The political rumor of the day for Arkansas in 2004, received from an unaffiliated Arkansas Voter:

"Watch for Asa Hutchinson to maybe run for the Senate in '04 against Democratic incumbent Blanche Lincoln. His brother apparently may be considered inelectable because he trailed the Republican Governor by 10%+ in heavily Republican counties while losing big in Democratic south and east Arkansas, showing what some called the "hypocrisy factor" (running on "family values" vs. divorcing his wife of 29 years and marrying his intern (and maybe the impeachment vote all the while, but we're not sure)) cost him dearly with moderates Republicans. Attorney General Pryor is also a religious sort, and he apparently picked up the fallout."

"Governor Huckabee was just reelected to a 4 year term. When Lt. Gov. Huckabee became governor in '7/96 because of the Governor's resignation, he had two tractor trailer loads of "Huckabee for Senate" signs he paid $350K for that had just arrived in Arkansas. [The history: He resigned the Republican Senate nomination to be Governor until the '98 election (which he won). The Republican Party had a convention, and T. Hutchinson resigned his House nomination (as an incumbent) to run for the Senate, which he won. A. Hutchinson was then nominated for the House seat, which he won. He resigned from that to be head of the DEA. That seat has been in Republican hands for over 40 years.]"

"Maybe Huckabee still has the signs, and he has a free shot at Lincoln in '04. The Republican Party will have to decide between Asa and Huckabee. It will be a tough race for Lincoln, I'm afraid."

Imagine the head of the DEA being in the U.S. Senate from 2005-2011 when Bush gets re-elected, since the Democrats can't come up with a viable candidate to beat him"