Jim Dotson
2023 - Present
2025
1
Jim Dotson (Republican Party) is a member of the Arkansas State Senate, representing District 34. He assumed office on January 9, 2023. His current term ends on January 13, 2025.
Dotson (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the Arkansas State Senate to represent District 34. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024. He advanced from the Republican primary on March 5, 2024.
Biography
Jim Dotson lives in Bentonville, Arkansas.[1] Dotson's career experience includes working as a realtor with Gibson Real Estate, a business technology consultant with DataComm LLC, and an account executive with Cox Business NWA.[1][2][3]
Committee assignments
2023-2024
Dotson was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Education Committee
- Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Senate Efficiency Committee
- Legislative Joint Auditing Committee
2021-2022
Dotson was assigned to the following committees:
- House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
- House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Advanced Communications and Information Technology Committee
- Legislative Council, Vice-chair
- House Advanced Communications and Information Technology Committee
2019-2020
Dotson was assigned to the following committees:
- Advanced Communications and Information Technology Committee
- Legislative Council, Vice-Chair
- House Education Committee
- House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Governor's Emergency Fund Review Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Arkansas committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Revenue and Taxation |
| • State Agencies and Governmental Affairs |
Dotson also chaired the Legislative Council of the state General Assembly.[3]
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Dotson served on the following committees:
| Arkansas committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Advanced Communications and Information Technology |
| • Revenue and Taxation |
| • State Agencies and Governmental Affairs |
| • Joint Budget |
| • Advanced Communications and Information Technology |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Dotson served on the following committees:
| Arkansas committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Advanced Communications and Information Technology |
| • Joint Advanced Communications and Information Technology |
| • Public Transportation |
| • State Agencies and Governmental Affairs |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2024
General election
General election for Arkansas State Senate District 34
Incumbent Jim Dotson and Kaylee Wedgeworth are running in the general election for Arkansas State Senate District 34 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
 | Jim Dotson (R) | |
 | Kaylee Wedgeworth (D) | |
| ||||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Arkansas State Senate District 34
Kaylee Wedgeworth advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas State Senate District 34 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Kaylee Wedgeworth |
| ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Arkansas State Senate District 34
Incumbent Jim Dotson advanced from the Republican primary for Arkansas State Senate District 34 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Jim Dotson |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
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2022
See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Arkansas State Senate District 34
Jim Dotson defeated J.P. DeVilliers in the general election for Arkansas State Senate District 34 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jim Dotson (R) | 69.8 | 21,349 |
 | J.P. DeVilliers (L) | 30.2 | 9,236 | |
| Total votes: 30,585 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Arkansas State Senate District 34
Jim Dotson defeated Peter Christie in the Republican primary for Arkansas State Senate District 34 on May 24, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jim Dotson | 66.4 | 6,242 |
| Peter Christie | 33.6 | 3,154 | |
| Total votes: 9,396 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for Arkansas State Senate District 34
J.P. DeVilliers advanced from the Libertarian convention for Arkansas State Senate District 34 on February 20, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | J.P. DeVilliers (L) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2020
See also: Arkansas House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 93
Incumbent Jim Dotson defeated Daisy Bonilla in the general election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 93 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jim Dotson (R) | 58.1 | 10,446 |
 | Daisy Bonilla (D) | 41.9 | 7,530 | |
| Total votes: 17,976 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Daisy Bonilla advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 93.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Jim Dotson advanced from the Republican primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 93.
2018
General election
General election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 93
Incumbent Jim Dotson defeated Gayatri Agnew in the general election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 93 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jim Dotson (R) | 57.9 | 6,660 |
 | Gayatri Agnew (D) | 42.1 | 4,833 | |
| Total votes: 11,493 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 93
Gayatri Agnew advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 93 on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Gayatri Agnew |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 93
Incumbent Jim Dotson defeated Gan Nunnally in the Republican primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 93 on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jim Dotson | 54.3 | 1,114 |
| Gan Nunnally | 45.7 | 937 | |
| Total votes: 2,051 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2016
Ballotpedia's analysis revealed that only 42 of the 100 seats up for election in 2016 involved competition between Democrats and Republicans. This made it numerically impossible for Democrats to take control of either Arkansas legislative chamber in 2016.
The reason for the low competition was that candidates were in safe districts for their parties. Between 1972 and 2014, an upward trend in uncontested state legislative elections occurred.
The Democratic Party of Arkansas focused its 2016 efforts on the state’s House of Representatives. Without the numbers to win the state Senate, H.L. Moody, communications director for the Democratic Party of Arkansas, told Ballotpedia that the party’s goal was to “start building back where we can,” beginning with the House.
Ballotpedia spoke to political analyst Richard Winger, who said that the early primary deadline for the 2016 elections was a possible factor as well, making it difficult for Democrats to recruit candidates early.
The primary election was held on March 1, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing period began at noon local time on November 2, 2015, and ended at noon local time on November 9, 2015.[4]
Incumbent Jim Dotson ran unopposed in the Arkansas House of Representatives District 93 general election.[5]
| Arkansas House of Representatives, District 93 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican |  Jim Dotson Incumbent (unopposed) | |
| Source: Arkansas Secretary of State | ||
Incumbent Jim Dotson ran unopposed in the Arkansas House of Representatives District 93 Republican Primary.[6][7]
| Arkansas House of Representatives, District 93 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican | Jim Dotson Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for the Arkansas House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 20, 2014; a runoff election took place where necessary on June 10, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 3, 2014. Leah Marie Williams was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Jim Dotson defeated Bill Burckart in the Republican primary. Dotson defeated Williams in the general election.[8][9]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim Dotson Incumbent |
70.5% | 6,070 | |
| Democratic | Leah Marie Williams | 29.5% | 2,537 | |
| Total Votes | 8,607 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Jim Dotson Incumbent |
64.4% | 1,333 |
| Bill Burckart | 35.6% | 737 |
| Total Votes | 2,070 | |
2012
Dotson ran in the 2012 election for Arkansas House of Representatives, District 93. Dotson defeated Duane Neal in the May 22 Republican primary and ran unopposed in the general election on November 6, 2012.[10][11][12]
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Jim Dotson |
54.5% | 1,625 |
| Duane Neal | 45.5% | 1,354 |
| Total Votes | 2,979 | |
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
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Who fills out Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey?
