Jim Keet
Encyclopedia
James Holland Keet, known as Jim Keet (born May 12, 1949), is a restaurant
owner in Little Rock
, Arkansas
, a former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
and the Arkansas State Senate. Keet was the Republican
nominee for governor of Arkansas in the November 2, 2010, gubernatorial election
, but lost the race to incumbent
Democratic
Governor
Mike Beebe.
in Green County
, Missouri
. He graduated in 1971 from Southern Methodist University
in Dallas
, Texas
, with a Bachelor of Business Administration
degree. He was student president for the college of business.
Keet has been in the restaurant business for nearly four decades. In 1975, he joined Gerald Hamra to bring the first Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers
to Arkansas. Thereafter, the company developed, owned, and operated twenty-seven Wendy's and Sisters' restaurants in Arkansas and Texas, with more than 1,200 employees. Keet is now the president of Taziki's Restaurant, specializing in Greek
cuisine, in the Heights section of Little Rock and the former president and chief executive officer of Barnhill's Buffet. He and his wife, the former Margaret Osborn (born ca. 1950), have four children and two grandchildren.
, who ran for Governor, but he lost the general election to former U.S. Representative Ray Thornton
. He made a comeback when he won his Senate position in 1992 from the newly organized District 15 in Pulaski County, having defeated the Democrat John Pagan in a tough campaign.
As a legislator, Keet co-sponsored the "three-strikes-and-you're-out" violent offender law and worked to pass legislation to raise the state's literacy rate.
In 1999, Keet was boating on Lake Hamilton
south of Hot Springs
, when an accident occurred that took the lives of eleven persons. Keet had four years earlier co-sponsored a bill that added several new water safety rules to the Arkansas code, including the requirement that children wear life preservers on most boats. However, the provision did not apply to duck boats, the kind involved in the tragedy, which sank within thirty seconds.
Before entering the gubernatorial race, Keet had planned to seek the position of lieutenant governor
, which incumbent Democrat Bill Halter
is vacating to run in the party primary against U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln
. Keet left his state House after fewer than two years of service to run unsuccessfully in 1990 against the Democrat Ray Thornton
for the United States House of Representatives
seat vacated by Democrat-turned-Republican Tommy F. Robinson
, who instead made an ill-fated gubernatorial bid, having lost the primary to Sheffield Nelson
, who in turn was defeated by Bill Clinton
.
Prior to 2002, Keet managed the Little Rock office of then U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson
, who was unseated that year by the Democrat Mark Pryor
. Keet left Arkansas in 2002 to manage a troubled business, successfully turning around the failing company, but returned to Arkansas in 2008.
"Arkansans are sick and tired of the divisiveness and destructive rhetoric that we see on a national basis. I intend to bring a breath of fresh air to the campaign trail by discussing issues and differences of opinion constructively. I want to create a new day in Arkansas politics where everyday citizens are attracted to the political process rather than disgusted by it."
Little Rock journalist
John Brummett said that Keet's "gubernatorial candidacy would bring some business and political credibility. It would be about the best the Republicans could hope to wage. By prevailing legal opinion, Republicans need a candidate who gets more than 3 percent to remain automatically qualified for the [2012] ballot. Keet would beat that by quite a bit."
Political guru Jason Tolbert, in a column entitled "The Audacity of Jim Keet," asks what kind of campaign the former state senator will wage against Governor Beebe, whom Keet calls "a friend." Tolbert asks, "The question remains: What type of campaign strategy does Keet have the audacity to run? Will he play nice in a raise against a friend and save his biggest punches for Washington? Or, will he run hard at Beebe and try to take down his high approval numbers?"
Keet has been dogged by questions surrounding his residency and whether, having returned to Arkansas in 2009, he meets the state constitutional requirement for Governor of having "been for seven years a resident" of Arkansas. Keet registered to vote in Florida in 2003 and, as a legal resident of Gulf Breeze, voted in Florida elections. Despite widespread Republican success nationally and in other Arkansas races, Keet was defeated by Beebe in the general eletion by a margin of 65% to 33%, with the remaining 2% going to former State Representative Jim Lendall, who ran on the Green Party line. Beebe defeated Keet in all of Arkansas' seventy-five counties, making him the first Governor to do so since David Pryor's margin of 84% in his 1976 re-election over Republican Leon Griffith.
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
owner in Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, a former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
Arkansas House of Representatives
The Arkansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the state. Each district has an average population of 26,734...
and the Arkansas State Senate. Keet was the Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee for governor of Arkansas in the November 2, 2010, gubernatorial election
Arkansas gubernatorial election, 2010
The Arkansas gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of Arkansas, who will serve a four-year term to begin in January 2011...
, but lost the race to incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Mike Beebe.
Background
Keet was born in SpringfieldSpringfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
in Green County
Greene County, Missouri
Greene County is a county located in Southwest Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 275,174 making it the fourth most populated county in Missouri. Its county seat is Springfield...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. He graduated in 1971 from Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
in Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, with a Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration
The Bachelor of Business Administration is a bachelor's degree in Commerce and business administration. In most universities, the degree is conferred upon a student after four years of full-time study in one or more areas of business concentrations; see below...
degree. He was student president for the college of business.
Keet has been in the restaurant business for nearly four decades. In 1975, he joined Gerald Hamra to bring the first Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers
Wendy's
Wendy's is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The company decided to move its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. It has been owned by Triarc since 2008...
to Arkansas. Thereafter, the company developed, owned, and operated twenty-seven Wendy's and Sisters' restaurants in Arkansas and Texas, with more than 1,200 employees. Keet is now the president of Taziki's Restaurant, specializing in Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
cuisine, in the Heights section of Little Rock and the former president and chief executive officer of Barnhill's Buffet. He and his wife, the former Margaret Osborn (born ca. 1950), have four children and two grandchildren.
