Primary Election Date: 05/20/2010
General Election Date: 11/04/2008

Who Am I?

Drew Pritt is local political activist. In 2006, he ran for Lt. Governor of Arkansas as a Democrat yet didn't file. However, his abortive candidacy was the first in either major party by an openly-gay individual. In 2007, he ran for Little Rock City School Board, however, vastly outspent he only received a small amount of votes. However, he proudly endorsed and campaigned for the run-off winner, Robert Daugherty. He also started and lead a grassroots lobby group that
helped defeat House Bill # 959, which would have denied adoption rights to same sex couples, in this last legislative agenda. He is currently a senior at U.A.L.R. seeking a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science.

He lives on Fair Park and is an active member of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. He is a member of the Pulaski County Democratic Committee, the Arkansas Democratic Party, Stonewall Democrats, Fair Park Neighborhood Association, the Arkansas Black Democratic Caucus, the Arkansas Hispanic Democratic Caucus, the National Cathedral Association, the Lions Club, and Diamond State Rodeo
Association.

Why Am I Running?

Much of being an effective leader is being able to work with other decision makers in an effort to achieve a result that is best for everyone involved. When all sides agree to come to the table, check partisanship at the door, and work on solutions with the greater good in mind, then Arkansas will be the better for it.

Arkansas needs a responsible, rational approach to harness our clean energy potential. By implementing a Green-Collar Jobs Plan we will be able to tap into our highly skilled workforce to create thousands of Green Collar jobs, which are desperately needed to replace the ones that we have lost. These jobs will reignite our economy and assist to continue to put Arkansas on a solid path of economic growth

Hold Me Accountable!

* Ginger Beebe, Arkansas' First Lady, has placed emphasis on mental health reform. When it comes to mental health, there is nothing equal about access to care or coverage by insurance plans. Combat soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan most commonly face a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. Drew Pritt believes we have a responsibility to these heroes and should:

A.) Acknowledge the problem and properly diagnosing patients.

B.) Improving mental health screening and treatment for combat-related psychological injuries.

C.) Implementing better peer outreach and readjustment counseling for returning combat soldiers and their families.

D.) Recruiting more mental and other health professionals, such as substance abuse counselors, to treat Veterans.

* Drew Pritt believes in developing a cleaner, greener, and stronger economy for Arkansas :

A.) Implement a "Green Boost by working with Governor Mike Beebe and others to create a Green Boost incentive to encourage the further development of a Green Collar Jobs economy. Under the plan, companies eligible for assistance under the tiers program could receive an additional one-time $500 tax credit for any new and long-term Green Collar job created. Businesses that purchase equipment to lessen its environmental impact or energy usage would also be provided with a 3% tax credit.

Increase Funding for Research and

B.) Create a Clean Energy Fund: A clean energy fund will provide the opportunity for a funding stream to achieve our energy, environmental, and economic goals. Research shows that states investing in clean technology and renewable energy are better positioned to receive federal funding and private research dollars. As Lt. Governor, Drew Pritt would work with the Governor and the State Senate to provide $5 million per year from existing incentive programs to create a Clean Energy Fund to invest in innovative clean technology and renewable energy projects.

C.) Modernize Arkansas Net Metering Rules: To encourage the increased use of alternative energy sources - like solar or wind power - Lt. Governor Drew Pritt would work with the Arkansas State Sentate enhance the state net metering guidelines. Under this plan, those that generate more power than required to operate their homes or businesses and add energy to the power grid would have their utility bills reduced. This move could create additional jobs as the demand for green technologies increase.

* Equality before the law is a basic American value articulated in our constitution. Unfortunately, America has fallen short of this ideal throughout our history of slavery, segregation and discrimination. The unfair treatment of Americans continues to this day and I support the following to make our American promise our American reality:

A.) Nondiscrimination At Work: Every day, millions of working people have no legal protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity and can be denied employment for reasons unrelated to their level of skills or abilities for a particular job. In a society that values diversity and treating all people with respect, as a gay man I find this unacceptable and that is why I support federal legislation that would prohibit discrimination in employment practices because of a person’s sexual orientation or gender identify. This is not only about workers’ rights – it’s about human rights and human dignity. I believe in tolerance and understanding and strongly oppose employment discrimination on the basis of race, age, disability, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation.

B.) Marriage Equality: Millions of Americans can’t enjoy the legal protections of marriage because of their orientation. I believe that two committed adults of the same sex should be able to enjoy full marriage rights in the United States and that no federal, state, or local jurisdiction should be able to deny any of the benefits of the marriage to same-sex couples. The statewide ban on marriages should be repealed.

C.) Equal Rights Amendment: The fight for equality for women is far from over and that is why I support the Equal Rights Amendment to our federal constitution. I strongly believe that all Americans should have dignity, respect, and full equality on the job and oppose discrimination of any kind and support the ERA.

D.) Human Rights Advocacy: America should not only be an example of human rights, it should also be a champion worldwide by rewarding countries that practice the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and taking the lead to stop genocide.

My DFA values:

I support a woman's right to choose, GLBT Rights, oppose racial profiling, and believe strongly in conservationist policies when considering economic benefit. However, I oppose deficit spending and believe programs should be one that will economically benefit the community.

My Campaign is People-Powered!

I believe I can serve as a catalyst for positive social change by leveraging grassroots coalitions of citizens and economic and social principles which offer more equality for everyone. Also, the Internet is becoming an effective means for the campaign to directly communicate its messages to the voting public without the interference or the filter that comes from reporters, editors, and commentators. With support from the grassroots, I can overcome an opponent who bought himself the office.