Candidate Spotlight: Will Jones, Frank Gilbert, Anna Beth Gorman

Heading into this month’s primary elections, AMP concludes its monthly look at state and local candidates.

This month, we’ve got Will Jones, running for prosecuting attorney for the Sixth Judicial District, which encompasses Perry and Pulaski counties; Frank Gilbert, a Libertarian running for lieutenant governor; and Democrat Anna Beth Gorman, candidate for secretary of state.

The spotlight includes those candidates who responded to our request and submitted responses by the press deadline. Jones is running against Alicia Walton, Gilbert is unopposed in the primary and Gorman will face Joshua Price in the primary for the right to face incumbent John Thurston or his fellow Republican, Eddie Joe Williams, in the general election.

Will Jones

Prosecuting Attorney candidate, Sixth Judicial District

AMP: Why are you running?

Jones: To unify our community, continue to protect victims of crime, and make Pulaski and Perry counties safer for us all.

AMP: What experience do you bring to the field?

Jones: I bring over 20 years of experience serving our community as a prosecutor. I’ve tried over 140 jury trials, most of which were crimes against children and homicides. I have been protecting the most vulnerable members of our community and have a reputation for being tough and fair.

AMP: What’s the biggest issue right now pertaining to the office you seek?

Jones: The COVID backlog and the rise in violent crime are equally our biggest issues. Each year, the prosecutor files approximately 5,000 felony cases. Because of COVID, courts were hesitant to conduct jury trials in 2020 and 2021. As a result, very few cases were resolved, causing the caseload for each deputy prosecutor to increase dramatically, with some deputy prosecutors having over 700 cases. Additionally, since January 1, 2019, there have been over 180 homicides in Little Rock alone. With such an increase in caseloads and violent crime, we need someone with a long record of prosecuting complex cases and holding people accountable.

AMP: What will you do to address rising crime rates in central Arkansas and across the state?

Jones: First, we need to take a tougher stance on the illegal possession of weapons. If we can prevent illegal gun possession, we can greatly reduce the amount of violent crime in our community. Second, it is imperative that we address the immediate need for safety by keeping those who commit violent crime in custody, while simultaneously implementing long term solutions such as intervention and rehabilitation. Finally, we must utilize juvenile court programs to ensure that juveniles and teens are getting the support and services that they need to become strong, responsible adults and not adult offenders.

Frank Gilbert

Libertarian candidate for lieutenant governor

AMP: Why are you running?

Gilbert: I am running for lieutenant governor because, like most Arkansans, I believe there is something very wrong in our state and nation. Street violence and crime, government corruption and incompetence, profligate public spending and inflation, and a global pandemic (and our government’s reaction to it) have us concerned and looking for better choices. As a Libertarian, I believe that our problems are exacerbated, and sometimes caused, by the hyper-partisan, tribal politics of the old parties. They use anger and fear to demonize their opponents and to whip up their bases.

It is an effective strategy for them but dangerous for the state and nation. Most of us don’t fit well in Tribe Blue or Tribe Red, but for too long, there have been no other choices. I believe the Libertarian Party can give the broad center of the electorate a way to counter the extremes of the radical right and the loony left. I think it is also important to mention motivations that do NOT move me to run for this office. I am not using it as a way to stay in government while waiting for my turn at a higher office. I am not running because I want to impose a moral or ethical code on anyone. I am not running to use your taxes for social engineering and experimentation.

AMP: What do you bring to the field?

Gilbert: I have been elected three times to municipal and county offices. I was elected once as a Republican, once as an independent and once as a Libertarian. Service is important to me; parties, not so much.

Two of the offices I held were uncompensated. The other one paid the princely sum of $300 per month. My public service is about doing the job, not about money.

Four years in the U.S. Navy, more than a decade in public service, 20 years working in private business, then retiring from a local school district and now driving for Uber and Lyft for the past eight years, give me depth and breadth of real-life experience that helps me understand what most Arkansans face every day.

AMP: What’s the biggest issue right now pertaining to the office you seek?

Gilbert: Political intrigue and grudges have gutted the office of lieutenant governor of any meaningful purpose. The lieutenant governor just waits for the governor to die or be indicted and serves as the purely ceremonial president of the Senate. It seems silly to pay someone $44,674 a year for that work. Perhaps it is time to give the job some real responsibilities or just abolish it.

If elected, I will use the position to reach out to average Arkies. Folks who have a way to make Arkansas a better place to live, work and play deserve a willing listener and advocate in Little Rock. The same is true for those who have problems with state government. I look forward to helping folks who are not lobbyists, large contributors, party bosses or powerful politicians.

Anna Beth Gorman

Democratic candidate for secretary of state

AMP: Why are you running?

Gorman: I am running to be the top opportunity advocate for all Arkansans. I believe that Arkansas is the land of opportunity, but we need leaders who know how to create access to opportunities that allow the people of our state to live full lives. There are real barriers to starting businesses and participating in elections in Arkansas. We must elect leaders that are ready to work hard to address these issues.

AMP: What do you bring to the field?

Gorman: My career as a nonprofit executive has provided me with skills and experience in bringing innovative solutions to systemic problems and driving positive change with a collaborative approach. I know how to build coalitions of bipartisan stakeholders that work together to advance impactful solutions to real problems.

AMP: What’s the biggest issue right now pertaining to the office you seek?

Gorman: This office lacks innovation and initiative to make the changes necessary to improve upon and execute its primary functions. We need modern and forward-thinking approaches on how to support the business community and the business of running elections in Arkansans. Arkansas does not have to be last in the country for registered voters and voter engagement. We need a secretary of state who advocates for individuals wanting to start businesses in our state. We need a secretary of state who will elevate and champion the brand of Arkansas.