On December 7, the Republican Party of Arkansas (RPA) State Committee votes on officers for two-year terms. The tensions between grassroots voters and the establishment have resulted in a larger slate of hopefuls than the RPA has seen in recent years. Regardless of who the establishment-centric State Committee elects at its winter meeting, it’s hard to ignore that grassroots conservative voters are clamoring for a seat at the RPA table.
For RPA Chairman, incumbent Joseph Wood is challenged on December 7 by Hot Spring County Chairman Mike Schnaekel and Margot Herzl (Searcy County) for the position. Both Schnaekel and Herzl were 2024 State Convention delegates who voted in June for historic changes to the RPA Rules and platform the RPA Executive Committee then determined to be null and void.
Governor Sarah Sanders first appointed Wood to the RPA Chairmanship in August 2023, after Sanders placed the former RPA Chair, Cody Hiland, on the Arkansas Supreme Court after Hiland had served only two months as RPA Chairman.
Sanders had previously appointed Wood to head up her Department of Transformation and Shared Services in December, 2022 after he placed fourth in the May 2022 primary in his failed run for lieutenant governor.
Other RPA Officers
The State Committee also elects a first Vice-Chairman, Second Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer at the December 7 meeting.
- Sharon Wright (Miller County, former AFRW 1st Vice Chair) and Kandi Cox (Saline County, Chair of Saline County Republican Women) are running for the First Vice Chair position.
- John Nabholz (Faulkner County) is the only Second Vice Chair candidate.
- Sharon Stuthard (Benton County, former AFRW President) and Jennifer Hopper (Lonoke County, 2024 State Convention Secretary) are competing for RPA Secretary.
- Incumbent Nelda Speaks (Baxter County, former state Representative 2015-2022) and Michelle Graetz (Izard County) have filed for RPA Treasurer.
Recent Comments