March Meeting Was Exciting!

New Members Republican Party of Garland County

Tonight was the March meeting of the Garland County Republican Party.  Filing period for membership in the party as well as for public offices concluded at noon today.  This was a historic day with 146 members filing for membership in the local party.  That represents a gain of over 40 members this year.  Finally it has become popular to be considered a Republican in Garland County Arkansas!

The filings for state legislative positions is at a record for Republicans.  This year for positions in the State Legislature there will be 26 Republican legislators who will be unopposed for reelection against 26 Democrats who are unopposed.  There will be 48 races that are opposed with 10 Republican Primaries for positions in the state legislature.  For the state senate there will be 9 unopposed Republicans and 7 unopposed Democrats with 16 opposed senate races in the state.  It appears highly likely that come January ’13 the Republicans will very likely control the state house and possibly the senate for the first time ever!

Republican Candidates for 2012

Candidates for offices in Garland County also had record numbers of filings.  The five offices of County Judge, Clerk, Circuit Clerk, Assessor, and Treasurer, all held by Republicans are unopposed.  Additionally there will be a primary between two Republican Candidates for County Sheriff.  Of the county JP positions, six of the current nine current Republican positions are unopposed.  One will have a Republican primary, but no Democrat opposition, and one has a Democratic opponent.  In two positions the incumbent did not file for reelection. In those one has three Republicans who will be in a primary to face one Democratic challenger in the fall and another has one Republicans who will face a Democratic challenger in the fall.  Of the four constable positions in Garland county, two currently held by Republicans are unopposed, and one has two Republicans who will be in a primary to face a Democratic opponent in the fall.

There are more Republican candidates this year than ever before and more excitement to boot!  Everyone is excited about joining together to turn the whole state red in 2012!

Alan Clark Receives Award

In addition to the other items party chairman Ben Bancroft presented an award to Alan Clark in appreciation of his work for the past year and a half as Chairman of the Republican Party of Garland County and in appreciation of his many years of work for the party.

Twila and James Brown Honored

Pat McCabe called Twila Brown up to be recognized for the work she and her recently deceased husband Jim Brown gave to the party.  He will be remembered with a brick in his name donated to the Veteran’s memorial that will be installed in the Memorial Day celebration May 28th. Thanks so much Twila for all the things you and Jim have contributed to the party over the years.  You were faithful Republicans in Garland County when there almost weren’t any Republicans here in Garland County.

John Cowart

The fourth district congressional candidates spoke to the group tonight for about 10 minutes each.  John Cowart, Beth Anne Rankin, and Tom Cotton each presented their positions as to why they would be the best candidate for the 4th District Congressional race and requested our support.   All were persuasive and showed their enthusiasm for representing the people of Arkansas.

Beth Ann Rankin

Sometimes it is hard to find qualified candidates that the voters can be happy to support.  This is not one of those times.  Each of these individuals brings great qualities to the race and whichever one wins the primary he/she will provide a formidable Republican candidate in the fall.  All are eminently qualified for the position and bring an enthusiasm for the job that is truly infectious.  It is obvious that this will be a lively primary when three such well-qualified candidates are running for the rights to represent Arkansas’ fourth district.  Any one of them would make us proud as a great representative for this district in that vast wasteland that is Washington DC.

Tom Cotton