Michael John Gray

Sarah Sanders' celebrity as former President Donald Trump's spokesperson granted her immediate front-runner status and transformed politics in a place where voters are used to hearing about Arkansas taxes, Arkansas roads and Arkansas schools. read more >

Freshman Sen. Tom Cotton has risen to the ranks of potential 2024 Republican presidential contenders by making all the right enemies. By lining up behind President Donald Trump’s law-and-order recipe for controlling civic unrest, he’s making even more. read more >

Gov. Asa Hutchinson says the FBI is investigating the data security issue that caused officials to take down the state’s pandemic unemployment website over the weekend. read more >

Democrats won’t be able to field a new challenger to Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton after the previous candidate abruptly dropped out following the filing deadline, the state Democratic party’s chairman says. read more >

The Democratic candidate hoping to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton in Arkansas abruptly dropped out of the race Tuesday, citing a family health concern, leaving Democrats with no one to contest the seat. read more >

State Rep. Mickey Gates of Hot Springs pleaded no contest to not paying state income taxes and agreed to pay thousands of dollars back to the state, but his lawyer said the legislator had no plans to step down from his statehouse seat. read more >

After Election Day, Arkansas' congressional delegation secured re-election and the state government trifecta remained intact. But Democrats also made gains, suggesting shifting voting patterns that could make the party competitive in suburban areas of the state. read more >

A corruption probe that's already ensnared a prolific lobbyist and two ex-lawmakers implicated a state senator who also happens to be a nephew of the governor. A member of the panel licensing medical marijuana facilities says an unsuccessful applicant offered him a bribe that he didn't accept but also didn't immediately report. read more >

Arkansas' Republican governor and lawmakers have made it clear they want school security on the agenda when they return to the Capitol for next year's session. But, unlike Republican counterparts in other states and even the president, they're declaring the issue of gun control off-limits. read more >

It was billed as a State of the State address, but Gov. Asa Hutchinson's speech to lawmakers last week felt more like a kick-off for his re-election bid and a preview of the Republican's legislative agenda for a hoped-for second term. read more >

The fight over Arkansas' effort to ban an herbicide is far from over, with attention now shifting to a manufacturer's lawsuit. The dicamba debate could also linger among lawmakers. read more >

Arkansas' governor says the insurance rate increases approved by state regulators after the Trump administration ended a key subsidy won't threaten the future of Arkansas Works. read more >

Arkansas Democrats may have an opening to put Republicans in an uncomfortable spot defending the president and the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. read more >

Arkansas lawmakers have given initial approval to moving 60,000 people off the state's hybrid Medicaid expansion program and to impose a work requirement on its participants. read more >

A House committee endorsed a proposal forcing online retailers to collect Arkansas sales taxes, reviving the effort days after a lawmaker behind the bill declared it dead for this year's session. read more >

A bill that would decrease the number of weeks laid-off employees could receive unemployment benefits passed in the House 62-26 on Wednesday. read more >

An effort to collect sales taxes in Arkansas from online retailers has failed before a House committee, days after Amazon announced it would begin collecting taxes on purchases in the state. read more >

The Arkansas House handily rejected a low-income tax credit proposal backed by Democrats, who said they hope to revive the idea when lawmakers look at deeper tax cuts in two years. read more >

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is asking lawmakers to form a task force to recommend further changes to the state's tax code, calling for deeper reforms as he faces divisions with fellow Republicans over dueling tax cut plans. read more >

A $177.4 million state budget surplus is likely to open up a new fight in the Legislature over the push for tax cuts and concerns that services are being jeopardized. read more >