Leslie Rutledge has worked for the RNC and the NRCC. She has worked for Mike Huckabee. She’s a Republican. But a lot of conservative lawyers are skittish about her being the Republican nominee for Attorney General in Arkansas.

Rutledge has, five times, voted in Democratic primaries in Arkansas. She’s running against David Sterling, who never left Arkansas for the greener pastures of the RNC, and who is a committed conservative. And that is where a lot of conservatives have concerns with Rutledge.

Sterling recognizes the importance of having conservative attorneys general around the nation. He wants to make sure the Arkansas AG’s office is well stocked with conservatives. But Rutledge has raised a red flag over having an AG’s office stocked with conservative attorneys. She thinks it would be discrimination. Seriously.

According to Rutledge,

Sterling could open the AG’s office up to accusations of discrimination by saying he was looking for conservative attorneys. “I’m not saying he is looking to break the law, but you open yourself for potential lawsuits or accusations of discrimination if you’re outright saying we’re going to hire conservative attorneys,” she said.

Ah yes, they’d be discriminating if they hired conservatives. Maybe as a creature of the Washington GOP, Ms. Rutledge is used to tying her hands behind her back while the Democrats play for keeps. I’m sure Barack Obama is horrified at the idea of being accused of discrimination for pouring liberals into the Department of Justice.

Then, of course, Rutledge opposes a “stand your ground” law in Arkansas. It is the only state in the south without one and Rutledge’s position on “stand your ground” lines up with Barack Obama’s and Nancy Pelosi’s.

Rutledge is the favorite to win the nomination in Arkansas. A creature of Washington, Washington Republicans are doing what they can for her. But Arkansas Republicans might want to take a second look at David Sterling. He’s in the Christian Legal Society, the Federalist Society, and the NRA. He also wants to build up a conservative Attorney General’s office in Arkansas. Something Ms. Rutledge says would be discrimination.