LITTLE ROCK, AR (Oct. 29, 2026) – Conservatives Concerned today announced the launch of Arkansas Conservatives Concerned, a new state chapter led by former Arkansas Republican State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson. The chapter will build on growing momentum among Arkansas conservatives who are reexamining the death penalty and questioning its place in the state’s justice system.
Arkansas has not carried out an execution since April 2017, when the state executed four men in an 11-day period. One person has been exonerated from Arkansas death row. The state continues to maintain a death row while facing ongoing questions about the reliability, fairness, cost, and effectiveness of a complicated system that carries irreversible consequences.
Hutchinson will lead efforts to recruit and mobilize conservatives throughout the state through public education, community outreach, coalition-building, and engagement with policymakers. The chapter will highlight the practical and moral questions surrounding capital punishment and the justice system and encourage fellow conservatives to consider whether the death penalty aligns with conservative principles like limited government, fiscal responsibility, and human dignity.
“I’m excited to lead Arkansas Conservatives Concerned and build a statewide network of conservatives who are willing to ask tough questions about the death penalty and our justice system,” said Hutchinson. “Arkansans deserves an honest examination of whether capital punishment is an effective use of government resources and whether its risks can be justified when public safety can be protected by other means. We’ll work to bring more conservative voices into this conversation, highlight the flaws and failures of capital punishment, and build momentum toward ending the death penalty and strengthening our justice system in Arkansas.”
The launch of Arkansas Conservatives Concerned is inspired by a growing number of conservatives in the state who are questioning the alignment of capital punishment with conservative values. Included among these supporters are former Federal District Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas Leon Holmes, former Senior Pastor at Second Baptist Church in Conway Larry Pillow, and others.
“I support the efforts of Conservatives Concerned here in the state of Arkansas,” said Ray Hobbs, former Director of the Arkansas Department of Corrections. “The death penalty does not make us safer, is not a deterrence to crime and is not the best use of public safety.”
“I’m pleased to welcome Conservatives Concerned into the conversation here in Arkansas,” said former State Representative Donnie Copeland. “While I do not share the organization’s position on the death penalty, there are many areas where I appreciate the questions they are raising—particularly about states’ rights, public safety, individual liberty, and the dangers of unchecked government power over its citizens. I look forward to the perspective Arkansas Conservatives Concerned will bring to important conversations.”
Through education, outreach, and partnerships with like-minded Arkansans, the chapter will work to ensure that questions about the death penalty’s effectiveness, fairness, and responsible use of government power remain part of the state’s criminal justice debate.
Conservatives Concerned is a national network of political and social conservatives who question the alignment of capital punishment with conservative principles and values. Conservatives Concerned’s programs include educating conservatives about the failed death penalty system and mobilizing them to bring about its end. The organization supports effective responses to violence that help survivors and loved ones heal, ensure accountability, and promote opportunities for redemption. Learn more at conservativesconcerned.org.
Jeremy Hutchinson is the director of Arkansas Conservatives Concerned. A former Arkansas state senator and state representative, Jeremy has spent much of his career working at the intersection of law and public policy. During his time in the Arkansas Senate, he chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee and partnered with criminal justice reform organizations to advance significant reforms. His legislative work also focused on expanding access to mental health resources and addiction recovery services. Before entering public service, Jeremy practiced law in Arkansas and Texas, handling complex litigation and providing pro bono legal services to underserved communities. Jeremy’s commitment to criminal justice reform has also been shaped by his personal experience with the justice system, including two years of incarceration and an unconditional presidential pardon in May 2025. That experience deepened his commitment to restorative justice, rehabilitation, reentry, and second chances. Jeremy earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law and his Bachelor of Science in Economics from Harding University. He lives in Little Rock with his wife, Brianna. Together, they have five adult children and two grandchildren.
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CONTACT: Nan Tolson, nan@conservativesconcerned.org
