Scott Flippo

Scott Patterson Flippo
Arkansas State Senator from District 17 (Baxter, Marion, and Boone counties)
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2015
Preceded by Johnny R. Key
Personal details
Born 1979
Mountain Home, Baxter County
Arkansas, USA
Political party Republican
Parents William Patterson and Katherine W. Flippo
Residence Mountain Home, Arkansas
Alma mater Mountain Home High School

University of Arkansas

Occupation Owner of an assisted living facility in Bull Shoals, Arkansas
Religion Christian[1]

Scott Patterson Flippo (born 1979) is a Republican member of the Arkansas State Senate from District 17 in the northern Arkansas counties of Baxter, Boone, and Marion. He assumes his seat in January 2015.

Background

The son of William Patterson "Pat" Flippo[2] and Katherine W. Flippo of Mountain Home in Baxter County,[3] Flippo is a 1998 graduate of Mountain Home High School and a 2003 alumnus in business administration of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.[4] He is a native and resident of Mountain Home and the owner of Flippo's Carefree Living, an assisted living facility in Bull Shoals in Marion County.[5]

Political life

In the runoff election held on June 10, 2014, Flippo defeated the District 98 State Representative John Burris of Harrison, 3,913 (51.3 percent) to 3,712 (48.7 percent).[6] With no Democrat opponent in the heavily Republican district in the November 4 general election, Flippo became both the Republican nominee and the Senator-elect to succeed fellow Republican Johnny Key, also of Mountain Home,[6] who has applied for a position as vice chancellor of governmental affairs with the University of Arkansas.[5]

Burris had led the primary election balloting on May 20 with 43 percent of the vote, barely ahead of Flippo, who polled 42 percent. A third candidate, David Osmon, the mayor of Mountain Home, held the remaining but critical 16 percent of the votes cast.[7]

Burris was the leading spokesman for the state's "private option" Medicaid expansion proposal, which he had considered essential to keeping open rural hospitals in Arkansas. Under the plan, federal Medicaid funds are earmarked to purchase health insurance for the 170,000 indigent persons in Arkansas. Osmon also supports the private option plan.[8][9] Flippo carried the backing of several Republican lawmakers who oppose the "private option" championed by Burris. One of those lawmakers is outgoing District 21 Representative Terry Rice of Waldron, who unseated District 9 Senator Bruce Holland in the Republican runoff primary.[8] Another surrogate for the Flippo campaign was Curtis Coleman, an opponent of the private option plan who lost the Republican gubernatorial nomination to Asa Hutchinson in 2014. Coleman carried only Flippo's Baxter County in his race against Hutchinson.[10]

Flippo, who calls himself conservative, said of his opponent Burris: "He is the architect and leader of bringing Obamacare to Arkansas through the private option. He voted to implement Common Core standards in Arkansas. He ... proposed doubling legislative salaries. He has consistently ranked in the top 10 in receiving reimbursements since taking office. These are all facts, and these are the distinctions in our campaigns.”[11]

References

  1. "Flippo for Arkansas Senate". Facebook. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  2. "William Patterson Flippo". intelius.com. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  3. "Scott Flippo". intelius.com. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  4. "Scott Flippo's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Two announce for Senate seat held by Key". KTLO (AM). February 28, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "AR State Senate 17 - R Runoff". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  7. "Arkansas Primary Election Results, May 20, 2014". KATV. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  8. 8.0 8.1 "Flippo beats Burris in Arkansas state Senate race". KATV. June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
  9. David Ramsey (May 15, 2014). "Three GOP Senate battles could determine the future of the Arkansas health care private option: Opponents of incumbent Sens. Bill Sample and Bruce Holland, Rep. John Burris focus on private option vote". Arkansas Times. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  10. Andrew DeMillo (June 8, 2014). "State Senate race focuses on Medicaid expansion". Wichita Eagle. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
  11. "Flippo press release". flippo4arsenate.com. May 12, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
Preceded by
Johnny R. Key
Arkansas State Senator from District 17 (Baxter, Marion, and Boone counties)

Scott Patterson Flippo
2015

Succeeded by
Incumbent