From the Desk of the Chairman

Greetings, RPA!

It’s great to be back on the ground running in this New Year after such a blessed and beautiful Christmas season! However, we have our work cut out for us. The 2022 election cycle ahead is shaping up to be the most exciting in recent years, and we’ve got some work to do.

At a national level, Joe Biden has provided ample evidence of what a Democrat agenda accomplishes for this country: record high inflation, exorbitant federal spending, reckless foreign policy, non-existent border policy, a disregard for our service members and their families, and massive federal government regulation. Democrats have proven that they care more about their own job security than they do about the success of American families.

But Arkansas knows better! We expect to have a record number of Republicans file for office during filing week from February 22 to March 1. The RPA is anticipating a rapid growth in the number of Republicans elected to County office, and we’ve recently added two new county committees to our force.



We are counting on the hard work and resilience of our County Committees, our Young Republicans, College Republicans, and Republican Women to preserve and grow our super majority in the state legislature, send a strong delegation to D.C., and keep Arkansas as the REDDEST state in the country! We look forward to the success that we know is ahead, and we are so blessed to pursue it with you.

Jonelle Fulmer

Chairman, Republican Party of Arkansas  

Events and County Committees

• January 11 - Dallas County Committee Formation Meeting: Dallas County voters met to create a new county committee, elect leadership, and set filing fees. Republicans interested in joining the Dallas County Committee may contact Chairman Donnie White at [email protected].
• January 13 – Pike County Committee Formation Meeting: Pike County voters also convened in Murfreesboro to create a new county committee. Pike county Republicans who wish to get involved should contact Chairman Randy Bradford at [email protected].
• January 17 – Chairman Jonelle Fulmer, also the newest commissioner on Arkansas’ Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission, attended the annual Interfaith Prayer Breakfast in honor of the late Dr. King.
• January 25 – National Poll Worker Recruitment Day: The RPA staff joined with the RNC in a social media and digital campaign to recruit poll workers across the country. Arkansas gained some new volunteers to be on the frontlines of election integrity!

Filing Period Need-To-Knows

The filing period is from 12 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22 to 12 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1. Candidates seeking to file for office at the county level will do so with their County Committee. Candidates seeking state or federal office will first pay their fee with the RPA and submit their receipt of filing to the Secretary of State’s office to be placed on the ballot.

The RPA staff will be at the Capitol on the first day of filing until 5 p.m. and on the final day of filing until 12 p.m. Staff will be ready to assist at the Headquarters during the rest of the filing week. For more information on specific filing fees or further questions, feel free to contact our office. We’re excited to see all our candidates!

The Legislature at Work

The 93rd General Assembly will begin Fiscal Session on Monday, February 14. The legislature has already been hard at work, as Budget hearings began on January 11. A recent Special Session of the legislature in December successfully passed legislation that will lower the highest income tax bracket of 5.9% by a full percentage point to 4.9% in the next four years. As of January 1, the highest rate reduced to 5.5%, and by January of next year, it will drop again to 5.3%. Thanks to our Republican Governor and our Republican legislature, Arkansans get to keep more of their own hard-earned dollars in their pockets!

News Stories of Note

KNWA:  Womack, GOP Lawmakers: IRS must provide plan to address more than 16 million outstanding tax returns

Congressman Steve Womack joined other GOP members this week in calling out the IRS for their customer service failings and backlogs of the last two years tax returns. Womack asked the IRS director for information regarding 2022 in December, but the IRS has not yet made clear their plan for improvement of the "crisis level" backlog.

Democrat Gazette:  Arkansas' U.S. senators oppose Democrats' push for bill on voting rights

Arkansas' senate delegation opposed the John Lewis Freedom to Vote Act last night. President Biden was unable to convince Sens. Sinema and Manchin to support a change to filibuster rules and pass the legislation.

Fox News:  Tom Cotton quoted Chuck Schumer in defending the filibuster: 'Easiest speech I've ever given'

Sen. Tom Cotton spoke in support of the Senate filibuster, while many Senate Democrats and leadership in the Biden administration have shown blatant hypocrisy regarding the Constitutional tradition. Sen. Cotton took aim at such hypocrisy by quoting Sen. Chuck Schumer, stating that the filibuster is a tool employed to defend the minority voice in the Senate and protect against the whims of the House.

Inviting Arkansas: Building Better Communities

RPA Chairman Jonelle Fulmer has been named the newest commissioner of Arkansas’ Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission. First introduced to the Commission through a non-violence youth summit in Fort Smith, Fulmer shares their vision of guiding the next generation of leaders with the teachings of Dr. King and the lesson to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”

An Update from our Friends in Florida: DeSantis Campaign

After officially announcing his candidacy for reelection on November 8, 2021 – exactly one year from Election Day – Governor DeSantis’ campaign has been moving full steam ahead.

The enthusiasm has never been more apparent for Republicans in Florida. Governor DeSantis broke the news in early November that for the first time in the state’s history, Republicans surpassed Democrats in the number of active registered voters.  

Their campaign has recently made headlines for their “Freedom Over Fauci” Flip Flops. As their campaign kicks into full swing, be sure to sign up on their website for more updates to stay in-the-know with all that’s happening on Team DeSantis. 

Governor DeSantis is working every single day to keep Florida free. If you have any advice or ideas please reach out to them. 

If you're looking for the RIGHT way to say you love someone, take a look at the RPA store! We've got heart-warming gifts for all Republican Valentines!