The Senate Republicans have selected Sen. Bart Hester of Cave Springs as their nominee to be the next Senate president pro tempore from 2021-2023, Hester said Friday.
Sen. Jimmy Hickey, R-Texarkana, said he didn’t run to be the Senate Republican nominee to be the next Senate president pro tempore, but he still intends to ask the full Senate at the end of the fiscal session next week to select him for the post.
Sen. Jim Hendren, R-Sulphur Springs, is the Senate president pro tempore until 2021.
Hester is the existing Senate Republican leader.
The Senate includes 26 Republicans and nine Democrats.
Senate Republicans also elected Sen. Scott Flippo of Mountain Home over Sen. Jonathan Dismang of Searcy, to be the next Senate Republican leader and Sen. Mat Pitsch of Fort Smith, to be the next Senate Republican whip in an uncontested election, Hester said. Flippo is the existing Senate Republican whip.