Michael John Gray (born June 30, 1976) is a farmer, businessman, and politician from Woodruff County, Arkansas. He represented a rural area of the Arkansas Delta in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2015 to 2017. Gray served as chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas from 2017 to 2021.
Early life
Gray largely grew up in the Augusta School District, but graduated from Searcy High School.[1]
He earned an Associate in Arts from Arkansas State University Beebe. He briefly attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and earned his Bachelor of Arts in marketing with an emphasis on logistics from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Gray later earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.[2]
Career
After graduation, Gray returned to Augusta to work on the family farm, known as Wakefield Partners, with his wife and mother. A third-generation family farm, the operation spans 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of cotton, corn, peanuts, rice, and wheat. The group was named the 2014 Woodruff County Farm Family of the Year, an honor previously bestowed on his parents in 1984.[1] Gray won election to the Augusta City Council in 2010, and focused on budgeting and reducing municipal spending.[2] In October 2013, Gray announced his candidacy for the Arkansas House of Representatives District 47 seat held by term-limited Democrat Jody Dickinson. His campaign announcement described a focus on rural issues, and his community involvement and collaborative work on the city council.[2] Gray was unopposed in the Democratic primary and the general election, and was seated as a member of the 90th Arkansas General Assembly. The House Democratic Caucus elected him Minority leader,[3] Democrats held 35 of 100 seats in the House.[4] He voted for Arkansas Works (Medicaid expansion in Arkansas) twice and was a vocal supporter of the measure.[5]
In March 2017, Gray won election to the unpaid position of Chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas. He replaced the retiring Vince Insalaco for the remainder of his four-year term, defeating Denise Garner by a 120–107 vote. Gray campaigned on a return of focus to economic and rural issues.[6] He was re-elected to full term as Chair in 2018.[7]
Gray was narrowly defeated in his November 2018 re-election bid for the House District 47 seat by Bald Knob businessman and retired state bureaucrat Craig Christiansen.[5][8][9]
References
- ^ a b Rolf, Carol (August 24, 2014). "Woodruff County family honored for farm operation". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Little Rock, AR: WEHCO Media. p. 119. Retrieved December 23, 2020 – via NewsBank: America's News.
- ^ a b c "Gray running for House position". Newport Independent. Newport, Arkansas. October 24, 2013. p. 5. Retrieved December 23, 2020 – via NewsBank.
- ^ Lyon, John (September 26, 2015). "Michael John Gray Elected Minority Leader Of Arkansas House". Arkansas News. North Little Rock, AR: Arkansas News Bureau, Gannett Co., Inc. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ "Arkansas House Democrats elect new minority leader". The Associated Press. September 25, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2020 – via Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
- ^ a b Roberts, Jeannie (November 1, 2018). "In state House race, mailers become issue - Rivals also weigh in on gun rights". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Little Rock, AR. pp. 7, 14. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ Moritz, John (March 26, 2017). "Democrats pick Gray as chief". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Little Rock, AR: WEHCO Media. p. 15. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ Jared, George (December 17, 2018). "State Democrats choose Gray for full term as chairman". Talk Business & Politics. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ Talley, Caleb (November 7, 2018). "Election Night Roundup: New Faces in the General Assembly". Arkansas Money & Politics. AY Media Group. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
- ^ Jared, George (November 7, 2018). "Arkansas Democratic Chair Gray loses House seat in close race". Talk Business & Politics. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
