Vice Chair Jannie Cotton is now filling the void left by Grant Tennille’s recent resignation as chairman of the Democratic Party of Arkansas, with the intention of assuming the position in the long run.
Cotton officially declared Thursday that she will run for state chair at a party convention in Little Rock on August 16 where all 267 members of Arkansas’ Democratic State Committee will get a chance to vote.
Although Cotton is the first known formal contender, more are probably going to come forward. Candidates for chairperson have until August 4 at noon to register a notice of candidacy, and they have until August 8 at noon to present petitions with ten or more members of the state committee.
The chair was Tennille for four years. The state party’s finances were cleaned up and its debts were settled during his administration. Additionally, he oversaw better efforts to attract candidates and revitalize a party that had been overtaken by a wave of Republican supporters in previous years.
Cotton has been going throughout the state to find candidates and persuade them to put their names on the ballot in 2024 as part of the recruitment push. In 2026, she is doing the same. In addition, Cotton serves as the Association of State Democratic Committees’ southern regional vice president.
It’s dragon-slaying time!
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