Governor Sanders appoints new Secretary of State

New Supreme Court justices named in press conference last week

By Ralph Hardin

news@theeveningtimes.com

LITTLE ROCK — It was a busy Friday at the state Capitol as Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed a new Secretary of State and filled a pair of soon-to-be vacancies on the state’s highest court.

During an early afternoon announcement, Gov. Sanders said she was appointing Cole Jester to serve as Secretary of State, as well as state Solicitor General Nicholas Bronni and current Justice Cody Hiland to serve on the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Jester, who currently serves as deputy chief legal counsel for Gov. Sanders, will replace outgoing Secretary of State John Thurston. Thurston was elected in November as state Treasurer.

Hiland was previously appointed to the Arkansas Supreme Court in July 2023 after the death of Justice Robin Wynne and served as US Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas and as a state prosecutor before that.

Bronni has served as the state’s Solicitor General since July 2018 and has a track record of arguing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as state and federal appeals courts, Gov. Sanders said in making the announcement.

Hiland will replace Justice Courtney Hudson, who currently serves in Pos. 3 and was elected to Pos. 2 in November; while Bronni will replace Justice Karen R. Baker, who serves in Pos. 6 and was elected Chief Justice in November.

In making the announcements at the state Capitol, Gov.

Sanders said all three have a distinguished record and will represent the state in a professional manner. “If my team ever needs someone to do a deep dive on the law, prep for a court hearing or craft a brilliant defense of conservative legal philosophy, one of the first people I always ask is Cole Jester,” Gov. Sanders said. “So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that when I was looking for someone to defend election integrity as Secretary of State, Cole Jester was my first choice. Cole is incredibly accomplished and smart – and even more importantly, he is honest, hardworking and a man of deep faith.”

On the Supreme Court appointments, Gov. Sanders said both men have a long legal track record and will cement “our conservative Supreme Court majority and will ensure laws are interpreted as written, calling balls and strikes and leaving the legislating to the legislators.”

Jester said in a statement that he was appreciative of the honor of serving.

“It is an incredible honor to have been entrusted by Governor Sanders with the role of Secretary of State. I am deeply thankful for her leadership and for the opportunity to serve Arkansans in this position,” Jester said. “The people of Arkansas deserve a Secretary of State who will fight for them and for our shared values day in and day out, and I

See SANDERS, page A9

Photo courtesy of the City of West Memphis SANDERS

From page A1

will fulfill that sacred responsibility. In partnership with the Governor, we will work to ensure Arkansas is the greatest state in the nation through election security, public safety and efficient service to Arkansans.”

Hiland and Bronni both said they also appreciated the opportunity to serve.

“I am grateful for the faith that Governor Sanders has placed in me to continue serving the people of this state as an Arkansas Supreme Court Justice,” Hiland said.

“I am humbled and honored by the trust that Governor Sanders has placed in me by appointing me to the Arkansas Supreme Court,” Bronni said.

“It has been my privilege to serve as Arkansas’s Solicitor General and in that role, every time I stepped into a courtroom, I never forgot who I represented or that it was an honor to represent the people of the Natural State. And I thank Governor Sanders for the opportunity to serve the people of Arkansas in this new role.”

Bronni also thanked Attorney General Tim Griffin for his support.

Griffin also commended Bronni for his appointment.

“I want to offer my sincere and heartfelt congratulations to Nick Bronni on his appointment to the Arkansas Supreme Court. It is obvious to anyone who has observed Nick’s work that he is one of the best legal minds in Arkansas and is indisputably a national-caliber talent as evidenced by his two successful arguments before the United States Supreme Court. I know he will serve the people of Arkansas well on our state’s highest court,” Attorney General Griffin said. The attorney general also announced that Dylan Jacobs, who now serves as deputy Solicitor General, will be serving as interim Solicitor General.

Jester, Bronni and Hiland will be sworn in on Jan. 1, 2025 in a special ceremony in Little Rock. According to Amendment 29 of the Arkansas Constitution, the three cannot run for reelection when the offices are up in 2026.