The media the past week has contained both the happy/sad and the good/bad news as the first wave of those casting themselves off the ballot in the 2022-2023 legislature lines up on the November ballots in Arkansas.
The public has already seen some of these officeholders jump to a prospective new seat.
This week contained a mix of those not seeking re-election, for various reasons, that has left us with a mix of emotions and political realities of their cumulative service in the legislature.
Those announced departures, like the king of fiscal stoutness in the legislature, state Rep. Joe Jett of Success, leave observers with a sense of uneasiness even with a record surplus of funds in the Arkansas treasury.
Jett, who just turned 63, said it was "time to come back home and treasure his grandchildren." No doubt he was tired after five terms of the legislature, most being chair of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee, Joint Budget Committee and Joint Performance Review Committee.
Jett has been a real workhorse for the Arkansas public. He will be missed and has no plans on taking a state job, as many do, to pad his retirement.
Conversely, the announcement (finally) came to public light of state Sen. Trent Garner of El Dorado leaving the Senate. His terse admission came with both sighs of relief and barely audibly whispered "Thank you, Jesus," from many politicians, several in the Upper Chamber of the Arkansas Senate.
At best, Garner was a firebrand, often unsure of whom he was defending with his unorthodox and ribald defense of 'his' constituents.
As many political observers had guessed, he did not go quietly with an announcement he was leaving the legislature. He lined up his father-in-law, a Camden businessman, to succeed him. And sadly, as all fire-and-brimstone conservatives say, he needed to make more money.
The state of Arkansas, it seems, didn't pay him what he felt he was worth. I won't miss Garner's slash-and-burn policy on those who disagree with his wanton political rant of the moment. His discourtesy toward others in the Upper Chamber is legendary and won't be forgotten soon. I can only hope Arkansas voters will hold Garner to his pledge "to stay home and make more money" for his family. I fear he will lurk in the shadows of the Senate doorways for some political action committee or public relations firm for the money.
Northwest Arkansas voters are just about two weeks away (February 8) from electing a replacement for former state Senator Lance Eads of Springdale for state Senate District 7. Eads, who had been a moderate and a conservative, ran with the pack in the Upper House. He was, I feel, conflicted when the right wing began its monkeyshines on the public. His early exit may have been cloaked in a sense of ethics. I feel, in all honesty, Lance Eads was just tired of all the Trent Garners and Jason Raperts of the Upper Chamber.
Also, NWA has had quite a "you are going to miss me tour," staged by exiting state Senator Jim Hendren of Sulphur Springs. Hendren, after four years as President Pro Tempore in the Senate, left the Upper Chamber to help start a new political party and way of political thinking in Arkansas – Common Ground Arkansas.
Another House member who will be missed by the saner members is House Majority leader Rep. Ken Bragg of Sheridan. He too has fought off the House members who wanted disruption, contrived unconstitutional laws and sought to subvert Gov. Asa Hutchinson's agenda.
Locally, state Rep. Megan Godfrey of Springdale, who felt the redistricting left her central Springdale House District cut in half, decided not to seek re-election. A two-term House member, who is fluent in Spanish, Godfrey felt betrayed by the current administration when the lines were drawn to allegedly produce a Hispanic heavy district. The end result was not a Hispanic heavy district.
The legislative chairs are being rearranged as the fiscal session begins. The May Primary and November's General Election will set the final stage of those who will serve in Little Rock.
Maylon Rice is a former journalist who worked for several northwest Arkansas publications. He can be reached via email at [email protected]. The opinions expressed are those of the author.