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Known for his folksy demeanor at the capitol,<ref name=nwa>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/04/19/news/041909arhendrenannounces.txt|title="Gravette's Hendren Announces Challenge for U.S. Senate Seat"|publisher=NWAonline.net|access date=May 16, 2009}}</ref>Hendren considers himself a fiscal conservative and voted against changing the Arkansas unemployment law to accept $59 million in federal stimulus money.<ref name=nwa/> He voted in February 2009 to support an increase in his state's tobacco tax.<ref name=nwa/> In 2008, he backed an increase in the severance tax on [[natural gas]].<ref name=hendren/>He has also authored a bill to require [[motorcycle|motorcyclists]] to wear helmets or demonstrate proof of [[health insurance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arkansasnews.com/2009/02/23/helmet-bill-stalls-in-committee/|title=Doug Thompson, Stephens Media, "Motorcycle helmet, tarp bill stall in committee"|publisher=Arkansasnews.com|access date=May 18, 2009}}</ref>

Known for his folksy demeanor at the capitol,<ref name=nwa>{{cite web|url=http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/04/19/news/041909arhendrenannounces.txt|title="Gravette's Hendren Announces Challenge for U.S. Senate Seat"|publisher=NWAonline.net|access date=May 16, 2009}}</ref>Hendren considers himself a fiscal conservative and voted against changing the Arkansas unemployment law to accept $59 million in federal stimulus money.<ref name=nwa/> He voted in February 2009 to support an increase in his state's tobacco tax.<ref name=nwa/> In 2008, he backed an increase in the severance tax on [[natural gas]].<ref name=hendren/>He has also authored a bill to require [[motorcycle|motorcyclists]] to wear helmets or demonstrate proof of [[health insurance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://arkansasnews.com/2009/02/23/helmet-bill-stalls-in-committee/|title=Doug Thompson, Stephens Media, "Motorcycle helmet, tarp bill stall in committee"|publisher=Arkansasnews.com|access date=May 18, 2009}}</ref>

   

   

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|Little Rock]], [[Arkansas]], Novenber 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]], Novenber 9, 1978</ref>Hendren won the Senate seat in 1978, after the incumbent Republican,  

Jim Caldwell, a [[Church of Christ]] minister from [[Rogers, Arkansas|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|runoff]], 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|runoff]], 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>