Springdale and Tontitown voters will pick their third state senator since October in this election year, starting with a choice between three Republicans running in the May 24 primary.
Former Tontitown Mayor Paul Colvin, current state Rep. Clint Penzo of Springdale and Springdale pastor Andrew Thompson are competing for the Republican nomination. The winner will face Democrat Lisa Parks, an attorney, in the Nov. 8 general election.
State legislative districts were redrawn last year to equalize their populations after the 2020 U.S. Census. Much of the newly drawn Senate District 31 formerly was part of the former Senate District 7.
District 7 Sen. Lance Eads, R-Springdale, resigned Oct 29. The vacancy triggered a Feb. 8 special election to choose a replacement to fill the remainder of Eads' term. The winner, Sen. Colby Fulfer, R-Springdale, decided against running for reelection to a full term.
Senators normally serve four-year terms and receive a base salary of $44,357.
Colvin said he was the only candidate "with any true leadership experience. I was there during the day to day grind you go through with small towns, dealing with a lack of labor and with inflation, with the cost of everything going up.
"I've had to make tough votes," Colvin said, mentioning when he broke a tie vote on the council about placement of a cellular tower, for instance -- that was opposed by "one very dear friend." But the spot was the best location to improve city cell service, he said. "It was best for the town," he said.
Tontitown is growing very quickly, presenting city administration with severe challenges, Colvin said. Those challenges were made more difficult by the city's financial condition when he first took office.
"We were $49,000 in the hole," he said.
His administration prevailed over those challenges, he said, and successfully proposed a bond issue to the city's voters.
Colvin resigned as mayor, citing conflicts with the council at the time. A bigger factor was the ill health of his father, who died soon after Colvin's resignation, the ex-mayor said. If elected, he would serve out his term, he said.
Residents of District 31 want state government help when they ask for it, but do not want the state government interfering the rest of the time, Colvin said.
Penzo said he was the only candidate, Republican or Democrat, with any legislative experience. He is serving in his third House term.
"The district deserves a senator who has proven they are an effective legislator who can get the job done," he said.
"I am most proud of my votes that have protected life and helped to make adoption more accessible," Penzo said. "I'm also very proud of my votes for the largest tax cut in Arkansas history that allows Arkansans to keep more of their hard-earned money. I've also worked hard to expand access to health care for all Arkansans. My focus is always on how to make Arkansas a better place, and I believe my record backs that up 100%."
District 31 has "amazing businesses, big and small, entrepreneurs who are changing our state for the better, and countless Arkansans who work their tails off and want government to stay out of their way as much as possible," Penzo said.
"If I'm fortunate enough to be elected senator, I will serve the entirety of my term," Penzo said. "Our citizens deserve consistent representation in the Senate, not someone who is looking to their next office or next job. I'm in this for the long haul because my constituents deserve that."
Economic concerns are at the top of the priorities for the district's voters, Thompson said. Constituents there need a senator who will focus on growth of small businesses and increasing local workers' skills, he said. They also want legislators who will lower the burden of regulations on business, he said.
"Second, they want someone who will focus on education," including higher education, he said.
Northwest Arkansas has thousands of students in four-year colleges between John Brown University in Siloam Springs and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. A senator from the region also needs to look after Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale to help the labor force keep up with demands that are growing.
"We want them to stay in Northwest Arkansas," he said of students attending the institute.
Although he has never held public office, Thompson oversees a congregation with a $2.1 million budget and 40 employees on staff.
"It has to function as a small business," he said. "For seven years, I've handled budgets, financial planning and leadership.
"We live in a conservative, family-oriented area that is growing dynamically," Thompson said.
He expects Springdale to become the state's second largest city soon, he said. Last year's census figures show it ranks fourth now, behind Little Rock, Fayetteville and Fort Smith, but trailing Fayetteville by fewer than 10,000 residents.
Thompson would be a strong supporter of local and state law enforcement, he said.
Penzo claims he is as the only genuine Republican in the race. Both his primary opponents said he would not have to resort to such a claim if he had a better record to run on.
"I am the only true conservative Republican candidate in the primary," Penzo said. "Andrew Thompson has been a registered Democrat and voted Democrat until recently. Paul Colvin was considering running as a Democrat for county judge and has voted exclusively in Democrat primaries. I'm the only Republican who truly represents the party and the values of the district."
Thompson lived much of his life in east Arkansas where there was no Republican presence until recent years, he said. His record shows he voted for Republicans since the 1990s and whenever there was one before that, he said.
"Mr. Penzo is being flat dishonest," Thompson said. "I am a conservative Republican with a long Republican voting record.
"I think it's worth asking: If he won't be honest with voters on this, what else would be he dishonest about?"
Real Republicans are fiscal conservatives who control government spending, Colvin said. He took office as mayor to find the city had to return equipment it had purchased while Penzo was on the Tontitown City Council to meet its payroll and pay the bills. Colvin also turned down Democrat Party attempts to recruit him to run for county judge, he said.
"Republicans believe that government is best when its closest to the people," Colvin said. "Since he's been in the Legislature, state government has taken more and more control away from small towns," he said, referring to Penzo.
Colvin defeated Penzo in a 2014 race for Tontitown mayor, before Penzo moved to Springdale.
State law requires a runoff if no candidate gains a clear majority -- 50% plus 1 or more -- in the primary. This is to ensure no candidate advances to the general election with only a plurality of the primary vote. The runoff, if needed, will be June 21 between the two candidates who receive the most primary votes.
State Senate, District 31
Paul Colvin (R)
Age: 55
Residency: Tontitown, since 1989
Occupation: Auctioneer and real estate broker; retired captain, Springdale Fire Department
Education: Bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership, John Brown University in Siloam Springs
Political experience: Tontitown mayor from 2015 to 2021
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Clint Penzo (R)
Age: 46
Residency: Springdale; lifetime resident of the district
Occupation: Realtor
Education: Bachelor’s degree in geological and earth sciences from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; associate degree in physical therapy, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Bentonville
Political experience: Tontitown City Council, 2013-2014; state House, 2017 to present
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Andrew Thompson (R)
Age: 46
Residency: Springdale since 2015
Occupation: Senior pastor of First United Methodist Church of Springdale
Education: Doctorate in historical theology from Duke University in Durham, N.C.; bachelor’s degree in history from Hendrix College in Conway
Political experience: None