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| 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=Former U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson and [[Governor]] [[Asa Hutchinson]] (brothers-in-law)<br>Jeremy Hutchinson and Timothy Chad Hutchinson (nephews)<br>[[Donna Hutchinson]] (former sister-in-law)

| relations=Former U.S. Senator [[Tim Hutchinson]] and [[Governor]] [[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

==Education and family==

==Education and family==

Hendren graduated in 1960 with a degree in [[engineering]] from the [[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville. He is an Independent [[Protestant]] who has been active since 1963 in the [[Gideons International]], the men's group which distributes [[Bible]]s in such public places as hotel rooms. He is also active in the Kiwanis Club. Hendren is married to the former Marylea Hutchinson,<ref name=pvs/> a sister of former U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson and [[Governor]] [[Asa Hutchinson]]. In 2002, Tim Hutchinson lost his reelection bid to [[Mark Pryor]] for the other U.S. Senate seat from Arkansas. Asa Hutchinson lost a Senate race in 1986 to [[Dale Bumpers]] and the gubernatorial campaign in 2006 to [[Mike Beebe]]. Hendren is an engineer and holds investments in an automobile dealership, real estate, and poultry interests. The Hendrens have four children, Mark, Jim, Gayla, and Hope.<ref name=nwa/>

Hendren graduated in 1960 with a degree in [[engineering]] from the [[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville. He is an Independent [[Protestant]] who has been active since 1963 in the [[Gideons International]], the men's group which distributes [[Bible]]s in such public places as hotel rooms. He is also active in the Kiwanis Club. Hendren is married to the former Marylea Hutchinson,<ref name=pvs/> a sister of former U.S. Senator [[Tim Hutchinson]] and [[Governor]] [[Asa Hutchinson]]. In 2002, Tim Hutchinson lost his reelection bid to [[Mark Pryor]] for the other U.S. Senate seat from Arkansas. Asa Hutchinson lost a Senate race in 1986 to [[Dale Bumpers]] and the gubernatorial campaign in 2006 to [[Mike Beebe]]. Hendren is an engineer and holds investments in an automobile dealership, real estate, and poultry interests. The Hendrens have four children, Mark, Jim, Gayla, and Hope.<ref name=nwa/>

==Legislative service==

==Legislative service==

   

   

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 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>