# Republican Party of Arkansas

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Republican_Party_of_Arkansas
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Republican_Party_of_Arkansas.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_of_Arkansas
> Source revision: 1352385289
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Arkansas affiliate of the Republican Party

Republican Party of Arkansas Abbreviation RPA Chairperson Joseph K. Wood Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Lieutenant Governor Leslie Rutledge Senate President pro tempore Bart Hester House Speaker Brian S. Evans Founded April 2, 1867 (159 years ago) (1867-04-02) Headquarters 1201 West 6th Street, Little Rock, Arkansas Membership (June 2021) 117,277[1] Ideology Conservatism National affiliation Republican Party State House 80 / 100 State Senate 29 / 35 Statewide Executive Offices 7 / 7 U.S. House of Representatives 4 / 4 U.S. Senate 2 / 2 Election symbol Website arkansasgop.org Politics of Arkansas Elections

The **Republican Party of Arkansas** (**RPA**), headquartered at 1201 West 6th Street in downtown [Little Rock](/source/Little_Rock%2C_Arkansas), is the affiliate of the [Republican Party](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) in [Arkansas](/source/Arkansas). It is currently the dominant party in the state, controlling all four of Arkansas' [U.S. House](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) seats, both [U.S. Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) seats, all statewide executive offices, including the [governorship](/source/Governor_of_Arkansas), and supermajorities in both houses of the [state legislature](/source/Arkansas_General_Assembly).

The Republican Party of Arkansas was founded on April 2, 1867, by "the leading [Union](/source/Union_(American_Civil_War)) men" of Arkansas.[2] Under [Powell Clayton](/source/Powell_Clayton), it played a preeminent role in politics at the height of [Reconstruction](/source/Reconstruction_era) in the state (1864–1874).[3] The party chairman is Joseph K. Wood, and the current executive director is Drew Martin.[4]

## History

Powell Clayton, 9th Governor of Arkansas (1868–1871) and the first Republican to hold the office

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP (Grand Old Party), is the second oldest currently existing political party in the [United States](/source/United_States) after its older rival, the [Democratic Party](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)). Both parties exist in all fifty states. Historically, prior to the late 20th century, the Republican Party was much weaker than the Democratic Party in the former states of the old [Confederacy](/source/Confederate_States_of_America), including [Arkansas](/source/Arkansas_in_the_American_Civil_War).

The Arkansas party did not hire its first paid executive director until 1970, when businessman Neal Sox Johnson, then of [Nashville, Arkansas](/source/Nashville%2C_Arkansas), assumed the position in the last year of [Winthrop Rockefeller](/source/Winthrop_Rockefeller)'s second term as [governor of Arkansas](/source/Governor_of_Arkansas). Johnson held the position until early in 1973, when he left Arkansas to take a position with the former [Farmers Home Administration](/source/Farmers_Home_Administration) in [Washington](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.).[5]

Between 2010 and 2014, similar to what took place in neighboring Oklahoma, Arkansas Republicans won all four U.S. House seats, both U.S. Senate seats, all of the statewide offices, and supermajority control of both chambers of the [General Assembly](/source/Arkansas_General_Assembly).

## Associated groups

There are six groups and these groups are: Arkansas Diversity Alliances Coalition, African American Coalition of Arkansas, Arkansas African American Trailblazers, Arkansas Federation of College Republicans, Arkansas Federation of Young Republicans, Arkansas Federation of Republican Women, and the Arkansas Federation of Teenage Republicans. The Tusk Club is another arm of the Arkansas Republican Party.

## Republican governors

As of 2023, there have been a total of eight Republican governors.