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You can ask Jim Dotson to fill out this survey by using the buttons below or emailing [email protected].
2022
Jim Dotson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Jim Dotson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Jim Dotson participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on May 2, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Jim Dotson's responses follow below.[13]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | 1. Tax Reform: Simplifying the tax code and lowering the tax rates.
2. Regulatory reform: Streamlining State government and removing burdensome rules that do not have a compelling government interest for the public health, welfare or safety. 3. School Choice: Empowering parents with the ability to seek out the best educational options that meet the unique learning needs of their individual student.[14][15] |
” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | I have many policy interests, but protecting innocent life is always at the top of the list, I am a Pro-Life representative.
I am also a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Policies that promote small businesses, entrepreneurship, and a thriving economy full of dynamic economic growth are areas of great interest to me. As a result I focus a lot of my attention on the tax and regulatory reform and holding the State budget in check.Cite error: Invalid |
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Jim Dotson answered the following:
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
| “ | Having a firm foundation, knowing who you are and why you stand for what you stand for is critical.[15] | ” |
| “ | The ability to absorb a large amount of information in a short period of time, then try to make a well thought out decision, often under pressure, all without violation core principles.[15] | ” |
| “ | Being actively engaged as a decision maker, which requires being as knowledgeable as possible on all areas of legislation.[15] | ” |
| “ | When the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, I was 7 years old at the time.[15] | ” |
| “ | The 4th of July. I love being a patriotic American, fireworks, the food and the summer celebration.[15] | ” |
| “ | Superman. I would love to fly, be super strong, indestructible, super fast and have super hearing.[15] | ” |
| “ | It is always beneficial for someone to have some basic understanding of parliamentary processes. It is also good for the voters to have an idea of how someone will make decisions at the local level, before they go onto make decisions that affect the lives of everyone on a statewide basis.[15] | ” |
| “ | It is absolutely critical to build relationships with other legislators. Every vote is done as part of the whole body, in order to have any vote go your way, it takes the support of a majority of the other legislators, so those relationships are a key to success.[15] | ” |
| “ | I have enjoyed all of the committees I have sat on through the years, but I really enjoy the Arkansas Legislative Council and State Agencies Committees. They give me the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of State government.[15] | ” |
| “ | Not at this time.[15] | ” |
2012
Dotson's campaign website highlighted the following campaign themes:[16]
Family
- Excerpt: "I am Pro-Family. My wife and I have two children and one on the way."
Life
- Excerpt: "I am Pro-Life. I will proactively champion legislation that protects the life of the unborn."
Marriage
- Excerpt: "I am Pro-Marriage. I believe in traditional marriage that is between one man and one woman."
Jobs and the Economy
- Excerpt: "I am Pro-Business. We must enact legislation that lowers the regulatory burdens on businesses, especially small businesses in Arkansas. "
Healthcare
- Excerpt: "I am opposed to the federal takeover of healthcare and will fight against the implementation of ‘Obamacare’ in Arkansas."
Note: Dotson's campaign themes did not change from 2012.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Arkansas scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from January 9 to May 1.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from February 14 to March 15.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from January 11 to October 15.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from April 8 to April 24.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from January 14 through April 24.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from February 12 through March 12. The legislature held a special session from March 13 to March 15.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the 91st Arkansas State Legislature was in session from January 9 through May 1. The Legislature held a special session from May 1 to May 3.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the 90th Arkansas State Legislature was in session from April 13 through May 9. The Legislature held a three-day special session from April 6 to April 8 over healthcare. The Legislature held a second special session from May 19 to May 23 over transportation.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the 90th Arkansas State Legislature was in session from January 12 through April 2.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Arkansas General Assembly was in session from February 10 to March 20. Ballotpedia staff did not find any state legislative scorecards published for this state in 2014. If you are aware of one, please contact [email protected] to let us know. |
2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the 89th Arkansas State Legislature was in session from January 14 through May 17.
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Dotson and his wife, Jennifer, have three children.[3]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Arkansas State Senate District 34 |
Officeholder Arkansas State Senate District 34 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Arkansas Senate, "Jim Dotson," accessed April 6, 2023
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Jim Dotson," accessed April 6, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with Jim Dotson," October 1, 2018
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2016 Election Dates," accessed November 17, 2015
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2016 General Election and Nonpartisan Runoff Election," accessed November 23, 2016
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Information," accessed July 25, 2016
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2016 Primary Election Results," accessed April 19, 2016
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Information," accessed March 5, 2014
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed June 26, 2014
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Election Results 2012," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2012 Election candidates," March 8, 2012
- ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "Arkansas State Primary Election, May 22, 2012," accessed July 11, 2012
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Jim Dotson's responses," May 2, 2018
- ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ jimdotson.com, "Issues," accessed April 10, 2014
- ↑ Ballotpedia, "Arkansas's Freedom Scorecard," accessed July 10, 2017
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jane English (R) |
Arkansas State Senate District 34 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Arkansas House of Representatives District 93 2013-2023 |
Succeeded by Mike Holcomb (R) |
