Tensions Flare at Saline County Republican Committee Meeting
A recent meeting of the Saline County Republican Committee escalated into physical violence as ideological tensions within the group reached a boiling point. The conflict culminated in a fistfight between radio host Jimmie Cavin and local resident Jon Newcomb during a disagreement at the Benton Senior Citizens Center.
The altercation broke out when Chairman Frank Curtis attempted to throw out the decisions made at a special meeting, claiming it broke the rules of the Republican Party of Arkansas. Conservative attorney Clint Lancaster and his wife Jennifer Lancaster, who chairs the Republican Party convention, have been vocal about the committee’s actions, calling the expelled members “toxic” and saying they had displayed “egregious behavior.”
The incident is a symptom of a deeper split within the Saline County GOP. One group, known as the “Patriots,” is pushing for the county to switch to paper ballots, while others are fiercely opposed to this change. The committee’s vote of no confidence in U.S. Senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman and Representative French Hill has also been a point of contention.
In response, every Saline County elected official and Justice of the Peace has called for the removal of the SCRC leadership and the abolition of the committee. They cite the county committee’s failure to pay property insurance and conduct meetings in a transparent manner as major reasons for their demand. The property owners of the Saline County Republican headquarters echoed similar concerns, stating that the committee had been conducting “meetings before the meetings” behind closed doors and without regard to decorum.
The situation has reignited the debate over the direction of the Saline County Republican Party, with many locals, including Justin Rue and Doyle Webb, advocating for a return to “common sense conservative values” and a more unified party stance. As the ongoing power struggle continues to unfold, the question of how the party will reconcile its internal divisions remains to be seen.
The violent outburst has also led to investigations by the Benton Police, which are currently reviewing footage of the incident. Jimmie Cavin, the radio host involved in the fight, was not present on his regular show the following day.
In the aftermath of the meeting, Mayor Tom Farmer declined to comment on whether the committee would be allowed to continue using the Benton Senior Center for their meetings. The fate of the SCRC now hangs in the balance as the wider community calls for reforms and greater accountability from party leaders.
