Hickey elected Arkansas Senate president pro tempore
The state Senate on Thursday elected Sen. Jimmy Hickey, R-Texarkana, over Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, to be the Senate president pro tempore from 2021-2023.
Hickey will succeed Sen. Jim Hendren, R-Sulphur Springs, who has been the Senate president pro tempore since 2019. Hendren is a nephew of Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Hickey has been a critic at times of the Republican governor.
The Gazette was unable to reach Hickey for comment Thursday afternoon.
Texarkana political veteran and former Arkansas House representative Prissy Hickerson said Hickey is the perfect choice.
“No one’s better suited for that type of strong leadership than Jimmy Hickey,” she said. “We’re in good hands. The whole state is in good hands with him there, and he’ll work closely with the governor and all the rest of the senators and House members.”
She said, “He’s the right person for it at this time,” adding the Texarkana region could benefit from his appointment.
“I’m excited for him but excited for what it means for us down here and Southwest Arkansas, also, because with that (position) comes a lot of clout,” she said.
Hester, who is the Senate Republican leader, said he was surprised by the Senate’s decision. The vote was in a secret ballot.
The number of votes each candidate won in the 35-member Senate was not announced.
The 26-member Senate Republican caucus last week selected Hester as the Senate Republican nominee for Senate president pro tempore.
Hickey said last week that he declined to participate in the Senate Republican caucus’ selection of its nominee for Senate president pro tempore because the Senate pro tempore represents all 35 members of the Senate.
The Senate includes nine Democrats.
Both Hester and Hickey have served in the Senate since 2013. Hickey is a former co-chairman of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee.
Hickey represents District 11. He was elected as lawmakers wrapped up a session focused on the state’s budget amid the coronavirus outbreak.