LITTLE ROCK — The Republican Party of Arkansas nominated Ronald Caldwell of Wynne to be its nominee to challenge state Rep. Jerry Brown, D-Wynne, for Senate District 23.
The previous Republican candidate, Tommy Caubble of Wynne, died after a heart attack in the Caubble family’s peach orchard.
Party spokesman Katherine Vasilos said Caldwell, 60, was elected without opposition by the party’s 35-member executive committee.
Caldwell will be certified at the GOP’s state convention today in Hot Springs.
Caldwell is the former owner of Caldwell Lumber Co., which he founded and managed with his brother for more than 30 years. He is now a real estate investor in Cross County.
“We need someone in the eastern Delta to try to promote more jobs, and I believe we need to have less regulation from the federal government in our small business,” Caldwell said. “I’m just a small-business owner who is trying to help out.”
Caldwell said he and Caubble knew each other growing up. He said his family and friends encouraged him to seek the nomination after Caubble died July 5.
District 23 includes Jackson County and parts of Cross, Lee, Monroe, St. Francis, White and Woodruff counties.
Arkansas, Pages 14 on 07/28/2012