LITTLE ROCK (KFSM) — Commissioner of State Lands John Thurston announced Monday (Oct. 23) his intention to be the next secretary of state in Arkansas.
“As I am term-limited in my ability to serve as Land Commissioner, and believing I still have a lot to offer the citizens of the state of Arkansas, I am today announcing my intention to run for the open Secretary of State’s office in 2018,” Thurston said in a statement.
Thurston, a Republican, has served two terms as Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands and has said previously he planned to seek the Secretary of State’s post.
The next Secretary of State will be instrumental in redistricting in 2020. Thurston said he takes the task seriously and wants to ensure that the lines are drawn “honest, fair, and make logical sense for voters and communities of interest.”
For the past seven years as Land Commissioner, Thurston has managed an office of 40 workers, an annual $40 million budget, and has returned almost $120 million to Arkansas counties in the form of tax revenue.
Previously, he served as the vice president and president of the Western States Land Commissioners Association, chairman of the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council, and is the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee.
To read the full article, visit Arkansas Talk Business & Politics.
