Sep 2, 2025 - News

State Sen. Gary Stubblefield of Branch dies at 74

Worth Sparkman

Two men stand in front of a white wall speaking to an audience. One, wearing a blue suit and holding a water bottle, looks ahead. The other, wearing a black Arkansas State jacket, holds a microphone and a folded paper labeled "STAND WITH." The heads of audience members are visible in the foreground. — Republican State Sen. Gary Stubblefield, left, stood with former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Jones in January at a town hall meeting. Photo: Worth Sparkman/Axios

Republican state Sen. Gary Stubblefield of Branch died Tuesday morning at the age of 74. The cause of death is unknown.

The big picture: A dairy farmer who played football for the Arkansas Razorbacks, he represented District 26, which includes parts of Franklin, Johnson, Pope and Sebastian counties, near Fort Smith.

Stubblefield was a vocal critic of the proposed prison project in Franklin County for the past year.
During his service in the Legislature, Stubblefield also was a supporter of gun rights and restrictions on abortion.

Context: Stubblefield chaired the Senate City, County and Local Affairs Committee and participated in several other committees.

He served in the state House of Representatives from 2011 to 2013 before being elected to the state Senate.

What they're saying: "His passing leaves a hole in the Senate that will be hard to fill, and my prayers right now are with Kathi, the Stubblefields' two children, and all who knew and loved this hardworking public servant," Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.

What we're watching: Sanders will have to call for a special election to fill Stubblefield's seat.

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State Sen. Gary Stubblefield of Branch dies at 74

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