# Governor Photo County Start date End date Time in office 9 Powell Clayton (1833–1914) Jefferson July 2, 1868 March 17, 1871[a] 2 years, 258 days — Ozra Amander Hadley (1826–1915) Pulaski March 17, 1871 January 6, 1873 1 year, 295 days[b] 10 Elisha Baxter (1827–1899) Independence January 6, 1873 November 12, 1874 1 year, 310 days 37 Winthrop Rockefeller (1912–1973) Conway January 10, 1967 January 12, 1971 4 years, 2 days 41 Frank D. White (1933–2003) Pulaski January 19, 1981 January 11, 1983 1 year, 357 days 44 Mike Huckabee (born 1955) Hempstead July 15, 1996 January 9, 2007 10 years, 359 days 46 Asa Hutchinson (born 1950) Benton January 13, 2015 January 10, 2023 7 years, 362 days 47 Sarah Huckabee Sanders (born 1982) Hempstead January 10, 2023 Incumbent 3 years, 174 days

## Current elected officials

The Arkansas Republican Party controls all of the state's seven statewide offices. Republicans also hold both of the state's U.S. Senate seats and all four of the state's U.S. House seats.

### Members of Congress

#### U.S. Senate

Republicans have controlled both of Arkansas's seats in the [U.S. Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) since [2015](/source/2014_United_States_Senate_elections):

		- Junior U.S. Senator [Tom Cotton](/source/Tom_Cotton)

		- Senior U.S. Senator [John Boozman](/source/John_Boozman)

#### U.S. House of Representatives

Out of the four seats Arkansas is apportioned in the [U.S. House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives), all four are held by Republicans:

District Member Photo 1st Rick Crawford 2nd French Hill 3rd Steve Womack 4th Bruce Westerman

### Statewide offices

Republicans control all seven of the elected statewide constitutional offices:

		- [Governor](/source/Governor_of_Arkansas) [Sarah Huckabee Sanders](/source/Sarah_Huckabee_Sanders)

		- [Lieutenant Governor](/source/Lieutenant_Governor_of_Arkansas) [Leslie Rutledge](/source/Leslie_Rutledge)

		- [Attorney General](/source/Arkansas_Attorney_General) [Tim Griffin](/source/Tim_Griffin)

- [Secretary of State](/source/Secretary_of_State_of_Arkansas): **[Cole Jester](/source/Cole_Jester)**

- [State Auditor](/source/Arkansas_State_Auditor): **[Dennis Milligan](/source/Dennis_Milligan)**

- [State Treasurer](/source/Arkansas_State_Treasurer): **[John Thurston](/source/John_Thurston_(politician))**

- [Commissioner of State Lands](/source/Arkansas_Commissioner_of_State_Lands): **[Tommy Land](/source/Tommy_Land)**

### State legislative leaders

- [Senate President Pro Tempore](/source/Arkansas_Senate): **[Bart Hester](/source/Bart_Hester)** - Senate Majority Leader: **[Blake Johnson](/source/Blake_Johnson)**

- [Speaker of the House](/source/Arkansas_House_of_Representatives): **[Brian S. Evans](/source/Brian_S._Evans)** - Speaker Pro Tempore: **[Jon Eubanks](/source/Jon_Eubanks)** - House Majority Leader: **[Howard Beaty](/source/Howard_M._Beaty_Jr.)**

## List of chairmen

This is a list of chairmen of the Republican Party of Arkansas:[6]

- 1932–1955: [Osro Cobb](/source/Osro_Cobb)

- 1955–1962: [Ben C. Henley](/source/Ben_C._Henley)

- 1962–1964: [William L. Spicer](/source/William_L._Spicer)

- 1964–1966: [John P. Hammerschmidt](/source/John_Paul_Hammerschmidt)

- 1966–1970: [Odell Pollard](/source/Odell_Pollard)

- 1970–1972: [Charles T. Bernard](/source/Charles_T._Bernard)

- 1972–1974: [Jim Caldwell](/source/Jim_Caldwell_(Arkansas_politician))

- 1974–1980: [A. Lynn Lowe](/source/Lynn_Lowe)

- 1980: Jeraldine D. Pruden ([interim](/source/Interim_management))

- 1980–1982: Harlan Holleman

- 1982: Bob Cohee (interim)

- 1982–1983: [Morris S. Arnold](/source/Morris_S._Arnold)

