Arkansas Senate District 22
John Payton (R)
Incumbent Republican John Payton has served in the Arkansas General Assembly since 2013, first in the state House of Representatives and then in the Senate since 2023.
He’s co-chair of the Joint Retirement and Social Security Programs Committee and vice co-chair of the Charitable, Penal and Correctional Institutions Subcommittee.
A graduate of Missouri Auction School, Payton owns several auto auction houses and used car dealerships. He also raises cattle on a family farm.
Payton is a member of the NRA, the Cattleman’s Association and is a member of the chambers of commerce of Heber Springs, Clinton and Fairfield Bay.
Sandy Maier (D)
Democratic challenger Sandy Maier worked for 30 years for the California Department of Social Services and other state agencies, in programs addressing teen pregnancy and domestic violence.
She was the recorder and treasurer of Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas, and a member of its chamber of commerce.
“Women should have the right to make decisions when it comes to their own bodies, safety from gun violence, there needs to be access to a good education, healthcare, a living wage, and no child should ever have to go to bed hungry!” she says on her campaign website.