Trevor Drown | Russellville Small-business owner makes Senate run

— Trevor Drown has Russellville roots. His father taught school in town for 27 years. Drown graduated from high school in Russellville and attended Arkansas Tech University. However,

these days he says he is still settling back into the local

business community.

Drown served in the U.S.Army as a sergeant first class

Green Beret and as an intelligence officer and spent time in

Afghanistan, sometimes living among indigenous people.

“When you go and see what a country is like when

people don’t have democracy, you grow a huge apprecia

tion for what you have here,” he said.

That realization helped him make the decision last

July to run for the U.S. Senate.

On July 4, he made the announcement that he had

decided to run for office, but he left the decision of

which office up to his supporters. Drown allowed them

to vote on which seat they wanted him to pursue.

“Four hundred people voted, and 50 percent said,‘We

want you to run for the U.S. Senate,’” Drown said.

As the owner of American Vending, he still works full

time and is involved in the Russellville Area Chamber of

Commerce.

Drown wants to represent the state as an independent

because he believes the majority of Arkansans care more

about the values and character of the person they are

voting for than for the party the candidate represents.

“I have always been an independent,” he said.“I always

vote for the person, not the party.That is pretty much

the way Arkansas does it.” Drown said important issues for his campaign include the

economy and bringing jobs back to Arkansas and out-of

control government spending. He wants to bring an Arkansan

voice to the Senate and said that his campaign is going great.

“We have had overwhelming support from people all

over the state and all over the nation. Every time we

turn around, people are coming to us,” Drown said.

Drown has given guidance to people in other states

who would like to run for the Senate and other offices

independently, and he is not too worried about the financial

side of things.

“Up to this point, money has come in as we have needed

it,” Drown said.“Our focus has been more on a message

instead of fundraising. Up to this point, our strategy is

working great for us.”

One thing not many people know about you: Before I left for Afghanistan, I trained with packhorses.

Biggest fear: My children will not grow up enjoying the same freedoms I have.

River Valley Ozark, Pages 200 on 01/31/2010

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