Republican Gary Stubblefield had planned to challenge the incoming Arkansas Senate President Pro Tem Jonathan Dismang but announced Wednesday he will not. After the midterm election Stubblefield announced his concerns over Dismang’s support of the private option and possible choice of a Democrat to chair a committee as reasons to oppose his Republican colleague.
Larry Teague may be the only Democrat to chair a committee in the Arkansas Legislature in January. Teague thinks the rift in the state GOP has been over hyped and that he’ll be selected to be a committee chair, as he was last session.
“I think it’s all probably just over done. I think it’s all going to work out just fine. I am optimistic that I will be the Budget Chairman. But the truth is that I’m a member of this group and I love the Senate. Whatever the Senate decides I’ll live with obviously. I think I’m a decent Budget Chairman. I’m good at facilitating things and getting things in and out and I want to do that again,” said Teague.
Republicans expanded their majorities in both chambers in the midterm election.