2014 Arkansas Senate (special)
Cooper intended to run for the District 59 seat again in 2014,but rather entered a special election for District 21 in the Arkansas Senate following Paul Bookout's resignation in 2013 under an ethics cloud. [2] In the three- candidate Republican primary on October 8,2013, [3] Cooper won the primary by 6 votes over Dan Sullivan,with Chad Niell in a distant third,but failed to obtain the 50% necessary to avoid a runoff election. [4] Cooper defeated Sullivan in the November 12,2013 runoff by 67 votes.67 votes [5]
The general election pitted Cooper against Steven Eric Rockwell,who had emerged from a Democratic primary. Cooper carried the support of the Tea Party movement. Rockwell manages his family printing and publishing business in Jonesboro and called himself a "centrist" in the race. [6] Retiring Democratic Governor Mike Beebe cut ads for Rockwell. [7] The election quickly became centered on the Private Option,with Rockwell for and Cooper against. It was also closely watched as a bellwether for the November 2014 elections in Arkansas. [8] [9]
Cooper won election on January 14,2014,and was seated in the 89th Arkansas General Assembly. Cooper became the 23rd Republican in the 35-member Arkansas Senate,which had been 100 percent Democratic until 1969. In the campaign,Cooper said that he considers ethics reform and wasteful government spending among his legislative priorities. [1]
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