LITTLE ROCK, AR – People across the country are mourning the death of CNN political commentator Alice Stewart.
Stewart died suddenly Saturday morning at the age of 58, officials said.
For many Arkansans, they first heard of her decades ago as a reporter and anchor for KARK 4 News.
While at the station, she worked alongside Bob Clausen and they were both reporters and began moving into the anchor position.
“She made everyone better,” Clausen said. “It was one of those things. If you don’t try to speed up and run with her, she’ll run away. That’s her legacy in a way.”
Clausen added that during their time as reporters, Stewart was very competitive and competed with him as a professional journalist. At the same time, he remembers Stewart’s humor and outgoing personality as a light in the newsroom. Clausen said he is a better person today, both professionally and personally, because of Stewart’s life and faith.
Mr. Stewart eventually left KARK to work in Gov. Mike Huckabee’s administration, serving as director of communications. She later played a key role as a spokesperson in the 2008 and 2016 presidential campaigns.
She joined CNN in 2016 as a political commentator ahead of that year’s presidential election. Since then, she has continued to appear on the air, and most recently she was giving insight on political news on “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer” on Friday nights.
Although she was known to many for her success in public life, she was also active in the running world, both in Arkansas and around the world.
“I think the thing that always stood out about Alice was that she was always such a kind and warm person with people,” Rock City Running owner Bill Torrey told KARK. “She was always encouraging people to run.”
That encouragement was shared with her boss, a former governor and presidential candidate.
In a statement, Gov. Huckabee said in part that the news of Stewart’s death was “very humbling.”
“Our entire family was shocked to hear of Alice Stewart’s untimely death. She served as communications director in the Governor’s Office and worked on my presidential campaign in 2008. I knew her well when she worked as an anchor for KARK-TV Channel 4. She was an avid runner and marathoner, and she followed me while training for the 2005 Little Rock Marathon. She kept writing features about my training and running marathons, which was a first for me, when a public relations position opened up later that year. She joined the team and became a great member of our team. When I left office in 2007 and then started my presidential campaign, she was one of my first hires. The news of his death was deeply saddening for me personally and for my family.”
Stewart’s body was found outside his home in Northern Virginia early Saturday morning, according to reports.
Limited details have been released, but foul play is not suspected and officers believe there was a medical emergency.
