Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
GOP caucus tags Hendren to lead Senate
Sulphur Springs lawmaker nominated over Hickey
The Arkansas Senate Republican Caucus voted Tuesday to nominate Sen. Jim Hendren of Sulphur Springs over Sen. Jimmy Hickey of Texarkana to be the next president pro tempore, Hendren said Tuesday afternoon.
Some senators and Capitol insiders had been privately speculating that there would be a close vote in the 23-member caucus for the upper chamber’s next leader. But Hendren said he doesn’t know what the vote count was for the post, and the ballots were destroyed.
“We don’t disclose the vote counts,” said Hendren, who now serves as the majority leader.
Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, has been president pro tempore since November 2014. His tenure as the Senate’s leader ends at the start of the 2019 regular legislative session. He succeeded Sen. Michael Lamoureux, R-Russellville, as the leader after
Lamoureux resigned to become Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s chief of staff. Lamoureux is now a lobbyist.
The Senate will formally choose a president pro tempore-elect on the last day of this year’s fiscal session and then vote to confirm him on the first day of the 2019 regular session.
Since the Senate now includes 23 Republicans, nine Democrats and three vacant seats, the caucus’ decision to nominate Hendren as the Senate’s next leader is tantamount to his election for the post.
Hendren has served in the Senate since 2013 and was in the House of Representatives from 1995-2001. He is owner of Hendren Plastics Inc. and his uncle is Hutchinson. He is 54.
Hickey has served in the Senate since 2013 and clashed at times with Hutchinson, particularly on some state contracts. He is in the construction and rental business. He is 51.
Hendren said after Tuesday’s vote, “I appreciate the opportunity to serve in the leadership position.”
He said he wants the Senate to be an institution of which the state can be proud.
Hickey declined to comment about the decision.
“I think it’s best that I don’t comment,” Hickey said.
Senate Democratic leader Keith Ingram of West Memphis said he has the utmost respect for Hendren, who has been involved in every legislative task force meeting during the past several years. Hendren is co-chairman of the Legislature’s tax overhaul task force and previously served as a leader for the Legislature’s health care task force, and the state and public employee health insurance task force.
“Jim is a fine man and will be fair with the minority party,” Ingram said.
During the Senate’s brief meeting in advance of the caucus meeting, Ingram told senators that Dismang has done “an outstanding job in representing the thoughts and opinions, and hearing the points of view of both parties.”
The Senate elects the president pro tempore to represent all 35 senators, but for the past several years it has been the Senate Republican Caucus that selected the nominees for the position, he said.
“I think that’s wrong,” he said. “I think that we should all have a say on who our pro tempore is going to be.”
“I think if we are true to our mission that we try to work across party lines for what is the best for the state of Arkansas, then how can it be possible that one group selects our leader without any input from the other?” Ingram said.
Asked about Ingram’s comments, Hendren noted that he served in the House Republican Caucus when Republicans were in the minority in the House, and he understands Ingram’s frustration.
He said he’s sympathetic to Ingram’s concerns, but the Senate Republican Caucus has chosen to nominate the Senate president pro tempore for the third consecutive time.
In 2013, Republicans gained control of the House and Senate for the first time since Reconstruction. The Democrats previously controlled the chambers.
The caucus also elected Sen. Bart Hester of Cave Springs as its leader to succeed Hendren, and Sen. Scott Flippo of Mountain Home as its whip to succeed Hester, Hendren said. Hester vied with Sen. Terry Rice of Waldron for majority leader, while Flippo competed with Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain Home, for whip.
On the other side of the state Capitol, the House will elect its House speaker-elect at the end of this year’s fiscal session.
Reps. Andy Davis, R-Little Rock, and Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, are hoping to succeed House Speaker Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia, who has served as House speaker since January 2015.