Two candidates announce bids to chair Democratic Party of Arkansas
From the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on August 1, 2025 by NEAL EARLEY
Cotton (L) and Jones (R)
The race to lead the Democratic Party of Arkansas began Thursday with two contenders — interim party Chair Jannie Cotton and former congressional candidate Marcus Jones announcing their bids.
Cotton — the first candidate to announce — has served as the party’s interim chair since the resignation of Grant Tennille on July 15. Cotton, 71, was elected vice chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas in January 2023.
In an interview, Cotton said she is the person best positioned to lead Arkansas Democrats going forward and saying if elected she would expand the party’s outreach in heavily Republican Arkansas. “I want the people who donate $5 to know they are as important as a vote and as a part of this party as somebody who is able to give $5,000 or $10,000,” she said. Cotton is a member of the Democratic National Committee and is vice president of the Southern district of the Association of State Democratic Committees.
Jannie Cotton
A native of Little Rock, Cotton is a licensed professional therapist and served as the CEO of Professional Counseling Associates before retiring in 2018. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff and a master’s degree from the University of Central Arkansas. Prior to becoming vice chair under Tennille, Cotton had run twice for the state House of Representatives, losing to state Rep. Karilyn Brown, R-Sherwood, in 2020 and 2022.
In an interview, Cotton touted her ability to fundraise, saying she helped turn the party’s Fisher Shackelford Dinner into a major source of donations. “So I’m a fundraiser and that’s what this job takes, the first priority is raising funds,” she said.
Marcus Jones
Jones, of Little Rock, served in the U.S. Army for 29 years, retiring in 2023 with the rank of colonel. Jones’ military service included multiple deployments to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also served in South Korea from 2015-2017 as part of Eighth Army and in Norway from 2017-2020 as NATO’s Joint Warfare Center.
In 2024, Jones, 52, ran as the Democratic nominee for Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District, losing to incumbent U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark. Jones has an undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville and master’s degrees from the U.S. Army War College and Webster University. Jones returned to Arkansas to serve as the senior army advisor to the Arkansas National Guard, a post he served from 2020-2023.
In an interview, Jones said state committee members should look to his military experience when considering his candidacy, saying, “I have a proven track record of leadership.” Jones said if he is elected party chair, he wants Democrats to improve the party’s messaging and “really look at what our strategic plan is” for how Democrats can win elections.
“We have to look at how we communicate to Arkansans,” Jones said. “We have, in my opinion … the right ideas. We have the right policies. We’ve got to move forward and communicate that to bring people to the polls and get Democrats elected.”
Both Cotton and Jones have praised Tennille’s leadership of the party saying the former chair had left the party on better financial ground since taking over in October of 2021.
While Democrats used to dominate politics in the Natural State, the party is far from the peak of its influence and power, only holding 19 out of 100 seats in the Arkansas House and six out of 35 seats in the state senate. All seven of Arkansas’ public officials elected to statewide office are Republicans, along with the entirety of the state’s four U.S. Representatives and both U.S. Senators.
The new chair will be chosen during the state committee meeting on Aug. 16. Candidates running for chair have until noon Monday to file their notice of candidacy and until 7 p.m. on Aug. 8 to submit their petitions.
State party rules require that a new chair is elected within 60 days of a resignation. In July, the executive committee approved rules to require candidates to have at least 10 signatures from state committee members before they can run. No nominations from the floor will be accepted. Rules state the election for party chair will be conducted electronically or through paper ballots. If a candidate fails to receive a majority vote on the first ballot of state committee members, voting will continue until a new chair is elected. If there is no winner by the third ballot, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated from contention.
Additional Information from Arkansas Democrats Website
The statements are included below as well as a media advisory for the State Committee meeting. The statements are listed in the order that the candidates will appear on the ballot.
Colonel (Retired) Marcus Jones submitted the following statement and biographical information:
“‘Raise money and elect Democrats,’ isn’t a plan. The next Chair must establish a strategic vision for our party and collaborate with every team member to meet a long-term goal. Looking out on a five-year planning horizon, which incorporates two election cycles, and developing that way ahead is the step we should take now. Once we understand where we’re going, all other enabling functions – communications, growing capacity in our county parties and auxiliaries, training and recruiting candidates, financial planning, and the fundraising that supports all of these – can find synergy.”
