Williams seeking Secretary of State office
The political season is heating up across Arkansas as the May party primaries near.
Arkansans are set to decide a number of statewide races this year, from governor to state treasurer. One of those races is for Arkansas Secretary of State. Voters will be deciding this May which candidate will run under the Republican ticket in the November General Election. The Republican primary, set for May 24, will see a contest between incumbent Secretary of State John Thurston and challenger Eddie Joe Williams.
Williams recently joined us here at KMTB to discuss his campaign and his challenge to Thurston’s reelection.
Williams, a former state senator from Cabot, announced his candidacy last year. His background includes working as Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s top Senate liaison and as a member of President Donald Trump’s Southern States Energy Board for three and a half years. Williams is also a veteran and worked in the railroad sector for four decades.
Williams said he is challenging Thurston over what he perceives as the incumbent Secretary of State’s failure to thoroughly investigate allegations of voter fraud in Arkansas in 2020. Williams said those allegations should be taken seriously and that anyone convicted of voter fraud be punished accordingly.
According to the conservative Heritage Foundation, there were three incidents of voter fraud in Arkansas over the past 20 years – in 2002, 2012 and 2016. Thurston said the 2020 election was not just a record one in terms of voter turnout, but also the safest and most secure.
Williams stressed that his management experience puts him in a better position than other candidates to run the Secretary of State office. He said the office is one of the state’s most critical positions, given the office’s role in administering elections, and that it’s a position he would take with the utmost seriousness and gravitas.
Williams added that running ethical elections includes giving additional support to county clerks who administer elections on the local level. Williams said the public can find out more about his candidacy and goals on his website, www.goeddiejoe.com.
Voters in Arkansas will decide the GOP nomination for Secretary of State during the May 24 primary election. Thurston and Williams are the sole two candidates in that primary challenge. The Democratic primary is between Anna Beth Gorman and Joshua Price. The two nominees will then go on to face each other in the November General Election.
