Political newcomer Tyler Dees of Siloam Springs faces two-term state Rep. Gayla McKenzie, R-Gravette, in a June 21 runoff for the Arkansas Senate.
Dees led the May 24 Republican primary for District 35 in western Benton and Washington counties. Dees garnered 46% of the vote to McKenzie's 34%.
Candidate Jeff Tennant of Gentry, who received the remainder, confirmed Tuesday he is endorsing Dees. State law requires a runoff between the two leading candidates if no candidate gains a clear majority -- 50% plus one or more -- in the primary.
"We are so thankful for all of the support we have received," Dees said in an interview last week.. "Our conservative message resonated with a lot of people. I'm especially grateful for all the rural and agricultural voters who supported us."
Being conservative is more of a prerequisite for running for the Arkansas Legislature than a distinction, McKenzie said in an interview June 8.
"It's not hard to have a conservative record," she said. "What takes work is reading the bills, seeing an issue in them that could hurt a constituent of yours and working to fix it without being guided by the fear of not getting reelected."
The runoff's winner will face Libertarian candidate Doug Peterson in the Nov. 8 general election. No Democrat entered the race for this Senate seat.
Dees decided to run for the Senate after the state levied mandates on schools, businesses and churches during the covid pandemic, he said. Government intervention such as mask mandates and particularly on limiting church gatherings went too far, he said.
Even conservative lawmakers who stay in government too long acquire a pro-government point of view and start adding to government power, he said. The district needs representation that will look out for small businesses. In particular, the state has too many restrictions on who can hold various kinds of occupational licenses, according to Dees.
McKenzie cites her business and life experience as much as her legislative service. She owned a local radio station, Variety 106.5 in Bella Vista, before starting her current business in decorative stone.
McKenzie is the sister of Sen. Jim Hendren, I-Sulphur Springs, who lives in District 35 but didn't seek re-election. Their father, Kim Hendren, served the area as a senator before his son's election in 2012.
Much of Senate District 35 overlaps McKenzie's current House district but the Senate district includes a lot of additional area. She is trying to be as accessible to the rest of her potential constituents as she is to her existing ones, she said.
District 35 starts at the state line in the north and extends along the western state boundary in Benton County to as far south as the Murrow community in Washington County. The district extends far enough east to take in portions of western Fayetteville. It includes Decatur, Farmington, Gentry, Gravette, Lincoln, Prairie Grove and Siloam Springs.
Dees leads in campaign spending to date, campaign finance reports show. As of May 14, Dees' campaign spent $70,549, reports show. McKenzie's campaign spent $32,695.
Anyone who voted in the Democratic primary on May 24 is not eligible to vote in the Republican runoff, according to state law.
Senate members serve four-year terms and receive a base salary of $44,357.
In a related matter, McKenzie said she would continue to press for more early voting locations for runoffs in the district, no matter the outcome of this contest. Voters in western Benton and Washington counties face an hourlong round trip during regular business hours in some cases if they want to vote early, she said.
Tyler Dees