - not a rising star on Capitol Hill. But what's interesting here is that Hutch was the first GOP senator from Arkansas in a hundred years. And here's his record in Arkansas:

Voted to eliminate Medicaid coverage for 56,848 children in Arkansas

Voted to deny Head Start to 2,201 children in Arkansas

Voted to eliminate 4,892 summer jobs for youths in Arkansas in 1996

Voted to cut nutrition programs for 140,000 children in Arkansas

Voted to reduce farm spending in Arkansas by $522 million

Voted to raise taxes on 131,975 working families in Arkansas (an average of $362 in the year 2002).

So, "Crazy Lu" Hardin got the idea that if Tim could defy history, so could he. Why not? Hardin has swung as far to the right as he can without becoming Haley Barbour.

Of course Hardin said he is only "considering" another race for the Senate as a cross-dressing Republican, but he's not yet committed. Maybe he should be -- to a sanitarium.

Hardin surprised the heck out of his former fellow Democrats when he proudly announced his treason in Little Rock yesterday. But if Hardin thinks he can fill the shoes of retiring Senator Dale Bumpers, he has another thing coming.

Retiring Senator Dale Bumpers
Americans don't like traitors. That's a lesson Hardin will learn. He's left a rotten taste in Democrat voters mouths and he needs them to win. Fat chance.

Like Newt Gingrich, Hardin is a wanna-be University professor who's been stalking the Republicans for a while. Earlier this year, Arkansas Republican Governor Mike Huckabee appointed "Lu" to head the state's higher education system. The Governor was at Hardin's press conference and said that the GOP was "truly Lu's philosophical home."

Yes, that's probably why he lost last time, and why he'll lose again.

Illinois Governor Jim Edgar

FOOTNOTE: Just to prove I'm not partisan :)... .a parting word for the courageous Jim Edgar, Republican Governor of Illinois. Jim, despite your own political hand -- and it was a winner -- you've decided to chuck the sad mad world of politics and spend some time with Brenda, your loving wife. Polls showing you could beat Carol Mosley Braun 58-33% must have evinced a whopping sigh of relief from her -- at least for now. Tell me you're not running for President?