Chris Jones, former Democratic candidate for governor, optimistic about Democrats in Arkansas

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

In an interview with Talk Business & Politics, Chris Jones, former Arkansas gubernatorial candidate for the Democrats, shared his optimism about the 2024 election.

About 60 candidates have filed to run for the seats in the state legislature. Jones said the increase in the amount of candidates running for Democrat is a reflection of the frustration with the Republican-controlled legislature.

“That speaks to the energy that folks are stepping up and saying we deserve better than an education bill in LEARNS that is closing schools in places like Umpire. We deserve better than no accountability,” Jones said.

Chris Jones, former Democratic candidate for governor, optimistic about Democrats in Arkansas

Talk Business & Politics

Chris Jones, former Democratic candidate for Arkansas governor, is working on helping getting more Democrats elected to office in Arkansas. He said he is optimistic for the party.

Arkansas Democratic candidates file to run for Congress

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Many candidates running for office in 2024 completed their paperwork at the Arkansas State Capitol on Monday. That includes three Democratic candidates running against Republican incumbents for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives; Rodney Govens in District 1, Marcus Jones in District 2, and Caitlin Draper in District 3.

The three candidates were endorsed by VortexPAC, a federal hybrid PAC run by former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Jones. Standing on the steps of the State Capitol, Jones said he wanted to make Arkansas more of a “voting state” by giving citizens more reasons to get out and vote.

“It's time for a change,” he said. “It's time for us to bring average Arkansans who are rooted in Arkansas to the table, and give Arkansans an option for who to represent them in their congressional districts.”

Arkansas Democratic candidates file to run for Congress

VortexPAC/Courtesy Photo

(From left) VortexPAC Executive Director Robb Ryerse, Democratic candidates Rodney Govens, Caitlin Draper and Marcus Jones, and VortexPAC co-founder Chris Jones stand on the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock Monday.

Arkansas’ gubernatorial candidates debate taxes, transgender law, education

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Taxes, transgender laws, media access, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were part of Friday’s (Oct. 21) three-person gubernatorial debate in which frontrunner and Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Democrat challenger Dr. Chris Jones focused on education and jobs.

The debate, which also included Libertarian candidate Ricky Dale Harrington Jr., was conducted by Arkansas PBS and televised live Friday morning.

A recent Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College Poll showed Sanders with a 10-point lead over Jones (51% to 41%) heading into the last weeks of the election cycle. Harrington had support from 3% of poll respondents. The poll was conducted Oct. 17-18 with 974 likely Arkansas voters.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/10/arkansas-gubernatorial-candidates-debate-taxes-transgender-law-education/

Democrat Chris Jones lays out plan to raise teacher pay to $50,000

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Against the backdrop of historic Central High School in Little Rock, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Chris Jones outlined Tuesday (July 19) a plan to raise teacher and staff pay in public schools and to close gaps on a growing teacher shortage.

Jones said the state should use up to $400 million of its $1.6 billion state surplus to provide an immediate teacher bonus, raise minimum teacher salaries this August, and raise them again by $4,000 by the end of his first term, if elected.

His plan includes:

• Paying a one-time surplus bonus for teachers and staff between $1,000-$2,500 per school employee;

• Raising minimum teacher pay to $46,000 this August;

• Raising the pay to $50,000 per year by the end of his first term; and

• Adding $4,200 in pay to those teachers and staff already making $46,000 or more.

  https://talkbusiness.net/2022/07/democrat-chris-jones-lays-out-plan-to-raise-teacher-pay-to-50000/

Chris Jones at the podium.

Sanders has firm lead in GOP gubernatorial primary, Jones on track to win Democratic bid without runoff

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The general election matchup for Arkansas Governor is shaping up to be Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Democrat Chris Jones, according to a new survey from Talk Business & Politics and Hendrix College.

The surveys, conducted May 2, 2022, tested opinions of GOP and Democratic primary voters for the seat held by term-limited Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Among 802 likely Republican primary voters, the results were:

Governor
72.5% – Sarah Huckabee Sanders
16.5% – Francis “Doc” Washburn
11% – Undecided

Among 597 likely Democratic primary voters, the results were:

Governor
2% – James “Rus” Russell
3.5% – Jay Martin
59.5% – Chris Jones
3% – Anthony Bland
1.5% – Supha Xayprasith-Mays
30.5% – Undecided

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/05/sanders-has-firm-lead-in-gop-gubernatorial-primary-jones-on-track-to-win-democratic-bid-without-runoff/