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Two candidates challenge Crawford in 1st Congressional District

Incumbent Republican Congressman Rick Crawford (left), Libertarian Steve Parsons (middle), Rodney Govens (right).
Incumbent Republican Congressman Rick Crawford (left), Libertarian Steve Parsons (middle), Democrat Rodney Govens (right).

Arkansas’ 1st Congressional District has a unique group of candidates vying to represent east Arkansas in Congress.

Incumbent Republican Rep. Rick Crawford is running against a Democrat and a Libertarian. Little Rock Public Radio was in talks with Crawford’s office for weeks to do an interview that ultimately never materialized. The station sent him the same list of questions we asked the other two candidates.

Crawford has been in his job since 2011. He is a Tea Party conservative, who believes in smaller government, minimal spending and stronger borders. He also serves as chairman of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee.

His two opponents are Rodney Govens, the Democrat, and Steve Parsons, the Libertarian.

Govens works as a court-appointed special advocate, meaning he helps represent kids in the foster care system. He was also in foster care as a child.

Govens and Crawford both share the fact that they joined the military at very young ages. Govens joined the Army right out of high school and deployed to Iraq in 2003 when he was 18. He said, during the war, he saw a lot of tragedy and carnage. He met with many children whose parents died after the United States invaded Iraq. He said he also lost a lot of friends in the war.

“So that war, who won? You ask the families of the soldiers who committed suicide when they came home, they didn't win," he said. "You ask the children whose parents didn't come home. There are no winners in war.”

As someone who has seen international conflict up close, he was quick to condemn the actions of the terrorist group Hamas on October 7. He also called the treatment of Palestinians a “genocide.”

“Innocent women, innocent children,” he said. “And I don't care what Benjamin Netanyahu says. There are innocent Palestians all over the place.”

In explaining his positions, Govens cited problems Palestinians have accessing food and medical care in Gaza and the West Bank. He didn't like some of the restrictions put on them by the Israeli military.

Govens supports giving military aid to Ukraine. He says the government of Russia is an existential threat and he believes they are violating international law through their invasion of the country.

Libertarian candidate Steve Parsons does not support aid because it goes against his values. Parsons has a very specific reading of the Constitution. He likes its plain language, he likes limited government.

He summed up his personal political philosophy as one all about the right to make your own choices.

“It may well be a mistake if I don't wear a seatbelt, if I smoke marijuana, if I don't contribute to my 401k, if I don't do a good job planning for my retirement. That's on me, but I have the right to do that as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution,” he said.

When it comes to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Parsons has a more non-interventionist view. He says the Constitution does not give the United States the power to be the world's charity or the world police.

“For the last decades, the U.S. has had a tendency to throw money and arms at everything that appears that it might be a problem.”

Parsons has a doctorate in economics and has taught the subject before. He described his reasons for running as wanting to give people more options besides the two parties. He is aware that Republicans have a firm hold on the 1st District, and he even called his chances of winning miniscule.

“If enough people, and it doesn't have to be a huge number, vote for me as a Libertarian, that big government business as usual is no longer acceptable.”

Little Rock Public Radio asked both candidates about the border. Parsons wants to find better ways to meaningfully integrate immigrants into American life and for them to be able to find work. He talked about what he called “demonization” of certain immigrant groups from Latin America who are far less likely than American citizens to commit crimes. He expressed his sympathy for the migrant experience.

“If I am someone who is walking hundreds of miles, I am not going to commit crimes in the United States.”

Parsons has a four-point plan on immigration. It involves eliminating tariffs which he says will help keep jobs in countries with high rates of immigration. He also wants less bureaucracy in the country's immigration process.

Meanwhile, Govens recently traveled to Mexico with other Democratic candidates to check it out for himself. Govens slept in a migrant shelter and met with people who were trying to come to the U.S. He said he was bothered by the drug problem at the border and by how long it takes for people on the border to get a meeting with immigration services. He says he supports more resources for border agents and more immigration judges.

Rep. Crawford voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election; he was the only representative from Arkansas to do so. He also voted against an investigation into the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol, and seemingly both Parsons and Govens disagree with those votes.

Parsons cited a paper written by several conservatives titled “Lost, Not Stolen” which explains how there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud causing former President Donald Trump to lose the last election. He called Crawford’s decision not to certify “unpatriotic.” He mentioned that Crawford was asked if the election was stolen during a debate in 2022 and gave an unclear answer.

“He would not answer the question,” Parsons said.

Govens agrees with that criticism. He called Crawford’s vote against the investigation into January 6 “ridiculous.” He said anyone involved needs to be “held accountable.”

Little Rock Public Radio asked Crawford several times to comment on the January 6 investigation but received no response.

Josie Lenora is the Politics/Government Reporter for Little Rock Public Radio.