{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Bobby Tullis | image = Bobby Tullis.jpg | caption = | office = Mayor of Mineral Springs | term_start = January 2015 | term_end = May 15, 2019 | predecessor = W. S. Heatherly | successor = | state_house1 = Arkansas | district1 = 86th | term_start1 = 1983 | term_end1 = 1993 | predecessor1 = | successor1 = Bobby Wood | state_house2 = Arkansas | district2 = 18th | term_start2 = 1979 | term_end2 = 1983 | predecessor2 = Corky Carlton | successor2 = Pat Ellis | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|59|2010|07|29}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = Libertarian (2011–present) | other_party = Democratic (before 2010)<br>Green (2010–2011) | spouse = | children = | alma_mater = }} '''Robert Wayne Tullis''' (born 1950/51) is an American politician of the Libertarian Party. He is a former mayor of Mineral Springs, Arkansas, serving from 2015 to 2019, and a former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, serving from 1979 until 1993.<ref name = "not seek">{{Cite web|url=https://www.swarkansasnews.com/2017/12/mineral-springs-mayor-will-not-seek-re-election/|title=Mineral Springs mayor will not seek re-election|date=13 December 2017}}</ref>
==Biography== Tullis was born to Denzil Tullis and Nina Whitmore Tullis.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.arkansasonline.com/obituaries/2011/apr/14/nina-tullis-2011-04-14/|title=Nina Whitmore Tullis|newspaper=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|date=April 14, 2011|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref> He served in the House from 1979 until 1993 as a Democrat, representing the 86th district, which comprised parts of Howard and Sevier counties.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Historical Report of the Arkansas Secretary of State 2008|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gz-uJNyBFOEC&pg=PA236|year=2009|publisher=University of Arkansas Press|isbn=978-0-615-23214-0|page=236}}</ref> In 1994, Tullis mounted a campaign for Arkansas State Auditor, losing narrowly in the Democratic primary to Gus Wingfield. In 2010, he was the Green Party nominee for Arkansas State Treasurer, losing to Democratic incumbent Martha Shoffner.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://independentpoliticalreport.com/2010/07/former-state-rep-running-for-ar-auditor-as-a-green-launches-campaign-with-controversial-ad/#more-17798|title=Former State Rep. running for AR auditor as a Green launches campaign with controversial ad|author=Levin, Ross|publisher=Independent Political Report|date=July 29, 2010|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2010/07/18/might-shoffner-get-an-opponent|title=Might Shoffner get an opponent?|author=Brantley, Max|newspaper=Arkansas Times|date=July 18, 2010|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref> The same year, Tullis ran for mayor of Mineral Springs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://media.arkansasonline.com/news/documents/2010/08/25/tullis.pdf|title=Bobby Tullis filings|publisher=Arkansas Secretary of State|date=August 25, 2010|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref> While he finished in first place with 46% of the vote, since he did not attain a majority a runoff election was necessary, which he lost.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2010/11/03/win-some-lose-some/|title=Win some, lose some|author=Brantley, Max|newspaper=Arkansas Times|date=November 3, 2010|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref>
In 2012, Tullis ran for Arkansas's 4th congressional district. After initially exploring a run as a Republican and Libertarian, he later endorsed Republican candidate Beth Anne Rankin.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://talkbusiness.net/2011/08/elvis-is-back-in-the-building-and-on-the-political-scene/2415/|title=Elvis Is Back In The Building And On The Political Scene|author=Brock, Roby|newspaper=Talk Business & Politics|publisher=Talk Business|date=August 31, 2011|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://talkbusiness.net/2011/10/fourth-district-gains-more-candidates-cowart-and-tullis/2732/|title=Fourth District Gains More Candidates – Cowart And Tullis|author=Brock, Roby|publisher=Talk Business|date=October 31, 2011|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://talkbusiness.net/2011/12/ross-chief-of-staff-rules-out-fourth-district-run/|title=Ross District Director Rules Out Fourth District Run|author=Brock, Roby|newspaper=Talk Business & Politics|publisher=Talk Business|date=December 12, 2011|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref> Tullis later decided to run as a Libertarian as Rankin failed to win the Republican nomination. He lost to Republican Tom Cotton.
In 2014, Tullis unsuccessfully sought the Libertarian nomination for Treasurer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2014/01/27/am-report-arrest-in-fatal-stabbing-political-announcement|title=AM report: Arrest in fatal stabbing, political announcement|author=Brantley, Max|newspaper=Arkansas Times|date=January 27, 2014|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref> That same year, he was elected mayor of Mineral Springs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lpar.org/elections/current-public-office-holders/|title=Current Public Office Holders|publisher=Libertarian Party of Arkansas|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref> He chose not to seek re-election in 2018.<ref name = "not seek"/>
Tullis was the only Libertarian holding elected office in Arkansas during his time as mayor of Mineral Springs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lp.org/elected-officials-2/|title=Elected Officials|publisher=Libertarian Party of the United States|accessdate=April 18, 2018}}</ref>
On May 15, 2019, Tullis resigned as mayor, citing health issues.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://swarkansasnews.com/2019/05/23/on-doctors-advise-ms-mayor-resign-effective-immediately/|title=On doctor's advise, MS mayor resign, effective immediately|newspaper=Southwest Arkansas News|date=2019-05-23|accessdate=2025-08-26}}</ref>
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin no change | title=Arkansas State Auditor Democratic primary, 1994<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=265806|title=AR Auditor – D Primary 1994|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Gus Wingfield |votes = 166,856 |percentage = 51.8% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Bobby Tullis |votes = 155,018 |percentage = 48.2% }} {{Election box total no change| |votes = 321,874 |percentage = 100% |change = }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title=Arkansas State Treasurer election, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=634051|title=AR Treasurer 2010|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=December 9, 2017}}</ref>}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Martha Shoffner |votes = 479,701 |percentage = 67.5% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change| |party = Green Party of the United States |candidate = Bobby Tullis |votes = 230,594 |percentage = 32.5% }} {{Election box total no change| |votes = 710,495 |percentage = 100% |change = }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = Arkansas's 4th congressional district election, 2012<ref name=autogenerated1>{{Cite web|url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/42843/113233/en/summary.html|title=AR – Election Results|website=results.enr.clarityelections.com}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Tom Cotton | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 154,149 | percentage = 59.5% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Gene Jeffress | party = Democratic Party (United States) | votes = 95,013 | percentage = 36.7% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Bobby Tullis | party = Libertarian Party (United States) | votes = 4,984 | percentage = 1.9% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = J. Joshua Drake | party = Green Party of the United States | votes = 4,807 | percentage = 1.9% }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 258,953 | percentage = 100% }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Portal bar|Arkansas|Biography|Politics|United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tullis, Bobby}} Category:1950s births Category:Arkansas Democrats Category:Arkansas Greens Category:Arkansas Libertarians Category:Candidates in the 1994 United States elections Category:Candidates in the 2010 United States elections Category:Candidates in the 2012 United States elections Category:Libertarian Party (United States) officeholders Category:Mayors of places in Arkansas Category:Members of the Arkansas House of Representatives Category:People from Howard County, Arkansas Category:Living people Category:20th-century members of the Arkansas General Assembly