Michael John Gray Explained

Michael John Gray
Office:Chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas
Term Start:March 26, 2017
Term End:September 1, 2021
Predecessor:Vince Insalaco
Successor:Grant Tennille
State House1:Arkansas
District1:47th
Term Start1:January 12, 2015
Term End1:January 2019
Preceded1:Jody Dickinson
Succeeded1:Craig Christiansen
Birth Date:30 June 1976
Birth Place:Blytheville, Arkansas U.S.
Children:1

Michael John Gray (born June 30, 1976) is a small business owner and the Woodruff County Judge from Augusta, Arkansas. He represented a rural area of the Arkansas Delta in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2015 to 2017. Gray served as chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas from 2017 to 2021. He has been Woodruff County Judge since 2023.

Early life

Gray largely grew up in the Augusta School District, but graduated from Searcy High School.[1]

He earned an Associate in Arts from Arkansas State University Beebe. He briefly attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and earned his Bachelor of Arts in marketing with an emphasis on logistics from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Gray later earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.[2]

Career

After graduation, Gray returned to Augusta to work on the family farm, known as Wakefield Partners, with his wife and mother. A third-generation family farm, the operation spans 5000acres of cotton, corn, peanuts, rice, and wheat. The group was named the 2014 Woodruff County Farm Family of the Year, an honor previously bestowed on his parents in 1984.[1] Gray won election to the Augusta City Council in 2010, and focused on budgeting and reducing municipal spending. In October 2013, Gray announced his candidacy for the Arkansas House of Representatives District 47 seat held by term-limited Democrat Jody Dickinson. His campaign announcement described a focus on rural issues, and his community involvement and collaborative work on the city council. Gray was unopposed in the Democratic primary and the general election, and was seated as a member of the 90th Arkansas General Assembly. The House Democratic Caucus elected him Minority leader,[3] Democrats held 35 of 100 seats in the House.[4] He voted for Arkansas Works (Medicaid expansion in Arkansas) twice and was a vocal supporter of the measure.

In March 2017, Gray won election to the unpaid position of Chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas. He replaced the retiring Vince Insalaco for the remainder of his four-year term, defeating Denise Garner by a 120–107 vote. Gray campaigned on a return of focus to economic and rural issues.[5] He was re-elected to full term as Chair in 2018.[6]

Gray was narrowly defeated in his November 2018 re-election bid for the House District 47 seat by Bald Knob businessman and retired state bureaucrat Craig Christiansen.[7] [8] [9]

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Carol . Rolf . Woodruff County family honored for farm operation . Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . WEHCO Media . Little Rock, AR . August 24, 2014 . 119 . NewsBank: America's News . December 23, 2020 .
  2. Web site: Gray running for House position . Newport Independent . Newport, Arkansas . October 24, 2013 . 5 . NewsBank . December 23, 2020 .
  3. Web site: Lyon . John . Michael John Gray Elected Minority Leader Of Arkansas House . Arkansas News . North Little Rock, AR . . September 26, 2015 . December 23, 2020 .
  4. Web site: Arkansas House Democrats elect new minority leader . The Associated Press . September 25, 2015 . Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . December 23, 2020 .
  5. Web site: Democrats pick Gray as chief . Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . John . Moritz . Little Rock, AR . March 26, 2017 . 15 . WEHCO Media . December 23, 2020 .
  6. Web site: State Democrats choose Gray for full term as chairman . George . Jared . December 17, 2018 . Talk Business & Politics . December 23, 2020 .
  7. Web site: Jeannie . Roberts . In state House race, mailers become issue - Rivals also weigh in on gun rights . Arkansas Democrat-Gazette . Little Rock, AR . November 1, 2018 . 7, 14 . December 23, 2020 .
  8. Web site: Election Night Roundup: New Faces in the General Assembly . Caleb . Talley . November 7, 2018 . Arkansas Money & Politics . AY Media Group . December 23, 2020 .
  9. Web site: Arkansas Democratic Chair Gray loses House seat in close race . George . Jared . November 7, 2018 . Talk Business & Politics . December 23, 2020 .