Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Addington Fails To File As Democrat; Goes Independent Route

With the clock ticking down for filing for office Dr. Ron Addington filed his notice of candidacy as an independent candidate for State Rep. in district 36.

The district consists of most of Clark County, including Arkadelphia and Gurdon, and much of Nevada County, but not Prescott.

"Like most voters," Addington said, "I see myself as an independent southern Democrat, not tied to machine politics and certainly not answering to political bosses."

Addington said he is running for office by asking the electorate to support him as someone free to make hard decisions, regardless of party platform. "I do not intend to be tied to one person or answer to a small group of insiders who tell me how to vote," he said.

Running as an independent Democrat, Addington promised to make the tough calls and vote in the best interest of the people.

Addington, a journalism college professor at Henderson State University and Arkadelphia School Board member, originally announced his plans to seek this office as a Democrat in the May primary.

However, as an Independent, Addington will not be involved in a primary, but will be on the November 7 General Election ballot.

"Should the voters choose me as their representative on Nov. 7," he said, "I pledge to be accessible to all the people of Nevada and Clark counties, including those areas I would not officially represent. Saying you will be accessible and being accessible are two different things."

Addington has served the past three years on the Arkadelphia School Board as an Independent. He also served five years on the Arkadelphia City Council as an Independent and spent five years on the De Queen City Board, again as an Independent. He has also served as an Independent for two years as a delegate to the Constitution Convention.

"I've always voted independently," he said, "sometimes having to make hard decisions which I knew were the right things to do for everyone. The voters are comfortable with electing Independents because, all-in-all, most people pride themselves as independents, voting for the person, not the party."

Furthermore, he explained, the mayor, city marshal and city council at Gurdon, the mayor, clerk/treasurer and council at Caddo Valley are all Independents. In addition, all the city board members in Arkadelphia are Independents as are all the school board members in Clark and Nevada counties.

"If elected Nov. 7," he said, "I pledge to help bring state money back home. The biggest thing the legislature does every two years is to meet and distribute the state's money.

"I'll be there before breakfast every morning and be the last one to leave at night fighting for our part of that money. Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas have gotten our money for too long. It's time that practice stops."

He also plans to work for all of the state agencies local offices, the rural volunteer fire departments, public school districts as well as county and city governments, along with HSU and the University of Arkansas Community College of Hope.

Addington, 53, is a long-time Democrat and former 1974 Bill Clinton campaign manager. He is currently a member of the Clark County Democratic Central Committee and was formerly active in the Democratic party in Washington County (Fayetteville) and Sevier County (De Queen).

He has opened a campaign headquarters in Arkadelphia at the Stonegate Shopping Center on West Caddo behind Danson's Restaurant.

The phone numbers for the headquarters are: 870-246-3225 and 870-245-6455.