Arkansas Business

Above, my 6 p.m. hit on THV 11 News, alongside anchor Craig O'Neill and state Rep. Ed Garner, R-Maumelle.

The topic: yesterday's historic day at the state Capitol, in which "young-ish" Cabot Republican Davy Carter swooped in with the help of Democrats to beat Rep. Terry Rice, R-Waldron, in a 52-45 vote for House speaker-elect. 

Also: an exchange on the governor's budget and the coming fight over the Medicaid expansion in Arkansas under the Affordable Care Act. As noted here and elsewhere, Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe has linked the looming Medicaid shortfall to the Medicaid expansion, setting a political trap for Republicans who risk cutting between 10,000 and 15,000 seniors from nursing home service.

AETN host Steve Barnes asked Beebe about that political strategy on last night's "Arkansans Ask: Gov. Mike Beebe" -- specifically, how Beebe had put the GOP "behind the 8-ball" with his approach to Medicaid. Beebe said his budget would have looked the same regardless of whether Republicans were in control of the Legislature.