GOP lawmaker drops bid for Senate president

LITTLE ROCK — A Republican lawmaker from western Arkansas says he's dropping his bid to unseat the incoming president of the state Senate.

Sen. Gary Stubblefield of Branch said Wednesday he's dropping his effort to unseat incoming Senate President Jonathan Dismang. Stubblefield last week said he planned to challenge Dismang, a Republican who was elected last year to lead the 35-member Senate.

Stubblefield had criticized Dismang for hiring a former aide to outgoing Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe and had said he was concerned about committee assignments under Dismang.

Stubblefield had planned to ask the Senate GOP caucus to back his candidacy that he had announced days after Republicans expanded their majorities in both chambers of the Legislature.

Upcoming Events