Age: 58
City: Fort Smith
Occupation: Circuit Judge for Sebastian County
Education: BSBA University of Arkansas ,1985; Juris Doctorate University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law School 1988
Public service experience: State representative, 1995-1999; state senator, 1999-2003; Sebastian County prosecuting attorney, 2007-2008; district judge, 2018-2019; circuit judge, 2019-present
Website: gunnerdelay.com
Why should people vote for you?
Because I represent the type of judge that the majority of Arkansans want on the Supreme Court. I am a constitutional conservative in the mold of Justices Clarence Thomas and Anthony Scalia. My judicial philosophy is simple — I am an originalist who believes the constitution should be interpreted with the original intent of the drafters in mind, and I am a textualist who believes words should be given their plain and ordinary meaning when considering the effect of statutory language.
What is the most pressing issue facing your constituents and how would you address it?
I think the most pressing issue for the court is to have justices that truly understand the importance of having separation of powers between the three branches of government. We don’t need judges who want to legislate from the bench. I believe my experience in serving in all three branches of government will be a constant reminder that all the branches of government are equally important under our constitution.
What's the first thing you'd like to accomplish if elected?
My highest priority if elected is to use the platform of the office to travel the State of Arkansas speaking to schools, universities, and civic clubs reminding our citizens of the true meaning of the Bill of Rights and what makes our country special. If we are to remain free, it is imperative that we know and understand what free speech is, what was meant by the right to bear arms, what equal protection under the law means, and what rights we are guaranteed by the due process clause. I hope to inspire a new generation of freedom loving Arkansans.
A team of reporters from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette compiled this series of candidate bios over the last three months. Candidates in most races were reached by email and completed questionnaires. Others who couldn't be reached by email provided information over the phone. Some candidates declined to participate or didn't respond to phone and email messages left by the Democrat-Gazette. Return to the main Voter Guide page to read more bios.