Grimsley Graham
Grimsley Graham was a 2016 Democratic candidate for District 94 of the Arkansas House of Representatives.
Biography
Graham earned his B.S. and M.A. in political science from the University of Arkansas in 1970 and 1975, respectively. His professional experience includes teaching and helping found MedServices. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1972 to 1974.[1]
Campaign themes
2014
Graham's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[2]
- Excerpt: "We should continue to foster the atmosphere in Benton County that has produced the lowest unemployment rate in the state. It is crucial that business continues to feel welcome here."
- Excerpt: "Education must continue to receive top-billing in the state budget."
- Excerpt: "I am proud that Arkansas wears the label of “The Natural State” and will do my best to insure that this label is credible. We must value and preserve those natural resources that make us a special place."
- Excerpt: "I have been disturbed by the polarization and vitriol that have characterized the political process over the past few years. Common sense and the art of compromise have been the victims of this divide. I pledge to you to be guided by the voice of reason and the willingness to listen."
Elections
2016
Ballotpedia's analysis revealed that only 42 of the 100 seats up for election in 2016 involved competition between Democrats and Republicans. This made it numerically impossible for Democrats to take control of either Arkansas legislative chamber in 2016.
The reason for the low competition was that candidates were in safe districts for their parties. Between 1972 and 2014, an upward trend in uncontested state legislative elections occurred.
The Democratic Party of Arkansas focused its 2016 efforts on the state’s House of Representatives. Without the numbers to win the state Senate, H.L. Moody, communications director for the Democratic Party of Arkansas, told Ballotpedia that the party’s goal was to “start building back where we can,” beginning with the House.
Ballotpedia spoke to political analyst Richard Winger, who said that the early primary deadline for the 2016 elections was a possible factor as well, making it difficult for Democrats to recruit candidates early.
The primary election was held on March 1, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing period began at noon local time on November 2, 2015, and ended at noon local time on November 9, 2015.[3]
Incumbent Rebecca Petty defeated Grimsley Graham in the Arkansas House of Representatives District 94 general election.[4]
| Arkansas House of Representatives, District 94 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Rebecca Petty Incumbent |
54.36% | 4,926 | |
| Democratic | Grimsley Graham | 45.64% | 4,136 | |
| Total Votes | 9,062 | |||
| Source: Arkansas Secretary of State | ||||
Grimsley Graham ran unopposed in the Arkansas House of Representatives District 94 Democratic Primary.[5][6]
| Arkansas House of Representatives, District 94 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Grimsley Graham (unopposed) | |
Incumbent Rebecca Petty defeated Debra Hobbs in the Arkansas House of Representatives District 94 Republican Primary.[5][6]
| Arkansas House of Representatives, District 94 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Rebecca Petty Incumbent |
57.71% | 1,988 | |
| Republican | Debra Hobbs | 42.29% | 1,457 | |
| Total Votes | 3,445 | |||
2014
Elections for the Arkansas House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014; a runoff election took place where necessary on June 10, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 3, 2014. Grimsley Graham was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Rebecca Petty defeated Margaret Wolf in the Republican primary. Petty defeated Graham in the general election.[7][8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rebecca Petty |
57.8% | 3,508 | |
| Democratic | Grimsley Graham | 42.2% | 2,565 | |
| Total Votes | 6,073 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Rebecca Petty |
55.3% | 878 |
| Margaret Wolf | 44.7% | 710 |
| Total Votes | 1,588 | |
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Graham and his wife, Carol, have two children.[1]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Grimsley + Graham + Arkansas + House"
See also
- Arkansas House of Representatives elections, 2016
- Arkansas State Legislature
- Arkansas House of Representatives
- Arkansas House of Representatives District 94
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 grimsleygraham.com, "About Me," accessed April 10, 2014
- ↑ grimsleygraham.com, "Why I'm Running," accessed April 10, 2014
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2016 Election Dates," accessed November 17, 2015
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2016 General Election and Nonpartisan Runoff Election," accessed November 23, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Arkansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Information," accessed July 25, 2016
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Arkansas Secretary of State, "2016 Primary Election Results," accessed April 19, 2016
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Information," accessed March 5, 2014
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed June 26, 2014
