Denise Garner
2023 - Present
2027
2
Denise Garner (Democratic Party) is a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, representing District 20. She assumed office on January 9, 2023. Her current term ends on January 11, 2027.
Garner (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Arkansas House of Representatives to represent District 20. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Denise Garner earned a B.S. in nursing from the University of Arkansas. Garner's career experience includes owning a business and working as a nurse practitioner. She founded Role Call, serving as its board chair, founded Feed Communities, and has served as the board chair of the WRMC Foundation. Garner has also served on the University of Arkansas Medical School Psychology Research Institute Board, the University of Arkansas Medical School Board, the University of Arkansas Foundation Board, the Fulbright College Advisory Board, the Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women in Arts, the College of ED/HP Advisory Board, and the Amazeum Board.[1]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at:editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Garner was assigned to the following committees:
- House Advanced Communications and Information Technology Committee
- House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee
- House Education Committee
- Joint Budget Committee
- Advanced Communications and Information Technology Committee
2021-2022
Garner was assigned to the following committees:
- House Revenue and Taxation Committee
- Advanced Communications and Information Technology Committee
- Joint Budget Committee
- Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee
2019-2020
Garner was assigned to the following committees:
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Arkansas House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 20
Incumbent Denise Garner won election in the general election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 20 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Denise Garner (D) | 100.0 | 11,405 | |
| Total votes: 11,405 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 20
Incumbent Denise Garner advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 20 on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Denise Garner | |
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Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Garner in this election.
2022
See also: Arkansas House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 20
Incumbent Denise Garner won election in the general election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 20 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Denise Garner (D) | 100.0 | 9,011 | |
| Total votes: 9,011 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Denise Garner advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 20.
2020
See also: Arkansas House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 84
Incumbent Denise Garner won election in the general election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 84 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Denise Garner (D) | 100.0 | 13,515 | |
| Total votes: 13,515 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Denise Garner advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 84.
2018
General election
General election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 84
Denise Garner defeated incumbent Charlie Collins in the general election for Arkansas House of Representatives District 84 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Denise Garner (D) | 55.4 | 7,497 | |
| Charlie Collins (R) | 44.6 | 6,032 | ||
| Total votes: 13,529 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 84
Denise Garner advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 84 on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Denise Garner | |
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 84
Incumbent Charlie Collins advanced from the Republican primary for Arkansas House of Representatives District 84 on May 22, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Charlie Collins | |
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Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Denise Garner did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Denise Garner did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Denise Garner did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Denise Garner completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Garner's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
(1) Listening to my constituents (being accessible, responsible to their concerns). The biggest problem with the incumbent is his "guns everywhere" legislation that he pushed through last legislative cycle without listening to all stakeholders. We need to fix Act 562 to make it more pragmatic and takes into account the local control of public colleges and universities again. (2) Ethics Reform (we have several ethical issues with our current state legislature that need fixing) (3) Healthcare to all Arkansans, support for public education (in the form of teacher raises, protection for teacher retirement, & stopping the syphoning off of public funds for other purposes). (4) Focus on Arkansas's Infrastructure - special attention given to roads/highways and repairing/improving bridges throughout our state
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Public education and healthcare are my biggest two passions and uniquely there are also the same biggest areas of focus for our state legislature. Another close issue to my heart is food insecurities. I founded Feed Communities to help bridge the gap between our local farmers and those areas in our community that need food.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Honesty, integrity, & respect for differing viewpoints
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I am honest, compassionate about helping others, & deeply value the ideas and opinions of differing viewpoints.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I want to make our community better so our kids and grandkids want to come back here. I've given my last 30 years to seeing northwest Arkansas succeed and I know we can still be better!
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
Pictures of my kids and grandkids.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Fight Song by Rachel Platten
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
I think a variety of backgrounds is important to ensure different voices are represented in the state legislature.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
We've got to focus on our growing infrastructural needs. Our state is a natural beauty but we also need to balance that we the growing urban sprawl to protect the needs of the environment and local communities.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Yes, one of the first things I want to do when elected is start a women's caucus comprised of female legislators (new and veteran from both parties) to come together for common goals to improve the lives of women across our state as well as find ways to encourage more female legislators. I also think we should have a "moderate" caucus of legislators comprised of both parties who will help govern from the middle. Arkansas succeeds best when we listen to our middle voice.
What process do you favor for redistricting?
Independent, third party should redistrict our state and federal boundaries for legislative offices.
Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
Senator Joyce Elliott
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
Nope. I am not a career politician. Unlike my opponent, who just recently updated his website that said he was running for Lt. Governor (in 2013), I do not aspire to any higher office. I want to serve the people of District 84 to the best of my abilities. This is not be my full time job either, though I will work tirelessly for Dist. 84 and the state of Arkansas. I am a grandmother and want to spend as much time with my grandkids as possible during these special, early years.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Arkansas scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from April 10 to May 9.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from January 9 to May 1.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from February 14 to March 15.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from January 11 to October 15.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from April 8 to April 24.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Arkansas State Legislature was in session from January 14 through April 24.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Arkansas House of Representatives District 20 |
Officeholder Arkansas House of Representatives District 20 |
Personal |
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Maddox (R) |
Arkansas House of Representatives District 20 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Charlie Collins (R) |
Arkansas House of Representatives District 84 2019-2023 |
Succeeded by Les Warren (R) |
