Arkansas Gop Director Leaving Post At End Of August

Republican Party of Arkansas Executive Director Chase Dugger is leaving his post with the party on Aug. 31.

Dugger has given a resignation letter to GOP Chairman Doyle Webb. In the letter, Dugger says that "while my announcement may come as a surprise to some, rest assured that I will be leaving on the best of terms."

The letter also states that he is committed to "51 and 18," referring to hopes that the Arkansas GOP will win a majority of seats in the Arkansas House and Senate in 2012.  Dugger also stated in the letter that he is "excited about the personal opportunities ahead."

Dugger will be joining Meridian, a public affairs and political consulting firm with national operations. Dugger will apparently be working with John Eddy, a partner in Southern Meridian, which works in Arkansas and across the South.

Dugger was Executive Director of the RPA when it made historic gains in Congressional and legislative seats in state.  Arkansas Republicans elected their nominees to open First, Second and Third Congressional District seats, as well as defeated two-term, incumbent Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln.  In the Arkansas General Assembly, the GOP grew their Senate presence to 15 State Senators in the 35-member chamber and 45 Representatives in the 100-member House. Yesterday, they picked up their 46th seat when former Pocahontas Democrat, Rep. Linda Collins-Smith, switched parties.

He was also involved in a controversy surrounding the shutdown of a pro-Democratic blog, Blue Hog Report, which was operated by two state employees. In an effort to highlight personal use of state resources and personnel in the blog’s operations, Dugger, on behalf of the party, filed Freedom of Information requests that turned up no proof of partisan blogging activity on state time.

A message to Dugger with a request for comment was not immediately returned.