- 1983–1984: Bob Leslie

- 1984–1985: William Kelly

- 1985: [Sharon Trusty](/source/Sharon_Trusty) (interim)

- 1985–1986: Len E. Blaylock

- 1986–1988: [Ed Bethune](/source/Ed_Bethune)

- 1988–1990: Dr. Ken Coon (Also serving as Executive Director)

- 1991–1992: [Asa Hutchinson](/source/Asa_Hutchinson) (co-chairman)

- 1991–1992: [Sheffield Nelson](/source/Sheffield_Nelson) (co-chairman)

- 1992–1995: Asa Hutchinson

- 1995–2002: Lloyd Vance Stone Jr.

- 2002–2003: [John P. Hammerschmidt](/source/John_Paul_Hammerschmidt)

- 2003–2004: [Winthrop P. Rockefeller](/source/Winthrop_Paul_Rockefeller)

- 2004–2007: [Gilbert Baker](/source/Gilbert_Baker_(politician))

- 2007–2008: [Dennis Milligan](/source/Dennis_Milligan)

- 2008–2020: [Doyle Webb](/source/Doyle_Webb)

- 2020–2022: Jonelle Fulmer

- 2022–2023: [Cody Hiland](/source/J._Cody_Hiland)

- 2023: John Parke

- 2023–present: [Joseph Wood](/source/Joseph_K._Wood)

## Electoral history

### Gubernatorial

Arkansas Republican Party gubernatorial election results Election Gubernatorial candidate Votes Vote % Result 1994 Sheffield Nelson 287,904 40.16% Lost N 1998 Mike Huckabee 421,989 59.77% Won Y 2002 Mike Huckabee 427,082 53.02% Won Y 2006 Asa Hutchinson 315,040 40.67% Lost N 2010 Jim Keet 262,784 33.63% Lost N 2014 Asa Hutchinson 470,429 55.44% Won Y 2018 Asa Hutchinson 582,406 65.33% Won Y 2022 Sarah Huckabee Sanders 571,105 62.96% Won Y

## See also

- [Democratic Party of Arkansas](/source/Democratic_Party_of_Arkansas)

- [Political party strength in Arkansas](/source/Political_party_strength_in_Arkansas)

## References

### Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-died_6-0)** Resigned.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** President of the Senate acting as Governor.

### Citations

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["VR Statistics Report for June 2021"](https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/uploads/VR_Statistics_Report_for_June_2021.pdf) (PDF). Retrieved June 9, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Clayton, Powell](/source/Powell_Clayton) (1915). [*The Aftermath of the Civil War, in Arkansas*](https://archive.org/details/aftermathofcivil00clay/page/36/). New York: The Neale Publishing Company. pp. 35–37. [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [15004463](https://lccn.loc.gov/15004463). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [3508506](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/3508506). [OL](/source/OL_(identifier)) [6574262M](https://openlibrary.org/books/OL6574262M) – via [Internet Archive](/source/Internet_Archive). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Barth, Jay (September 19, 2017). ["Republican Party"](https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/republican-party-594/). *[Encyclopedia of Arkansas](/source/Encyclopedia_of_Arkansas)*. Little Rock, Arkansas: [CALS](/source/Central_Arkansas_Library_System). 594. Retrieved October 18, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Dhooge, Payton (June 3, 2025). ["Arkansas GOP appoints Drew Martin as new executive director"](https://katv.com/news/local/arkansas-gop-appoints-drew-martin-as-new-executive-director-martin-has-previously-worked-as-the-arkansas-political-director-and-campaign-manager-for-congressman-french-hill-and-has-been-actively-involved-with-several-republican-grassroots-organizations). *KATV*. Retrieved December 26, 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** *Arkansas Outlook*, Arkansas Republican Party newsletter, February 1973

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Coon, Ken, Dr. Heroes and Heroines of the Journey: The Builders of the Modern Republican Party of Arkansas. Self-published, isbn 0692795146. Print.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Arkansas Republican Party](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Arkansas_Republican_Party).

