Moore Runs For House

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER
Lincoln School Board member Kendra Moore announced Nov. 30 that she will run as the Republican candidate for the new state House District 23 seat, which includes Lincoln, Prairie Grove, West Fork and Greenland.
LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Lincoln School Board member Kendra Moore announced Nov. 30 that she will run as the Republican candidate for the new state House District 23 seat, which includes Lincoln, Prairie Grove, West Fork and Greenland.

LINCOLN -- Lincoln School Board member Kendra Moore has announced her bid to become the first state House member for the new District 23 seat to represent western Washington County.

Moore announced as the Republican primary candidate for District 23 during a campaign launch event held Nov. 30 inside a building she owns on Lincoln Square.

The event was attended by Lincoln school administrators, city representatives, business owners and others from the communities of Lincoln and Prairie Grove.

Members of Lincoln High FFA Chapter served a chicken sandwich lunch for those at the announcement.

The new District 23 includes Lincoln, along with Summers, Cane Hill, Prairie Grove, Greenland and West Fork.

Moore said running for a state elected position was not something even in the back of her mind when she was approached several weeks ago and asked to consider running for the new District 23 seat.

One of her professors from John Brown University approached her with the idea, along with other people, Moore said.

"My immediate response was 'I'm not a politician,'" Moore said at the gathering. "What I meant by that is I'm not someone who has been professionally involved in politics."

However, she said that as she began to listen and prayerfully consider the suggestion, she began to process her love of service and her love of communities.

"I have a deep desire for the success of our communities," she said. "Our communities, the people we do life with every day, are amazing people. I've known their support, love and acceptance my entire life here. The giving nature of our businesses, the support of our school systems, the hard work of farmers and entrepreneurs and the dedication and sacrifices of our police and fire departments, make our communities the best places to raise our families and create legacies."

As she continued to consider the idea, Moore said she began to get excited about being the people's voice at the state level.

Moore, 44, is a lifelong resident of Lincoln, and has served on the Lincoln School Board since 2010. She has served as board president during her time on the board and presently, is secretary/treasurer.

If elected as a state representative, she said she plans to continue on the school board.

According to a news release about her candidacy, Moore is a conservative Republican and will stand firm on several issues, including pro-life, lowering taxes and fighting red tape, supporting parents' rights to oversee their child's education, defending veterans, promoting agriculture and protecting the Second Amendment.

Moore owns and operates Redeemed Construction & Renovation, which primarily focuses on remodeling and building homes in the Lincoln and Prairie Grove areas.

Her company has expanded into commercial development, and she said one goal is the revitalization of Lincoln Square.

Moore said she believes her experience as a school board member and as a business owner would help her as a state legislator.

"I'm excited to take those experiences and help other communities, too," Moore said, adding she believes she can take her experiences she's had at the local level and carry those onto the state level.

Moore graduated from Lincoln High School, has a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Arkansas and a master's degree in business administration from John Brown University.

She and her husband, Josh Moore, have two sons, serve at First Baptist Church in Lincoln and raise beef cattle on their farm in Lincoln.

Moore issued the following statement in her news release about her bid for the House seat:

"I am a Conservative Republican, small business owner, mom and Christian. I am dedicated to supporting conservative values. The people of West Washington County live out the definition of community every day through hard work in agricultural business, small business owners, raising families, and supporting our school systems. It would be my honor to be your representative to fight to continue our freedoms and provide new opportunities for our communities to prosper. "

House members run for two-year terms. Their base salary is $39,399 a year, not including per diem and expenses.

Candidate filing for partisan primaries begins Feb. 22 and ends March 1. Party primaries are set for May 24.

Washington County Justice of the Peace Jim Wilson of Greenland also has announced his Republican primary bid for the new District 23 seat.

  photo  Moore