Rebekah Kennedy

Rebekah Kennedy
Green Party nominee for
U.S. Senator from Arkansas
Election date
November 4, 2008
Opponent(s) Mark Pryor (D)
Incumbent Mark Pryor (D)
Personal details
Born October 19, 1978
Heber Springs, Arkansas
Political party Green Party (USA)
Residence Quitman, Arkansas
Alma mater University of Central Arkansas
University of Arkansas School of Law
Occupation Attorney, Politician
Religion Undenominational Christian

Rebekah Kennedy (born 1978) is an Arkansas politician affiliated with the Green Party and was a candidate for U.S. Senate in the 2008 election cycle.[1] She unsuccessfully ran for State Attorney General during the 2006 and 2010 election cycles.[2]

Early life and education

Kennedy was born in Heber Springs, Arkansas into a family which has been in Arkansas for generations. Upon graduating from high school, Kennedy attended the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, where she earned a B.A. degree in English literature. She then attended the University of Arkansas School of Law at Fayetteville, where she earned her J.D. degree.[3] In 2004, she was admitted to the Arkansas Bar Association.

Beginning in 2004, Kennedy practiced law as an associate of the firm of Pryor, Robertson, Beasley & Smith in Fort Smith. Her practice includes work in the area of civil rights and on behalf of victims of discrimination in the workplace.[4] In 2008, Kennedy departed from the firm and founded the Law Office of Rebekah Kennedy.

Political involvement

In 2001, Kennedy served on the Committee to Elect Sarah Marsh to the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2002, she became the Green Party of Arkansas's elections co-chair; she held this position until 2007 when she became the party's public relations co-chair. In 2008 she relinquished the latter position to return to being elections co-chair.

Kennedy was perhaps best known for her 2006 bid for Arkansas Attorney General, which garnered 4.4% of the vote.[5]

In 2008, the Republican Party declined to nominate a candidate in the 2008 Senate election in Arkansas. Thus, Kennedy became the sole challenger of Democratic Senator Mark Pryor in his first race as an incumbent. Kennedy received a 206,504 votes for 20.54% of the vote .[6] This is the highest percentage of the vote for any Green Party candidate running for U.S. Senate ever, and her 206,504 votes is the second most total votes received by a Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate.[7] Kennedy's campaign, in addition to being record breaking for the Green Party, was also the strongest showing of any independent or third party candidate running for the U.S. Senate in 2008.

Kennedy unsuccessfully ran for the office of Attorney General in the 2010 election cycle as the Green Party nominee.[8][9] She faced one-term Democratic incumbent, Dustin McDaniel; the state Republican Party did not field a candidate. She received 193,658 votes, or 26.79%.

In 2012, Kennedy challenged Rep. Steve Womack for the U.S House of Representatives in a race that had no Democrat. She came in second out of 3 candidates, receiving 39,318 votes, or 16.01%.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Green Party taps three nominees",Pryor Jordan, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 13, 2008.
  2. ↑ Arkansas Green Party nominates slate of candidates
  3. ↑ "Kennedy enters race for Pryor's Senate Seat", Daniel Nassaw, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 14, 2007.
  4. ↑ http://www.prbsklaw.com/index.asp?s=attorney_fort_smith_practiceareas&f=employment_law, accessed 4/24/2008.
  5. ↑ "Arkansas Attorney General Statewide Results". Secretary of State of Arkansas. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  6. ↑ "U.S. Senate Statewide Results". Secretary of State of Arkansas. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  7. ↑ http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2008/10/09/a-short-history-of-green-party-us-senate-races/
  8. ↑ Arkansas Green Party nominates slate of candidates
  9. ↑ Attorneys General Race Ratings
  10. ↑ "Arkansas Election Results". Arkansas SOS Elections. Retrieved 2012-11-10.

External links