Jesse Gibson
Jesse Gibson (Democratic Party) ran for election for Attorney General of Arkansas. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Gibson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Jesse Gibson was born in Harrison, Arkansas. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas in 1996 and a law degree from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law in 1999. His career experience includes working as an attorney.[1]
Elections
2022
See also: Arkansas Attorney General election, 2022
General election
General election for Attorney General of Arkansas
Tim Griffin defeated Jesse Gibson and Gerhard Langguth in the general election for Attorney General of Arkansas on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tim Griffin (R) | 67.6 | 605,781 |
 | Jesse Gibson (D)  | 32.4 | 290,183 | |
 | Gerhard Langguth (Independent) (Write-in) | 0.0 | 0 | |
| Total votes: 895,964 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Jesse Gibson advanced from the Democratic primary for Attorney General of Arkansas.
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Jason Davis (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Attorney General of Arkansas
Tim Griffin defeated Leon Jones Jr. in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Arkansas on May 24, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tim Griffin | 85.4 | 286,211 |
 | Leon Jones Jr. | 14.6 | 49,021 | |
| Total votes: 335,232 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Jesse Gibson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gibson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- I am not a creature of Washington. I am from small town Arkansas. I will always protect the people of Arkansas, and will always advocate for public safety. However, we will do so wisely, being both tough on crime and dedicated to improving our recidivism rate.
- I will always protect the rights of Arkansans. Especially their right to go to the polls and vote. The right to vote is sacred in our country, and I will always stand up for the rights of citizens to go the polls to express their hopes and dreams.
- Strength and integrity mean doing the right thing when no one is looking. I am a husband, dad, attorney, and youth sports coach. An everyday dad. But I vow to always go to sleep at night, assured in the fact that I did everything I could to keep Arkansans safe.
I am also passionate about public safety, including responsible gun ownership and safety. This issue often shows the dysfunction in our current politics. I am a gun owner, and I support 2nd Amendment rights. However, there are a handful of extremely popular measures that are supported by the vast majority of responsible, gun owning Arkansans. But these measures are summarily quashed by special interests and never held to a vote despite public support. I will always advocate for strong public safety measures.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
Gibson's campaign website stated the following:
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Safety Arkansans, especially our children, deserve to live in a safe environment. I want to commit all resources of the Attorney General’s office to combat the ever-evolving world of human trafficking. I envision increased collaboration with federal and state partners, and even with private businesses who report consumer theft as a major funding source for traffickers. Safety for Communities & Neighborhoods First and foremost, the Attorney General must always stand shoulder to shoulder with law enforcement, working tirelessly to make our communities and neighborhoods safe. However, this obligation and responsibility is multi-faceted. Attorneys General must be tough on crime, but also invest in education programs to give young Arkansans a vision of a better life. We must push for tough sentences for violent offenders, but take a good hard look at systematic flaws and societal issues that land people in prison in the first place. I strongly believe we must develop a comprehensive plan that keeps the worst of us locked up and away from the public, while also ensuring we do not spend unnecessary tax dollars imprisoning those who could be rehabilitated on their own and become contributing members of society. However, in order to do so, we must also delve deeply into the causes of Arkansas’ horrendous recidivism problem and put forth bold solutions to reduce it. We cannot stop individuals from re-committing their crimes over and over until we understand the factors that lead them to do so. We must be vigilant in our neighborhoods, but also committed to job training and education for the incarcerated to assimilate them after they have served their sentences. As Attorney General, I will address both sides of these issues to make real change and make our communities safer for families and children. Gun Safety I am a supporter of the Second Amendment. As a gun owner and a hunter, I support the rights of Arkansans to enjoy one of our greatest resources, our unmatched beauty, and our wildlife. Those opportunities run the gamut in the Natural State. From dove hunting in late summer, to spending time in the deer woods as it gets cooler, to duck blinds and chilly water, we are blessed with some amazing outdoor activities. On the issue of gun safety, I honestly believe that there are more things we as responsible gun owners agree on than we disagree. The question we all want to solve is “How do we keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals?” Do we do nothing? Or do we do a few things that vast majorities of law abiding gun owners support? As Attorney General, there is no greater responsibility than keeping Arkansans safe. I support taking action instead of doing nothing. I support common sense gun reforms. I believe those who commit violence against others with a gun should face maximum penalties. Arkansans of every age should always be able to go to a picnic, or a mall, or a restaurant without being in jeopardy of being shot. Human Trafficking The I-40 corridor that bisects Arkansas is one of the major routes for human trafficking in the United States. No one is immune from the threats posed by human trafficking. Men, women, and children are often forced into work through coercion or fraud, which may include working on farms, restaurants, hotels, or most commonly, prostitution. Social media has made human trafficking easier, and often provides the entry point between trafficker and victim. These traffickers are far from disorganized. They are often highly organized and funded by criminal organizations or drug cartels. At the local level, one way these traffickers are able to finance their operations is by establishing organized theft rings. Consumer goods are stolen from local businesses on a startling scale to finance identification, contact, grooming, and ultimate trafficking of victims. As Attorney General, I will continue utilizing the human trafficking task force and information generated to expand and refine our efforts at combating this horrible act. I will seek partnerships with private businesses to cut down and go after consumer theft to cut off trafficking at its funding source. These partnerships will strike at the heart of human trafficking and reduce the ability of traffickers to pursue their evil purpose.
