Commissioner of State Lands
1. Abortion: Arkansas’ current law that prohibits abortion except to save the life of the mother in a medical emergency.
Cole Jester (Republican)
Support
We must protect the most vulnerable in our society, the unborn, who are made in the image of God.
We must protect the most vulnerable in our society, the unborn, who are made in the image of God.
2. Abortion: Establishing a permanent funding stream to provide state-funded grants to charities that provide women with alternatives to abortion.
Cole Jester (Republican)
Support
Crisis pregnancy centers are essential to the mission to promote life.
Crisis pregnancy centers are essential to the mission to promote life.
3. Education: The Arkansas LEARNS Act Educational Freedom Accounts that lets families use public dollars to pay for an education at a private school or homeschool.
4. Drugs: Legalizing recreational marijuana in Arkansas.
5. Tech: Requiring major social media websites to verify all users’ ages in order to protect children on their platforms.
Cole Jester (Republican)
Support
I am proud to have written much of the language of the Arkansas legislation protecting minors from big tech.
I am proud to have written much of the language of the Arkansas legislation protecting minors from big tech.
6. Gambling: Letting casinos in Arkansas conduct gambling online.
7. Elections: Current ballot initiative efforts to change the Arkansas Constitution to make it easier for private individuals or entities to place measures on the ballot for a statewide vote.
Cole Jester (Republican)
Oppose
Streamlined access is good, but the current efforts would facilitate widespread fraud. Fraud in collecting signatures is a serious problem.
Streamlined access is good, but the current efforts would facilitate widespread fraud. Fraud in collecting signatures is a serious problem.
Christian Olson (Republican)
Support
Arkansans need to be able to implement laws when they feel ignored by their elected representatives. However, the state's constitution should have a higher barrier to changes. Businesses should NOT be able to write themselves into the constitution, but the people should be able to assert themselves without undue burdens.
Arkansans need to be able to implement laws when they feel ignored by their elected representatives. However, the state's constitution should have a higher barrier to changes. Businesses should NOT be able to write themselves into the constitution, but the people should be able to assert themselves without undue burdens.
8. Guns: Confiscation of firearms from citizens that the government deem a danger to themselves or others, otherwise known as red flag laws.
Cole Jester (Republican)
Oppose
People who are deranged and pose a danger to others should be committed so they can get help.
People who are deranged and pose a danger to others should be committed so they can get help.
Christian Olson (Republican)
Oppose
The government already has hard time determining when someone is a credible threat to others. There are too many sad stories of people who filed restraining orders that weren't enforced, or police reports that weren't taken seriously enough. I don't think giving the government additional discretion to take away constitutionally protected rights is the right solution.
The government already has hard time determining when someone is a credible threat to others. There are too many sad stories of people who filed restraining orders that weren't enforced, or police reports that weren't taken seriously enough. I don't think giving the government additional discretion to take away constitutionally protected rights is the right solution.
9. Marriage: The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that legalized same-sex marriage.