What to know about Northwest Arkansas' U.S. House candidates

• The area covers all of Northwest Arkansas and extends south of Fort Smith.

The big picture: Axios spoke with Womack and Draper about three key national policy issues often mentioned by voters as being important during this election — health care, the economy and immigration.

• Libertarian candidate Bobby Wilson of Bentonville did not return requests for an interview.

Caitlin Draper

Caitlin Draper is a clinical social worker who specializes in adults on the autism spectrum and those with eating disorders. She cites seeing the direct impact laws can have on her clients, many of whom are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, as a reason for running.

• "I can help with therapy … and I can give you coping skills, but I cannot change the oppressive policies of our government without running for office," she told Axios.

On health care: Draper, who is receiving IVF therapy and had a miscarriage earlier this year, said reinstating Roe v. Wade and focusing on affordable health care are priorities.

• Locally, she sees recruiting talent and building NWA's medical infrastructure as important.

On the economy: Both the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law by President Biden in 2022 and 2021 include good pieces of legislation that have benefitted NWA, Draper said.

• But more needs to be done to bring more manufacturing jobs to the area and to address the housing affordability crisis facing many of the district's constituents.

On immigration: "Make no mistake, what's happening at the border is a crisis. … There are people coming in, border towns are overwhelmed. … This is an issue of national security, and we have to fix it," Draper said.

• Draper would have supported the bipartisan border security package sponsored by Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford earlier this year, even though she didn't see it as being "humanitarian enough."

Steve Womack

National and global security, the country's fiscal condition and issues relevant are focus areas for Womack.

• "[I] love my country, feel like I have something to offer my country, and now that I have been elevated in the Appropriations Committee to that of a subcommittee chairman. … I'm in a remarkable position to help my district, help my state and help my nation," he said.

On health care: In his appropriations role, Womack prioritizes investments in biomedical research to achieve long-term health care accessibility and affordability, he said.

• Womack is focused on advancing his bill in the House, which he says would help veterans in rural areas retain telemedicine services.

On the economy: Womack believes "targeted, narrow, and purposeful funding, free of wasteful spending and government overreach" is the road to improving the economy.

• He said discretionary spending isn't the economy's boogeyman, but mandatory spending — which includes Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and interest — is.
• Womack said he's focused on trying to slow spending while still making investments on projects like infrastructure that will have real impacts on NWA.

On immigration: Womack thinks of the border issue tactically in terms of preventing people from entering the U.S. with physical barriers, surveillance and more border patrol.

• He also believes revisions to immigration law making it possible for people to come to the U.S. under legal circumstances are needed.
• Womack says he would not have supported the bipartisan border security package because it allowed an acceptable number of illegal crossings before triggering certain actions.

What's next: Election Day is next Tuesday, Nov. 5.