Curtis Varnell of Subiaco has announced that he will be a candidate for Arkansas State Representative for district 46. Curtis is a life-long educator and has taught in schools and universities across the state. Curtis is a graduate of ATU and worked himself through college as a stock clerk and butcher at a local grocery. During a career of teaching and driving a school bus, he was employed during summer months as a park ranger, a line-worker at Tyson and Cloyes Gear, and as a farm-laborer. Later, he ran the Summer Youth Employment Program for Logan, Franklin, and South Sebastian County and supervised over 150 school-age employees as they gained work experience. Recently retired after working for the Guy Fenter Education Cooperative, Curtis is still involved in teaching adjunct classes at ATU and working with AR-AIMS at schools across the state.
In his announcement, Varnell stated, “ There are many good candidates running for this position but I feel I have some unique skills that will offer the people of this district the best representation possible. First, I am retired and can serve full-time. Being retired, I am not looking for political advancement and I owe no-one anything except the people of this district which I will represent. That provides me the unique ability to say NO to measures that I feel will not benefit our constituents here in this district. I stand for what the Republican party preach but don’t always deliver; Term limits, conservative and limited government, moral responsibility, strong schools, 2nd amendment rights, and openness in operation.
Although an educator, I feel I know the needs of our district. My family are farmers, factory workers, and small-business owners and I am aware of the problems they face. Our small-schools face some of the most serious situations encountered in recent history and I will fight to keep them open and successful. I also support work-force education in schools- training the 80% of our students that don’t go to college for jobs in our region. I have worked extensively recently with ATU and UAFS to offer concurrent college education as well as work-force education to our area students while they are still in school. For our Franklin County neighbors, I stand with you opposed to a 1.2 billion dollar prison.
If you want someone you can talk with at anytime, a life-time resident that cares for you and your kids, and a person who serves because he loves this region and chose to spend a life here. Vote for a new voice, a new vision of what we can be, vote Varnell.