Colonel (Retired) Marcus Jones is a proud Arkansas Democrat, a proven organizational performance professional, a U.S. Army Combat Veteran, and former Candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives (AR-02). With three decades of experience driving strategic initiatives, optimizing operations, and leading high-performing teams in complex, fast-paced environments, he’s ready to serve as Chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas.
Marcus’ demonstrated success in both fundraising and communications serves as a testament to his readiness to lead the DPA. During his 2024 campaign for Congress, he raised an amount equal to that of all other Arkansas Democratic Congressional Campaigns in both the 2022 and 2024 election cycles combined. COL(R) Jones continues to fundraise in support of the DPA, his efforts accounting for more than $24,000 in 2025. Marcus is a voice for Arkansas Democratic Party initiatives and values, and a trusted international and military affairs expert: NewsNation (International & Military Affairs), KATV (Military Affairs), KARK (Guest-Capital View/TBP), Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Arkansas Times (Guest Lecturer), Little Rock Congressional Town Hall (Speaker), LR/NLR ‘No Kings’ Rally (Keynote Speaker).
Working with other Democratic campaigns on the 2024 Ballot, Marcus developed a comprehensive field engagement plan that canvassed over 18,000 homes in Central Arkansas. His collaborative and communicative style is exactly the approach needed to grow the Democratic base and increase the capacity of our county parties and auxiliaries.
Marcus holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Arkansas, and Master’s Degrees from the U.S. Army War College and Webster University. He currently serves on the boards of the Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the UofA Army ROTC Alumni Society. Marcus’ military awards include the Legion of Merit (1 OLC), the Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), the Iraqi Campaign Medal (4 Campaign Stars), and the Meritorious Unit Citation (2 OLC).
Marcus and his wife of 30 years, Carrie, live in Little Rock and are the proud parents of two adult children, Will & Abby, and are members of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church.
Having successfully led organizations, large and small, in the most arduous conditions, Marcus Jones is a natural choice for Chair in the current Arkansas political environment. His decades of strategic and operational planning expertise, extensive leadership experience, and established track record of delivering multi-million dollar programs on time and budget are exactly what the DPA needs as we move into the 2026 election cycle.
Interim Chair Jannie Marie Cotton submitted the following statement and biographical information:
“Your vote for Jannie Cotton as Chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas is a vote to WIN! My aim as your next Chair is to make sustaining fundraising a top priority. We must have the resources to help candidates fuel their campaigns and expand their voter outreach to win competitive races. We must attract new donors, increase our Heart of the Party, and engage disengaged voters and donors alike. We must audit, measure, and learn from our fundraising efforts to adjust our fundraising strategies.
Policy is still at the forefront of my purview. Our democracy is under attack. Our Party must continue to assess our current strategies & data to engage stakeholders, increase voters’ registration and turnout, and organize our outreach from county to county. Let’s win back Democratic seats in Republican-held districts through the recruitment of candidates. Win back the working-class voters. Win back the trust of Arkansans who fear their local concerns will not reach our national leaders. Win back young Democrats who are frustrated with traditional approaches to solving problems and seek innovative solutions. My fellow state committee members, I am revved up to lead this charge!”
Elected, Appointed & Leadership Positions
Interim Chair, DPA, 7/2025 – Current
Appointed to the National Democratic Committee (DNC) Standing Resolution Committee – 5/ 2025 – Current Vice President, Southern District of the Associated State Democratic Committee (ASDC), consisting of 13 states – 2/2025 – Current
Chair of Recruitment of Candidates – 2024 & 2026 Election Cycles
Vice Chair, DPA – 1/2023 – Current
Member, National Credential Committee for the Biden-Harris Administration
5-year appointment with the Audit & Finance Committee, City of Sherwood
5-year appointment as Commissioner for Pulaski County Fire Department Protection District 5. Democratic nominee for State Representative, Sherwood and Jacksonville, 2020 & 2022
Served 13 years as CEO of Professional Counseling Associates (PCA) with six locations across Pulaski, Lonoke, and Prairie Counties
Licensed Professional Counselor, MS, LPC
Served on the Healthcare Reform and Legislative Committee for Children & Adult Services; ensured the health and welfare of mental health clients in the state of Arkansas from 2005-2014
Served on the Executive Board as Secretary and Past President of the Mental Health Council, which represented 15 community mental health centers from across the state
Served as a delegate from Arkansas representing mental health for Hill Day in DC through the National Association of Behavioral Health for 10+ years
Member, Democratic National Committee
Past Second Vice President and Lifetime member of the Democratic Black Caucus
2024 Lifetime Young Democrat Award
Past President, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., LRAC
How has Jannie helped advance the Democratic Party of Arkansas?
