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As wife June Wood looks on, former Washington County Judge Joseph Wood is sworn in as chairman of the Republican Party of Arkansas by Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice Shawn Womack. Nominated by Governor Sarah Sanders, Joseph Wood has been serving as state Secretary of the Department of Transformation and Shared Services. He was elected party chairman at the state committee meeting August 19 in North Little Rock. In addition to being second vice-chair of...

Washington County Judge Patrick Deakins (right) received the John Paul Hammerschimdt Party Builder Award from the Republican Party of Arkansas August 19 at the state committee meeting in North Little Rock. Congratulating Deakins is RPA outgoing Chairman John Parke. At the last state committee meeting in December, 2022, the party recognized the Washington County Republican Committee as the state’s best committee and the Third Congressional District, under the chairmanship of Washington County’s Susan Gessler, as...

The need for Republicans is to win elections, Republican Congressman Steve Womack of Northwest Arkansas’ Third Congressional District told members of the Washington Country Republican Committee August 15. Yet he acknowledged the problems with voters that members of Congress can face when they attempt to trim the out-of-control federal budget. Rep. Womack indicated the balance between the interests of fiscal responsibility and constituent needs regularly plays out in his office as he is approached by...

The relationship between the Republican Party and blacks and other minorities was the topic at the April 18, 2023 meeting of the Washington County Republican Committee. Presenting their own personal perspectives on the issue were (L to R) Je’Ron Rochon of Nashville, Tennessee, a global supply chain manager for Amazon;  and from Washington County were Kerry Mitchell, a measurement tech for Arkansas Western Gas; Gary McHenry, Ed.D., executive director of the Schmieding Center for Senior...

J. Cody Hiland, who became chair of the Republican Party of Arkansas in December, 2022, spoke to the Washington County Republican Committee March 21, as Committee Chair Brian Lester looked on. Hiland said Republicans have a critical role to play in the future of the nation. "They tell you you are alone," Hiland said. "But we stand with tens of millions" recognizing that "faith, family, and freedom are under attack." He called for unity in...