Political activities
Keet was elected to the state House from District 58 in 1988. In 1990, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives to succeed Tommy F. RobinsonTommy F. Robinson
Tommy Franklin Robinson is a politician from the state of Arkansas.-Early life:Robinson was born in Little Rock and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He served in the United States Navy from 1959 to 1963....
, who ran for Governor, but he lost the general election to former U.S. Representative Ray Thornton
Ray Thornton
Raymond Hoyt "Ray" Thornton, Jr. is a former U.S. Representative from the US state of Arkansas.Thornton earned a degree in political science from Yale University and, later, a law degree from the University of Arkansas...
. He made a comeback when he won his Senate position in 1992 from the newly organized District 15 in Pulaski County, having defeated the Democrat John Pagan in a tough campaign.
As a legislator, Keet co-sponsored the "three-strikes-and-you're-out" violent offender law and worked to pass legislation to raise the state's literacy rate.
In 1999, Keet was boating on Lake Hamilton
Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine
Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine are a pair of man-made lakes around Hot Springs, Arkansas. The two lakes have greatly improved the tourism in Hot Springs. Both Lakes were created by Arkansas Power & Light .-Lake Hamilton:...
south of Hot Springs
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
, when an accident occurred that took the lives of eleven persons. Keet had four years earlier co-sponsored a bill that added several new water safety rules to the Arkansas code, including the requirement that children wear life preservers on most boats. However, the provision did not apply to duck boats, the kind involved in the tragedy, which sank within thirty seconds.
Before entering the gubernatorial race, Keet had planned to seek the position of lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
, which incumbent Democrat Bill Halter
Bill Halter
William A. "Bill" Halter was the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to succeed the late Republican Winthrop Paul Rockefeller in 2006, defeating Republican challenger Jim Holt by a margin of 57%–43%.Before his election as lieutenant governor,...
is vacating to run in the party primary against U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln
Blanche Lincoln
Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln is a former U.S. Senator from Arkansas and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1998, she was the first woman elected to the Senate from Arkansas since Hattie Caraway in 1932 and, at age 38, was the youngest woman ever elected to the...
. Keet left his state House after fewer than two years of service to run unsuccessfully in 1990 against the Democrat Ray Thornton
Ray Thornton
Raymond Hoyt "Ray" Thornton, Jr. is a former U.S. Representative from the US state of Arkansas.Thornton earned a degree in political science from Yale University and, later, a law degree from the University of Arkansas...
for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
seat vacated by Democrat-turned-Republican Tommy F. Robinson
Tommy F. Robinson
Tommy Franklin Robinson is a politician from the state of Arkansas.-Early life:Robinson was born in Little Rock and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He served in the United States Navy from 1959 to 1963....
, who instead made an ill-fated gubernatorial bid, having lost the primary to Sheffield Nelson
Sheffield Nelson
Sheffield E. Nelson is a lawyer, businessman, and politician from Little Rock, Arkansas. Originally a Democrat, Nelson in 1990 ran for governor of Arkansas as a Republican against then governor and future U.S. President Bill Clinton and in 1994 against the Democratic Governor Jim Guy Tucker.Nelson...
, who in turn was defeated by Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
Prior to 2002, Keet managed the Little Rock office of then U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson
Tim Hutchinson
Young Timothy Hutchinson, known as Tim Hutchinson is a Republican politician and former senator from the state of Arkansas.Hutchinson was born in Bentonville, Arkansas, and he graduated from Bob Jones University...
, who was unseated that year by the Democrat Mark Pryor
Mark Pryor
Mark Lunsford Pryor is the senior United States Senator from Arkansas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party and former Attorney General of Arkansas....
. Keet left Arkansas in 2002 to manage a troubled business, successfully turning around the failing company, but returned to Arkansas in 2008.
Gubernatorial race
Keet said that in his gubernatorial race, he will emphasize creative methods to improve the state's business climate, to advance literary initiatives at all grade levels, and to reform the state tax structure to foster the creaton of new jobs. In his announcement of candidacy, Keet said that:"Arkansans are sick and tired of the divisiveness and destructive rhetoric that we see on a national basis. I intend to bring a breath of fresh air to the campaign trail by discussing issues and differences of opinion constructively. I want to create a new day in Arkansas politics where everyday citizens are attracted to the political process rather than disgusted by it."
Little Rock journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
John Brummett said that Keet's "gubernatorial candidacy would bring some business and political credibility. It would be about the best the Republicans could hope to wage. By prevailing legal opinion, Republicans need a candidate who gets more than 3 percent to remain automatically qualified for the [2012] ballot. Keet would beat that by quite a bit."
Political guru Jason Tolbert, in a column entitled "The Audacity of Jim Keet," asks what kind of campaign the former state senator will wage against Governor Beebe, whom Keet calls "a friend." Tolbert asks, "The question remains: What type of campaign strategy does Keet have the audacity to run? Will he play nice in a raise against a friend and save his biggest punches for Washington? Or, will he run hard at Beebe and try to take down his high approval numbers?"
Keet has been dogged by questions surrounding his residency and whether, having returned to Arkansas in 2009, he meets the state constitutional requirement for Governor of having "been for seven years a resident" of Arkansas. Keet registered to vote in Florida in 2003 and, as a legal resident of Gulf Breeze, voted in Florida elections. Despite widespread Republican success nationally and in other Arkansas races, Keet was defeated by Beebe in the general eletion by a margin of 65% to 33%, with the remaining 2% going to former State Representative Jim Lendall, who ran on the Green Party line. Beebe defeated Keet in all of Arkansas' seventy-five counties, making him the first Governor to do so since David Pryor's margin of 84% in his 1976 re-election over Republican Leon Griffith.