Starting to Look Like a Bandwagon

None other than the venerable sage George Arnold, opinion editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s northwest edition, now makes the case for Fayetteville Mayor Dan Coody as the Democratic Party's nominee for Congress. He notes Coody's options and asks, "But is there another race in Dan Coody’s future? ... How does this sound? Dan Coody for Congress. ... Yep, there’s some discussion that Mayor Coody might make a worthy Democratic opponent for John Boozman, the Republican representative from the Third District."

"He’s not talking, so the rest of us must wait a while to see what he’s going to do," said Arnold. "The blogging about a possible congressional run could be nothing more than wishful thinking on the part of his supporters or of Democratic stalwarts. But the mayor could be a formidable candidate. He’s experienced, with a generally good record as mayor of Fayetteville. (Don’t ask about the sewer plant overruns. ) He’s also articulate, and has been getting some notice in presentations around the country in which he’s been talking up Fayetteville for national audiences."

Arnold does not gloss over the difficulty of such a campaign, but he cogently argues, "The mayor would have some things going for him when it comes to national politics, too. We’re still a year away from the 2008 elections. But there’s a general weariness with Republicans. The president’s approval ratings are at historic lows. Republican congressmen are announcing their retirements at a steady clip. A lot can change in 12 months, but 2008 is shaping up as a Democratic year. If Dan Coody is thinking about life beyond the mayor’s office (as his supporters are no doubt reminding him ), a run for Congress by the long-time mayor could make political sense."

That sounds about right.