ROGERS — Mike Whitmore, 54, of Rogers will run for state House of Representatives in the District 90 Republican primary, seeking to succeed the term-limited Rep. Les Carnine, R-Rogers.
Whitmore has watched the state and federal government impose increasing burdens on city government, business and citizens throughout his career as an accountant, in his community life and while his father, James, served on the Springdale City Council, he said.
His goal in running for the seat is to do what he can to keep the state from adding to that burden and do whatever state government can to shield cities and residents from other obstacles.
Profile
House of Representatives
District 90
Mike Whitmore
Age: 54
Residency: Rogers; Born in Germany in a service family, grew up in Springdale.
Family: Wife: Marjorie; two sons
Employment: accountancy for Infinity Pharmacy, Bentonville
Education: master’s degree in accountancy, University of Arkansas, 2002; master’s degree in divinity, Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary, 1988; bachelor’s degree in business, Hendrix College, 1981.
Military Experience: None
Political Experience: None
“The best ways to do that are all budget-related,” Whitmore said.
He expects his experience as an accountant for a pharmacy company will help in that regard.
Whitmore’s announcement follows that of Jana Della Rosa, 36, of Rogers, setting up a contested Republican primary contest.
Whitmore holds two master's degrees, one in divinity from the Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and one in accountancy from the University of Arkansas. He taught accounting at the university for two years, he said.
His children have grown and left home, he said, allowing him time to commit to public service, Whitmore said. District 90 is a “bit of a hodgepodge” of rural and built-up areas, all of them with their own interests and needs to be represented, Whitmore said.
“If there’s one thing they all want, it’s consistency,” Whitmore said. “They want their government to stop changing the rules just to make changes. They want someone to represent them who has life experience and can tell a real problem from a perceived problem.”
The area is also strongly supportive of its schools and want them protected from state interference, he said.
“We have the best schools in the state, without a doubt,” he said.
Whitmore is a strong supporter of anti-abortion legislation, he said.
“Life is more important than choice,” he said.
Whitmore didn't go over the details of the private option expansion of health care approved in the last legislative session, he said, but is inclined to believe “there’s got to be something better. It’s the federal government doling out money.”
Cuts to the state income tax in the last legislative session were “minuscule steps in the right direction,” he said. Whitmore also said he would support veterans issues and was very supportive of the income tax exemption granted for active-duty servicemen in the last session.
The candidate has been an active member of the Rogers Lion’s Club for more than two years, he said.