- [Official website](https://www.arkansasgop.org/)

- [Republican Party of Arkansas](https://ballotpedia.org/Republican_Party_of_Arkansas) at [Ballotpedia](/source/Ballotpedia)

v t e Republican Party History National Union Party Third Party System Fourth Party System Fifth Party System Sixth Party System Positions National conventions, presidential tickets, and presidential primaries 1856 (Philadelphia): Frémont/Dayton 1860 (Chicago): Lincoln/Hamlin 1864 (Baltimore): Lincoln/Johnson 1868 (Chicago): Grant/Colfax 1872 (Philadelphia): Grant/Wilson 1876 (Cincinnati): Hayes/Wheeler 1880 (Chicago): Garfield/Arthur 1884 (Chicago): Blaine/Logan 1888 (Chicago): Harrison/Morton 1892 (Minneapolis): Harrison/Reid 1896 (Saint Louis): McKinley/Hobart 1900 (Philadelphia): McKinley/Roosevelt 1904 (Chicago): Roosevelt/Fairbanks 1908 (Chicago): Taft/Sherman 1912 (Chicago): Taft/Sherman/Butler primaries 1916 (Chicago): Hughes/Fairbanks primaries 1920 (Chicago): Harding/Coolidge primaries 1924 (Cleveland): Coolidge/Dawes primaries 1928 (Kansas City): Hoover/Curtis primaries 1932 (Chicago): Hoover/Curtis primaries 1936 (Cleveland): Landon/Knox primaries 1940 (Philadelphia): Willkie/McNary primaries 1944 (Chicago): Dewey/Bricker primaries 1948 (Philadelphia): Dewey/Warren primaries 1952 (Chicago): Eisenhower/Nixon primaries 1956 (San Francisco): Eisenhower/Nixon primaries 1960 (Chicago): Nixon/Lodge primaries 1964 (San Francisco): Goldwater/Miller primaries 1968 (Miami Beach): Nixon/Agnew primaries 1972 (Miami Beach): Nixon/Agnew primaries 1976 (Kansas City): Ford/Dole primaries 1980 (Detroit): Reagan/G. H. W. Bush primaries 1984 (Dallas): Reagan/G. H. W. Bush primaries 1988 (New Orleans): G. H. W. Bush/Quayle primaries 1992 (Houston): G. H. W. Bush/Quayle primaries 1996 (San Diego): Dole/Kemp primaries 2000 (Philadelphia): G. W. Bush/Cheney primaries 2004 (New York): G. W. Bush/Cheney primaries 2008 (St. Paul): McCain/Palin primaries 2012 (Tampa): Romney/Ryan primaries 2016 (Cleveland): Trump/Pence primaries 2020 (Charlotte/other locations): Trump/Pence primaries 2024 (Milwaukee): Trump/Vance primaries 2028 (Houston) Presidential administrations Lincoln (1861–1865) Grant (1869–1877) Hayes (1877–1881) Garfield (1881) Arthur (1881–1885) Harrison (1889–1893) McKinley (1897–1901) Roosevelt (1901–1909) Taft (1909–1913) Harding (1921–1923) Coolidge (1923–1929) Hoover (1929–1933) Eisenhower (1953–1961) Nixon (1969–1974) Ford (1974–1977) Reagan (1981–1989) G. H. W. Bush (1989–1993) G. W. Bush (2001–2009) Trump (2017–2021; 2025–present) U.S. House leaders, Speakers, and Conference chairs Pennington (1860–1861) Grow (1861–1863) Colfax (1863–1869) Pomeroy (1869) Blaine (1869–1875) McCrary (1875–1877) Hale (1877–1879) Frye (1879–1881) Keifer (1881–1883) Cannon (1883–1889) Reed (1889–1891) T. J. Henderson (1891–1895) Reed (1895–1899) D. B. Henderson (1899–1903) Cannon (1903–1911) Mann (1911–1919) Gillett (1919–1925) Longworth (1925–1931) Snell (1931–1939) Martin (1939–1959) Halleck (1959–1965) Ford (1965–1973) Rhodes (1973–1981) Michel (1981–1995) Gingrich (1995–1999) Hastert (1999–2007) Boehner (2007–2015) Ryan (2015–2019) McCarthy (2019–2023) Johnson (2023–present) U.S. Senate leaders and Conference chairs J. P. Hale (1859–1862) Anthony (1862–1884) Sherman (1884–1885) Edmunds (1885–1891) Sherman (1891–1897) Allison (1897–1908) E. Hale (1908–1911) Cullom (1911–1913) Gallinger (1913–1918) Lodge (1918–1924) Curtis (1924–1929) Watson (1929–1933) McNary (1933–1940) Austin (1940–1941) McNary (1941–1944) White (1944–1949) Wherry (1949–1952) Bridges (1952–1953) Taft (1953) Knowland (1953–1959) Dirksen (1959–1969) Scott (1969–1977) Baker (1977–1979) Stevens (1979–1980) Baker (1980–1985) Dole (1985–1996) Lott (1996–2003) Frist (2003–2007) McConnell (2007–2025) Thune (2025–present) RNC Chairs Morgan Raymond Ward Claflin Morgan Chandler Cameron Jewell Sabin Jones Quay Clarkson Campbell Carter Hanna Payne Cortelyou New Hitchcock Hill Rosewater Hilles Wilcox Hays Adams Butler Work Huston Fess Sanders Fletcher Hamilton Martin Walsh Spangler Brownell Reece Scott Gabrielson Summerfield Roberts Hall Alcorn T. Morton Miller Burch Bliss R. Morton Dole Bush Smith Brock Richards Laxalt/Fahrenkopf Fahrenkopf Atwater Yeutter Bond Barbour Nicholson Gilmore Racicot Gillespie Mehlman Martínez/Duncan Duncan Steele Priebus McDaniel Whatley Gruters Chair elections 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2023 2024 Parties by state and territory State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Territory American Samoa District of Columbia Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico Virgin Islands Affiliated organizations Congress House Conference Legislative Digest Steering and Policy Committees Senate Conference Policy Committee Factions Freedom Caucus Problem Solvers Caucus Republican Governance Group Republican Study Committee Campaign committees National Republican Congressional Committee National Republican Redistricting Trust National Republican Senatorial Committee Republican Attorneys General Association Republican Governors Association Constituency groups College Republicans Chairmen Congressional Hispanic Conference Log Cabin Republicans National Black Republican Association Republican Hindu Coalition Republican Jewish Coalition Republican Muslim Coalition Republican National Hispanic Assembly Republicans Abroad Teen Age Republicans Young Republicans of Texas Republicans Overseas Factional groups Republican Main Street Partnership Republican Majority for Choice Republican Liberty Caucus Republican National Coalition for Life ConservAmerica Liberty Caucus Ripon Society The Wish List Arizona Freedom Caucus Georgia Freedom Caucus Idaho Freedom Caucus Illinois Freedom Caucus Louisiana Freedom Caucus Missouri Freedom Caucus Montana Freedom Caucus Oklahoma Freedom Caucus Pennsylvania Freedom Caucus South Carolina Freedom Caucus South Dakota Freedom Caucus Wyoming Freedom Caucus Related Primaries Debates Bibliography International Democracy Union Three Legged Stool Timeline of modern American conservatism Trumpism

[Portals](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents/Portals):
- [Conservatism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Conservatism)
- [Politics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Politics)
- [United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:United_States)

Authority control databases International VIAF Other SNAC Yale LUX

[34°44′41.1″N 92°17′04.7″W / 34.744750°N 92.284639°W / 34.744750; -92.284639](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Republican_Party_of_Arkansas&params=34_44_41.1_N_92_17_04.7_W_region:US-AR_type:adm1st_scale:3000000)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Republican Party of Arkansas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_of_Arkansas) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_of_Arkansas?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.