Lance Ronaco Eads

* * *

Arkansas State Senator
for District 7 (Washington County)

Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2017
Preceded by  |  Jonathon Earl "Jon" Woods

* * *

Arkansas State Representative
for District 88 (Washington County)

In office
January 2015 - January 2017
Preceded by  |  Randy Alexander
Succeeded by  |  Clint Penzo

* * *

Born  |  August 5, 1968 (age 52)
Prairie Groves, Arkansas
Political party  |  Republican
Spouse(s)  |  Kim Hufford Eads
Children  |  Two children

Parents:
Vol Leroy and Joyce Gail Eads

Residence  |  Springdale, Arkansas
Alma mater |  Ouachita Baptist University
Occupation  |  Businessman
Religion  |  Southern Baptist

Lance Ronaco Eads (born August 5, 1968)[1] is a vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce in Springdale, Arkansas, and a Republican former one-term state representative for District 88 in a portion of Washington County in the northwestern portion of his state. In 2017, he became the state senator for District 7.[2]

## Background[edit]

Eads is the son of Vol Leroy and Joyce Gail Eads of Fayetteville, Arkansas. In 1992, he received a Bachelor of Science degree in professional education from the Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia in Clark County in southern Arkansas. He resides with his wife, the former Kim Hufford, and their two children in suburban Prairie Grove in Washington County.[2][3] In 2003, he was named a business development manager for a federal credit union; in 2010, he joined the chamber of commerce in Springdale.[3] He previously resided in Gentry in Benton County and in Lincoln, West Fork, and Farmington, and Fayetteville in Washington County. [1]

Eads is a Southern Baptist and a member of the mega-church, The Cross Church in Washington County,[2] also known as the First Baptist Church of Springdale. Eads's pastor is [Ronnie Floyd, is a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention.

## Political life[edit]

From 2011 to 2012, Eads was a justice of the peace in Washington County. In 2014, he unseated in the low-turnout Republican primary election the one-term incumbent, Randy A;exander, also of Springdale, 1,137 votes (58.1 percent) to 817 votes (41.9 percent). Eads then ran without opposition in the November 4 general election.[4] Eads was assigned to the House committees on: (1) Public Transportation, (2) City, County and Local Affairs, and (3) Joint Performance Review.[2] In February 2015, Eads joined dozens of his fellow Republicans and two Democrats in co-sponsoring legislation submitted by Republican Representative Lane Jean of Magnolia, to reduce unemployment compensation benefits. The measure was promptly signed into law by Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson.[5]

That same month, Eads supported House Bill 1228, sponsored by Bob Ballinger of Carroll County, which sought to prohibit government from imposing a burden on the free exercise of religion.[6] The measure passed the House, seventy-two to twenty.[7] One of the opponents, Democratic Representative Camille Bennett, a former city attorney for Lonoke, Arkansas, called for a reworking of the legislation.[8] Bennett claimed the Ballinger bill would establish a "type of religious litmus test" which could impact nearly any law under consideration by the legislature.[9] The measure was subsequently passed by a large margin in the House and signed into law in revised form, SB 975, by Governor Hutchinson.[10]

Eads did not seek reelection in 2016 but ran successfully for the state senate. Instead Clint Penzo defeated Isaac Foley in the Republican primary runoff for District 88 and has held the seat since that time.

## References[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lance Eads. Mylife.com. Retrieved on February 18, 2021.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lance Eads. arkansashouse.org. Retrieved on April 11, 2015.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lance Eads. Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on February 18, 2021.
4. ↑ District 88. ballotpedia.org. Retrieved on April 11, 2015.
5. ↑ HB 1489 - Reduces Unemployment Benefits - Key Vote. Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on February 18, 2021.
6. ↑ HB 1228. Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on April 11, 2015.
7. ↑ HB 1228. Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on April 14, 2015.
8. ↑ Indiana, Arkansas try to stem religious objections uproar. Atlantic Broadband (April 3, 2015). Retrieved on April 14, 2015; no longer accessible on-line.
9. ↑ Opponents of Religious Freedom Bill Point Out Law Differences, Possible Unintended Consequences. Fox Channel 16 (April 1, 2015). Retrieved on April 14, 2015.
10. ↑ "Gov. Hutchinson signs revised religious freedom bill; HB 1228 recalled," KTHV-TV (Little Rock), April 2, 2015.