Ronetta Francis
Ronetta Francis (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Arkansas State Senate to represent District 1. She lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Francis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Francis was born on August 4, 1965, in San Francisco, California. She graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor's degree in 1987. She went on to obtain her master's degree from Fisk University in 1989. She also received her J.D. from the Samford University Cumberland School of Law in 1994. Francis' professional experience includes working as a small business owner. She has also worked as a motivational teacher, coach, and author.[1]
Elections
2020
See also: Arkansas State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Arkansas State Senate District 1
Incumbent Bart Hester defeated Ronetta Francis in the general election for Arkansas State Senate District 1 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Bart Hester (R) | 64.9 | 36,778 | |
| Ronetta Francis (D) | 35.1 | 19,855 | ||
| Total votes: 56,633 | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Ronetta Francis advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas State Senate District 1.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Bart Hester advanced from the Republican primary for Arkansas State Senate District 1.
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ronetta Francis completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Francis' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am Ronetta J Francis. My husband Earl and I have been married for nearly 27 years, and we are the proud parents of three lovely adult daughters. I am an employment attorney and senior Ethics and Compliance executive, with over 25 years' experience - in federal litigation, as a Senior Trial Attorney with the EEOC, and in-house at Walmart, Inc., as a Senior Associate General Counsel, and later as the Vice President of US Ethics and Employment Compliance. I am also a small business owner, as the Founder and CEO Francis Dynamics Consulting Group, which focuses on supporting female leaders in their personal and professional growth and development. We live in Rogers, AR, and love our Northwest Arkansas community.
I bring the unique combination of being both business-minded and fiscally responsible while also being compassionate about social issues that impact everyday people. I have experience creating and enforcing laws and policies; I know how to find common ground and to find solutions that work for all parties involved. I also understand the struggles that many Arkansas families are facing, especially as we navigate through a global health pandemic, and I have the commitment, courage and compassion to fight for the everyday person and to speak up for those who have been without a voice or a champion in our legislature. Ultimately, I believe that, especially in our legislature, representation matters and too many voices have been left unheard.
- As small business owners, my husband and I both have seen and felt the economic devastation resulting from the COVID -19 pandemic. It is critical that we be intentional about safely re-engaging our economy without putting the lives of our workers at risk. We must provide avenues that encourage business growth and development, so that workers may receive the robust economic opportunities, living wages, and the dignity of a safe place to live that they deserve.
- I believe all Arkansans deserve access to quality healthcare and affordable prescription prices. Too many Arkansans, adults and children alike, are going without necessary health and dental care because of the costs. No Arkansan should be faced with such a choice between their health and the health of their family and other essential needs.
- As the mother of a second grade public school teacher, I know how important a deeper investment in our education system is for the future of our state. Higher pay for teachers and support staff, more professional development opportunities and access to quality early childhood education programs are three achievable outcomes that elevate the educational experiences of our future leaders across the state.
I am passionate about public policy that especially impacts Arkansas families and children, our communities, and our economic and environmental progress.
First, I feel strongly about improving our state's public education system, and ensuring all Arkansas families have access to quality early childhood education programs. We must also take a comprehensive look at improving the overall health of our fellow Arkansans, which will include greater access to excellent healthcare services and affordable prescription drugs.
I am also passionate about supporting the growth of small businesses and equipping employers to pay their workers living wages. Workers deserve to have a safe place to live; therefore, passing a Tenant's Bill of Rights that outlines minimum standards of habitability, would be a legislative priority for me.
Lastly, data confirms that our economic growth would be further stimulated by public policy that reflects Arkansas as an inclusive state that embraces diversity. By passing the Hate Crimes Bill, we signal to all families that their safety is important; to the community, that crimes of an especially hateful nature will be subject to additional penalties, and to businesses and industries, that Arkansas is ready to do business, and is open and welcoming to all.
I look up to those who blaze trails, creating opportunities for others, where none had existed in the past. I admire their bravery and tenacity; by moving forward - through certain fear - into unchartered territories, they were focused on a mission, not for personal gain or enrichment, but for the greater good.
I also look up to those who work behind the scenes, whose names will never be known, but whose sacrifices are also worthy of note. Those who inspire, encourage and uplift others; those who instill values of kindness, respect and civility into fabric of each generation.
Listening to issues, challenges, needs and desires of those you represent is vital. An elected official must also have compassion for the most vulnerable among their constituents and the courage to speak out on their behalf. Above all, an elected official must exhibit servant leadership and be willing and able to work alongside those for whom they represent.
I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, during the immediate aftermath of the Civil Rights Movement. There were many historical events that occurred during the few years before and year I was born, including the bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Bull Connor's police dogs used to attack school children in Kelly Ingram Park, along with the enactment of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These events not only shaped me personally, but also professionally, as a civil rights employment attorney.
One of the most significant historical events that I recall would be actually witnessing the Space Shuttle Challenger explode shortly after takeoff in January 1986. I was a 20-year old college student - standing in the middle of the Ferguson Student Union at the University of Alabama. Surrounded by fellow students, who had become accustomed to counting down routine, safe space shuttle launches, we stood - motionless - trying to absorb and make sense of what we had just seen. I remember thinking: where is the pod that holds the astronauts? I stood there and watched the clear, blue sky for a drifting parachute, safely carrying its passengers away from the exploding rocket - but it never happened.
While I certainly believe that prior experience in government or politics is helpful for someone seeking a state legislative office, I do not believe that it is necessary. Government should be for the people, of the people, and by the people. We lose out on having access to creative, rational, representative ideas and perspectives because people decide not to engage in the political process because they do not have prior experience. What we should focus on instead is what are the skill sets, educational background and other talents and abilities that can be brought to bear in the state legislature that would be a benefit to furthering the state's goals and objectives.
There is a need for a balance of having experienced legislators combined with an infusion of new ideas, thoughts and strategies. Those with experience can provide the tools and techniques for newer innovations to be heard and implemented without the delay of an unreasonably long learning curve.
Arkansas has significant strides to make in the areas of Access to Quality Healthcare, Education and Infrastructure - especially universal broadband internet access. These are the core components in determining how successful Arkansas will be the competitive marketplace of the future.
Yes, I do. The effectiveness and efficiency of any organization - including the government - is built on consensus and collaboration. With representatives coming together from all over the state - each seeking to advance the particular needs and issues of their respective districts - it is vital to keep in mind what is best for the state as a whole when making legislative decisions. That means, it's important to understand what's important to other areas of the state and to find common ground, which is best accomplished by building relationships within both parties across the state.
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.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 11, 2020
