CLUB FOR GROWTH ANNOUNCES ARKANSAS DEFENDER OF ECONOMIC FREEDOM AWARDS

Joe Kildea  |   May 28, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Club for Growth today announced a Defender of Economic Freedom award for 1 Arkansas State legislator — a House member — whose voting record distinguished him as a champion of economic liberty for his high score on the new Club for Growth Foundation 2019 Arkansas State Legislative Scorecard.

Elected officials who, on the Foundation’s scorecard, score 90% or better in a given calendar year and maintain lifetime scores of 90% or better are recognized by the Club for Growth as Defenders of Economic Freedom. In Arkansas, Representative Austin McCollum was named a Defender of Economic Freedom scoring 95% this calendar year and holding a lifetime score of 95%. Representative McCollum was also the highest rated Republican.

“The Foundation’s Congressional Scorecard is already the gold-standard in publishing the voting records of Senators and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives on economic legislation, and the State Legislative Scorecards help educate citizens about which elected officials are champions of pro-growth policies at the state level.” said Club for Growth President David McIntosh. “The Foundation looked at a number of important free market votes in the Arkansas legislature on issues including taxes, subsidies, regulations, licensing, and tort reform.”

Key Takeaways on Arkansas’s 2019 Scorecard:

Arkansas Senate

  • Average Republican Score: 38%
  • Average Democrat Score: 19%
  • Highest Rated Republican: Sen. Trent Garner, 69%
  • Lowest Rated Republican: Sen. Mathew Pitsch, 21%
  • Highest Rated Democrat: Sen. Bruce Maloch, 35%
  • Lowest Rated Democrat: Sen. Will Bond, 8%

Arkansas House

  • Average Republican Score: 47%
  • Average Democrat Score: 27%
  • Highest Rated Republican: Rep. Austin McCollum, 95%
  • Lowest Rated Republican: Rep. Laurie Rushing, 15%
  • Highest Rated Democrat: Rep. John Walker, 45%
  • Lowest Rated Democrat: Rep. Nicole Clowney, 15%

The Club for Growth Foundation’s Arkansas legislative scorecard is similar to scorecards that the Foundation previously has released for Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, Iowa, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia as part of its new state legislative vote study initiative. The Club for Growth Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization focused on educating the public about the value of free markets, pro-growth policies, and economic prosperity.