Changes

| term_start5=January 8, 1979

| term_start5=January 8, 1979

| term_end5=January 10, 1983

| term_end5=January 10, 1983

| preceded5=[[Jim R. Caldwell]]

| preceded5=[[Jim Caldwell]]

| succeeded5=

| succeeded5=

| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]] (2000–present)<br>[[Democratic Party|Democrat]] (1979–2000)

| party=[[Republican Party|Republican]] (2000–present)<br>[[Democratic Party|Democrat]] (1979–2000)

| relations=[[Tim Hutchinson|Tim]] and [[Asa Hutchinson]] (brothers-in-law)<br>[[Jeremy Hutchinson (politician)|Jeremy]] and [[Timothy Chad Hutchinson]] (nephews)<br>[[Donna Hutchinson]] (former sister-in-law)

| relations=[[Tim Hutchinson|Tim]] and [[Asa Hutchinson]] (brothers-in-law)<br>Jeremy Hutchinson and Timothy Chad Hutchinson (nephews)<br>[[Donna Hutchinson]] (former sister-in-law)

| alma_mater=[[University of Arkansas at Fayetteville]]

| alma_mater=[[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville

| occupation=[[Engineer]], [[business]]man

| occupation=[[Engineer]], [[business]]man

| religion=Independent [[Protestant]]; member of [[Gideons International]]

| religion=Independent [[Protestant]]; member of [[Gideons International]]

| spouse=Marylea Hutchinson Hendren

| spouse=Marylea Hutchinson Hendren

| children=Mark Lea Hendren<br>James Paul Hendren<br>Gayla Joy Hendren McKenzie<br>Kimberly Hope Hendren Duke

| children=Mark Lea Hendren<br>State Senator James Paul Hendren<br>Gayla Joy Hendren McKenzie<br>Kimberly Hope Hendren Duke

| footnotes=

| footnotes=

}}

}}

   

   

From 1967-1969, Hendren served on the Gravette City Council and later the Gravette School Board. In 1978, Hendren was first elected as a Democrat to the state Senate at the same time that Clinton won his first two-year term as governor.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette'', Little Rock, [[Arkansas]], November 9, 1978</ref> Hendren won the Senate seat in 1978, after the incumbent Republican,  

From 1967-1969, Hendren served on the Gravette City Council and later the Gravette School Board. In 1978, Hendren was first elected as a Democrat to the state Senate at the same time that Clinton won his first two-year term as governor.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette'', Little Rock, [[Arkansas]], November 9, 1978</ref> Hendren won the Senate seat in 1978, after the incumbent Republican,  

[[Jim R. Caldwell]], a [[Church of Christ]] minister from Rogers, stepped down after a decade in office.<ref>''Arkansas Outlook'', Republican Party newsletter, November–December 1968.</ref>

[[Jim Caldwell]], a [[Church of Christ]] minister from Rogers, stepped down after a decade in office.<ref>''Arkansas Outlook'', Republican Party newsletter, November–December 1968.</ref>

In 1982, Hendren ran fourth in a five-candidate field, with 21,829 votes (3.85 percent), in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. After defeating Joe Purcell in a runoff election, former Governor [[Bill Clinton]] that year then toppled Republican Frank D. White, who had unseated Clinton in the [[Ronald W. Reagan]] sweep of 1980.<ref>Arkansas Secretary of State, Democratic gubernatorial primary election returns from 1982</ref>

In 1982, Hendren ran fourth in a five-candidate field, with 21,829 votes (3.85 percent), in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. After defeating Joe Purcell in a runoff election, former Governor [[Bill Clinton]] that year then toppled Republican Frank D. White, who had unseated Clinton in the [[Ronald W. Reagan]] sweep of 1980.<ref>Arkansas Secretary of State, Democratic gubernatorial primary election returns from 1982</ref>