I am blessed to have been born and raised in Springdale and have watched beautiful Northwest Arkansas grow and blossom into one of the best places to live in the United States. I attended Springdale public schools and graduated from Shiloh Christian. At 18 years of age I became an Arkansas realtor.

Thirty-seven years ago (July 21, 1984) I married my high school sweetheart, Michelle Ruark. She is the greatest blessing in my life, the mother of our twenty children, and the super grandma to our twenty-two and counting grandchildren.

Like most young couples, we started with nothing but each other. We began with two old, used cars, and we eventually purchased a tiny, old fixer-upper house. The house was pretty run-down, but that didn’t matter, because we were living on love. I was working at a local grocery store. We had hopes of starting our own business so we could spend more time together.

Faith has always been important in our lives, and after much prayer, we did start two small businesses that we ran for a year while I was still working at the grocery store. Our businesses finally took off, and I was then able to devote my attention to their success. Eventually, we sold both businesses to focus on commercial real estate. Both of those successful Springdale businesses are still running today, over twenty years later, with the same owners.

We love Northwest Arkansas. It has been such a gift from God to grow up and get married here, and it has been a wonderful place to raise our family. Our family has been blessed by God in so many ways. We’ve found His love and goodness to be our source of strength in both our most joyous occasions and our darkest moments. It’s important to us to give back and to help others in every way we can.

Like so many other families, we too have faced crises, difficulties, and heartbreak. “Cancel culture” and the radical left want to keep us from being involved in politics. They say because our family has faced problems we should shrink away—this is why they are often so relentlessly unkind, but we cannot sit on the sidelines during a time when one of America’s most important battles is taking place! We are devoted to doing our part and making a difference for our children and grandchildren. 

I previously served in the Arkansas House of Representatives and stood alongside Governor Mike Huckabee in the fight against the liberal “good old boys.” I’ve started businesses and helped our region prosper. I have been tried and tested in the public spotlight and never changed. You’ll always know where I stand and I will stand firm for Arkansas families, even if it means standing alone. 

Today I filed to run for Arkansas State Senate because these are unprecedented times in our nation. The foundational principles that have made our nation great are under threat like never before. We appreciate the thousands of people who have told us they are continually praying for our family and for our nation! We believe in the power of prayer. Together we can make a difference!

—Jim Bob Duggar