Recruitment of Candidates 2024 & 2026
Call Time/Heart of the Party/Donors
Voters Registration & Statewide Engagement
Vice Chair – over 4,000 volunteer hours
Lead of Fisher Shackelford: 2025 ($44,254.35), 2024 ($46,797.88), 2023 ($35,185.37) net gain. Chair of King Kennedy: 2025 ($30K), 2024 ($40K), 2023 ($15K) net gain.
Ms.Cotton also stated:
My fellow state committee members, I am revved up to become your next Arkansas Democratic Chair! My role as Vice Chair and now interim-Chair of the DPA, national positions with the DNC and ASDC, 13 years as a CEO overseeing $7-8 million dollar budgets for six mental health facilities across Arkansas, 40 plus years in leadership roles in the public and private sectors, combined with my 53 years as a die-hard Democrat has prepared me to become the next Arkansas Democratic Party Chair.
I have heard from many of you that strategy and policy are top of mind. I agree we need to address both components. However, we first must address a critical component of the equation--fundraising. To strengthen our strategic plan, we must prioritize sustaining fundraising as the foundation of the Party’s short-term and long-term goals, and as the key to success in the 2026 midterms.
As Vice Chair of the DPA, I led the fundraising efforts for the Fisher Shackelford Event, achieving a net gain of $44,254.35 in 2025, $46,797.88 in 2024, and $35,185.37 in 2023. As Chair of King Kennedy, I led the fundraising efforts, achieving a net gain of $30K in 2025, $40K in 2024, and $15K in 2023, all of which support the Democratic Party of Arkansas’ infrastructure to help elect more Democrats.
How does fundraising expand and strengthen the Party?
Fundraising
Sustain operations: budget of 81% staff & admin and 19% operational.Support mobilizing communities from County to County.Expand the Heart of the Party, donor base, and donor retention efforts.
Strategy
Data collection, surveys, and polls.Voter registration.Leverage the voice of Arkansans in our core messaging.
Win 2026 Midterms
Support the recruitment of candidates and help them get elected.Coordinate with Officers, Auxiliaries & County leadership.Recruit a volunteer coordinator to organize volunteers to cover gaps in identified resources due to limited staff capacity.
Policy
Address the $64 million cuts in Education in Arkansas.Cuts to Medicaid, healthcare for working families, food assistance, and jobs.More than 64% of Snap participants are with families & children.More than 45% of families with members who are older adults or are disabled.More than 27% are in working families.64% of Medicaid adults are working in Arkansas.
State Committee members, I appreciate your vote as the next Chair. Let us work together to win back Democratic seats in Republican-held districts through the recruitment of candidates. Win back the working-class voters. Win back the trust of Arkansans who fear their local concerns will not reach our national leaders. Win back young Democrats who are frustrated with traditional approaches to solving problems and seek innovative solutions. Win back our democracy!
We Organize; We Win! County to County, Door to Door.
A media advisory for the meeting is included below:
WHO: Candidates for Party Chair: Interim Chair Jannie Cotton and Ret. Army Col. Marcus Jones; House Minority Leader Rep. Andrew Collins will provide the welcome for the meeting; Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus President David Ashley will provide the invocation; Young Democrats of Arkansas Vice President and former College Democrats of America President Aliah Rowe will do the pledge of allegiance; Leaders and Officers of the Democratic Party of Arkansas
WHAT: The State Committee of the Democratic Party of Arkansas will meet to hold elections for Party Chair and discuss changes to party rules.
WHEN: Saturday, August 16 at 2 PM
WHERE: Four Points Sheraton in Little Rock (925 S University Ave.)
WHY: The party will meet to hold elections for Party Chair, discuss candidate filing, and approve rule changes recommended by the Rules Committee.
MEDIA ARE INVITED TO ATTEND and are encouraged to RSVP at the Google Form linked here.
