Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is calling on Arkansas State Representative Austin McCollum to resign from office and withdraw from the Benton County judge race following what she described as “appalling” allegations.
Sanders released the following statement Saturday:
“The allegations against Representative McCollum are appalling, and I’m praying for his wife and children. I absolutely condemn violence of any form, and if these credible, sickening allegations are accurate, I call on him to immediately resign his office and drop out of the race for county judge.”
McCollum, the Republican nominee for Benton County judge and the state representative for District 8, was taken into custody Saturday following an alleged domestic incident.
According to Benton County jail records, McCollum was booked August 1 on charges of:
First-degree false imprisonment
Aggravated assault on a family or household member
Third-degree domestic battery
McCollum won the Republican primary for Benton County judge in March and is scheduled to face independent candidate Taylor Sizemore in the November general election.
Sanders is not the only state official calling for McCollum’s resignation.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin called the allegations “abhorrent” and said McCollum should resign from the Arkansas Legislature and withdraw from the county judge race.
Lieutenant Governor Leslie Rutledge withdrew her endorsement of McCollum’s campaign and also called for him to resign and end his candidacy.
Arkansas House Speaker Brian Evans announced that McCollum was being removed from House leadership positions, committee vice-chairmanships and associated membership privileges. Evans said McCollum should resign or he would convene the House to consider further action.
The Arkansas General Assembly identifies McCollum as the Republican representative for District 8, which includes part of Benton County. He first entered the Arkansas House in 2017 and previously served as House majority leader.
All criminal charges are allegations. McCollum is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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