Securing Arkansans’ rights and freedoms under attack from all angles. Protecting the right of all citizens to vote their hopes, dreams, and convictions. Protecting Arkansans from harmful disinformation that social media companies allow to be disseminated on their platforms. Protecting rural schools and hospitals that form the economic and social backbone of so many rural communities. Women’s Healthcare As Attorney General, and as an officer of the court, I am duty bound to enforce and abide by the law. I cannot pick and choose which laws I like, and which ones I want overturned. I have a deep responsibility to adhere to and enforce the law as it currently stands, regardless of my personal feelings. I am lucky to have an amazing wife and two boys that I love dearly. I also have a deep and meaningful relationship with God. I have been blessed with never being in a position to make or discuss making such a momentous decision as one involving termination of a pregnancy. It is such a personal and private decision, with intersecting beliefs regarding science, religion, and morals that are deeply personal and unique to each individual. People of all political stripes value autonomy and freedom from government mandating or influencing those deeply personal and unique beliefs. Therein lies the conflict upon which my views are based and why I think Roe v. Wade is settled law. I believe that I share the desire nearly all people have to reduce the number of abortions performed. However, abortion did not begin with Roe v. Wade, and it will not end with any decision forthcoming by the United States Supreme Court. If Roe is overturned, abortion will merely retreat from being an allowed medical procedure performed by medical professionals to a secret or back alley procedure that is anything but safe. I believe in the safety of all Arkansans. Abortion is an issue of safety. There are times in which a woman seeks to have an abortion to so that child is not used as a pawn in a domestic violence relationship, to protect the child from violence. Often there are medical conditions and pregnancy issues that threaten the life of the mother and warrant a woman to have an abortion. The majority of women who have abortions in the U.S. are mothers. They have abortions to protect their dependents. As an issue of safety, I wholly support a woman’s right to do what is best for their own well being. As Attorney General, I will be required to uphold the law regardless of whether I agree. Protecting the Environment As a gun owner, a fisherman, and a father who appreciates spending time outdoors with my boys, I know the importance of the environment. Arkansas is The Natural State. We Arkansans love the outdoors. We love hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, and canoeing some of the most beautiful landscapes and rivers in the country. The environment needs to be protected so we can continue to enjoy it, so visitors will come to our state, so our children can enjoy the same opportunities we have had. Education I am a product of Arkansas public schools, public universities, and law school. Both of my children attend Arkansas public schools. My parents both taught in Arkansas public schools for 30 years. I am a strong supporter of public education in Arkansas. There is no greater or more important duty incumbent upon state government than providing our children a first class education. Covid-19 turned on its head many of the day-to-day activities in our schools. One lesson that we can and should take from the past two years is that keeping our schools open so our kids can learn, socialize, and grow is of utmost importance. However, Covid-19 is unpredictable, and local control and flexibility is key. Act 1002 of 2021, the so-called “mask mandate ban” attempted to strip away that local control and replace it with the detached and distant judgment of bureaucrats in Little Rock. As Attorney General, I will always stand up and support the belief that local leaders and school officials, under the advice of medical doctors and disease experts, should make decisions about how to protect our kids from this predatory disease. They should not be overruled by big time politicians who are motivated by power, money and social media influence.
Strength through integrity means doing the right thing when no one is looking. It means not using taxpayer money on your own personal political future. It means strengthening Arkansas from within by holding greedy corporations accountable, by supporting law enforcement, and keeping dangerous weapons away from violent criminals. Promoting the Economy Businesses want to locate in states that are visionary, forward-thinking, inclusive, and diverse. This desire for inclusivity and diversity includes both the businesses’ workforces, as well as their current and potential customers. Businesses also want to locate in states that are fully committed, both in word and deed, to an educated and skilled workforce. Too often in the past decade, our state legislature has pursued a social agenda that repelled businesses from wanting to relocate to our state. As Attorney General, I will advise the legislature of the perils of pursuing an agenda that limits inclusivity and diversity or is outright not supported by the constitution. As Attorney General, I will also be blunt with the legislature if their agenda puts taxpayer funds in jeopardy via constitutional challenge. Promoting economy also means being a good steward of taxpayer funds. As Attorney General, I commit every effort to avoiding costly litigation. For far too long, the current Attorney General has used the office to bring forth frivolous lawsuits in an effort to gain political influence and social clout, knowing full well those lawsuits have no merit and will not stand. As your Attorney General, I will ensure litigation is only brought forth if it benefits the people of Arkansas. Price Gouging If the pandemic taught us anything, it is that a state of emergency can catch any and all of us off guard at any time. Declarations of emergency at the local, state, or federal levels trigger Arkansas’ price gouging laws, and forbids sellers from charging more than 10% above pre-emergency prices. As Attorney General, I will pursue violations of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and hold offenders liable to the full extent of the law. Even in non-emergency situations, my staff and I will maintain vigilance over pricing disputes as they arise, and always work to educate the public on best practices to avoid price gouging. I will be diligent in protecting Arkansans from predatory pricing practices. Social Media and Data Online misinformation, particularly in the social media sphere, is one of the greatest current enemies that we must combat. Nowhere has this been more evident than in the Covid-19 era, when misleading information regarding Covid-19 vaccines and advertisements for unproven, harmful, and ineffective treatments were rampant. Big corporations and big tech profit off the spread of misinformation that puts Arkansas families and communities at risk This misinformation also hurts our small businesses and costs our economy. As Attorney General, I will take Facebook and social media companies to court to hold them accountable for profiting on lies at our expense.[2] |
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| —Jesse Gibson's campaign website (2022)[3] | ||
See also
2022 Elections
External links
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Candidate Attorney General of Arkansas |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 22, 2022
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Jesse Gibson for Arkansas, “Issues,” accessed November 6, 2022
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