Republican Party of Arkansas delegates take legal action against party leaders over refusal to enforce closed primaries

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Republican Party of Arkansas State Convention delegates have taken legal action against leaders of their own party, following the RPA executive committee’s decision to not allow the state party to enforce the closed GOP primaries in Arkansas, as passed by delegates at the June convention.

The lawsuit, filed by 2024 State Convention Chairwoman Jennifer Lancaster in the United States East District of Arkansas, claims 18 members of the RPA’s State Executive Committee voted to nullify motions passed by more than 600 delegates in June, following an advisory opinion done by the Party Rules Committee chairwoman that pointed to the items not being on the convention’s agenda ahead of time for proper notice.

RPA Chairman Joseph Wood told KARK 4 News following that meeting that the vote to deem these actions “null and void” was because they violated party rules to give proper notice and officially put items on the agenda before discussing or taking votes.

According to the lawsuit, the state executive committee does not have the authority to nullify or change anything done by the RPA’s state convention body because, according to the RPA rules, “The final authority in allparty matters shall rest in the biennial Republican State Convention.”

Delegates are claiming the actions taken by Secretary of State John Thurston and Wood violate not only party rules but constitutional rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association.

The Republican Party of Arkansas responded to the lawsuit in a statement shared with KARK 4 News.

“The Republican Party of Arkansas (RPA) has retained counsel and will defend the rules of the RPA, including due process, to the fullest extent of the law,” the statement read.

The lawsuit asks the court to order the defendants to take immediate action to close the RPA primaries and all other rules and platform changes that the party made on June 8.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.