Gan Nunnally announces candidacy for Arkansas State House

Bentonville businessman Gan Nunnally has thrown his hat into the political ring for the first time.

Nunnally, general manager of the Nunnally Chevrolet auto dealership in Bentonville, formally announced Tuesday (Feb. 6) he is running to represent District 93 in the Arkansas House of Representatives.

The Republican candidate is attempting to unseat incumbent Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville, who is serving his third term representing District 93, which includes portions of Benton County. Dotson ran unopposed in both the primary and general elections of 2016.

Nunnally, 49, said his political platform will include specific goals related to his “education, business, and opportunity” agenda, specifically with regard to small and locally based businesses.

“We live in one of the greatest areas of the country, and our opportunity is great. I find it an obligation to take advantage of the resources and feedback that our area offers us and to make a difference with Arkansas-based businesses and education, which naturally leads to greater opportunity for our overall population. I intend to support new formats for businesses to work with educational institutions that will effectively feed our work force.”

Nunnally has lived in Bentonville since 1977. His father, George Nunnally, established the auto dealership in 1986. Gan Nunnally joined the business full-time in 1988 and progressed to roles that included finance manager and sales manager before taking on the role of general manager in 2002.

Nunnally has a long history of community involvement, and he is chairman-elect of the Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association.

He and his wife have been married 24 years and they have three children.

AGNEW ALSO IN
Nunnally is the second announced candidate for the District 93 seat, joining Gayatri Agnew, who is running as a Democrat. Agnew is a senior director for Walmart Inc., leading strategy and grantmaking for the Walmart Foundation.

Before joining Walmart, Agnew lived and worked in California and Washington, according to her social media campaign site. She has worked in the public and private sectors, focused on education, workforce, and economic development with an emphasis on pathways to opportunity for all.

Agnew has a political science degree and an MBA from Seattle University. She says she is running to “preserve the integrity and history of our community” and offer a fresh leadership voice.

“I’m focused on three simple things: a strong economy, increasing economic diversification; relevant education, ensuring people can get the skills they need to compete for jobs today and in the future; and civility, talking about the issues together so we can move our community forward,” she said.

Agnew and her husband have two young children.

The filing date to run for office is March 1. For a complete list of candidates for state and federal offices in Arkansas, click here.