Changes

In 1999, Keet was boating on Lake Hamilton south of [[Hot Springs, Arkansas|Hot Springs]], when an accident occurred that took the lives of eleven persons. Keet had four years earlier co-sponsored a bill that added several new water safety rules to the Arkansas code, including the requirement that children wear life preservers on most boats. However, the provision did not apply to duck boats, the kind involved in the tragedy, which sank within thirty seconds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rbbi.com/folders/acc/arktour/arktour.htm

In 1999, Keet was boating on Lake Hamilton south of [[Hot Springs, Arkansas|Hot Springs]], when an accident occurred that took the lives of eleven persons. Keet had four years earlier co-sponsored a bill that added several new water safety rules to the Arkansas code, including the requirement that children wear life preservers on most boats. However, the provision did not apply to duck boats, the kind involved in the tragedy, which sank within thirty seconds.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rbbi.com/folders/acc/arktour/arktour.htm

|title="12 {sic} dead in tourist boat accident at Hot Springs"|date=May 2, 1999|publisher=''Northwest Arkansas Times'': rrbi.com|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}</ref>

|title=12 dead in tourist boat accident at Hot Springs|date=May 2, 1999|publisher=''Northwest Arkansas Times'': rrbi.com|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}</ref>

 

Before entering the gubernatorial race, Keet had planned to seek the position of lieutenant governor, which incumbent Democrat Bill Halter vacated in his bid to unseat [[U.S. Senator]] [[Blanche Lincoln]]. Keet left his state House after fewer than two years of service to run unsuccessfully in 1990 against the Democrat Ray Thornton for the [[United States House of Representatives]] seat vacated by Democrat-turned-Republican Tommy F. Robinson, who instead made an ill-fated gubernatorial bid, having lost the primary to businessman Sheffield Nelson, who in turn was defeated by [[Bill Clinton]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansasgop.org/index.cfm?p=Blog&ContentRecord_id=21a73a10-f552-40b6-99ec-be342eaf514e&ContentType_id=f6f7c5c6-e3e7-4305-8eaa-a6a2dcf251a3&Group_id=04ed66ba-5652-49c7-9b1f-e77bde170609&MonthDisplay=4&YearDisplay=2010|title=Republican Jim Keet to Form Exploratory Committee for Lieutenant Governor Campaign|publisher=arkansasgop.org|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}</ref>

Before entering the gubernatorial race, Keet had planned to seek the position of lieutenant governor, which incumbent Democrat Bill Halter vacated in his bid to unseat [[U.S. Senator]] [[Blanche Lincoln]]. Keet left his state House after fewer than two years of service to run unsuccessfully in 1990 against the Democrat Ray Thornton for the [[United States House of Representatives]] seat vacated by Democrat-turned-Republican Tommy F. Robinson, who instead made an ill-fated gubernatorial bid, having lost the primary to businessman Sheffield Nelson, who in turn was defeated by [[Bill Clinton]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansasgop.org/index.cfm?p=Blog&ContentRecord_id=21a73a10-f552-40b6-99ec-be342eaf514e&ContentType_id=f6f7c5c6-e3e7-4305-8eaa-a6a2dcf251a3&Group_id=04ed66ba-5652-49c7-9b1f-e77bde170609&MonthDisplay=4&YearDisplay=2010|title=Republican Jim Keet to Form Exploratory Committee for Lieutenant Governor Campaign|publisher=arkansasgop.org|accessdate=May 12, 2010}}</ref>