Judge Rules That Wagner Lives In Mississippi County Legislative District

Yesterday, a Pulaski County Circuit Judge affirmed what folks in Mississippi County already knew: Democratic candidate Wes Wagner lives in his legislative district.

Earlier this month, Christopher Gamble of Manila filed a lawsuit challenging the residency of Wes Wagner, an unopposed Democratic candidate for House District 54.

Arkansas's constitution requires legislative candidates to live in the district they wish to represent one year before the November election.  (Unfortunately, the constitution doesn't address if legislators can abandon their district AFTER the election like the unscrupulous State Rep. Jane English did last year.)

On the stand, Gamble admitted he had animosity toward Wagner and is in fact suing Wagner in another court over the issue of damage to a computerized sign he loaned to Wagner in an unsuccessful 2010 House race in Jonesboro.   It sounds like this residency lawsuit was motivated by Gamble's anger toward Wagner over the other dispute.

After a full day of testimony, Judge Wendell Griffen affirmed that Wes Wagner lived in the district.

“All the evidence shows he [Wagner] was physically present in Manila for at least one year before November 2012,” said Griffen.

Case closed.