Clint Penzo
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Clint Penzo
|state_senate = Arkansas
|district = 31st
|term_start = January 9, 2023
|term_end =
|predecessor = Colby Fulfer
|successor =
|state_house1 = Arkansas
|district1 = 88th
|term_start1 = January 9, 2017
|term_end1 = January 9, 2023
|predecessor1 = Lance Eads
|successor1 = Steve Unger
|birth_date =
|birth_place = Tontitown, Arkansas, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|spouse = Allison Penzo
|education = Northwest Arkansas Community College (AAS)
University of Arkansas (BS)
}}
Clint Penzo is an American politician and businessman serving as a member of the Arkansas Senate representing the Springdale area. He previously served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023.
Early life and education
Penzo was born in Tontitown, Arkansas. He earned an Associate of Applied Science in physical therapy from Northwest Arkansas Community College and a Bachelor of Science in geological and Earth sciences from the University of Arkansas.{{Cite web|title=Clint Penzo's Biography|url=https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/166170/clint-penzo|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Vote Smart|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115062642/https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/166170/clint-penzo |archive-date=2022-01-15 }}
Career
From 2000 to 2005, Penzo worked as a physical therapy assistant at Encompass Health. He later became a real estate agent for Century 21. He served as a member of the Tontitown City Council for two years{{Cite web|title=Clint Penzo - Arkansas House of Representatives|url=https://www.arkansashouse.org/district/88|access-date=2022-01-13|website=www.arkansashouse.org}} before losing a campaign for Tontitown Mayor in 2014 by an 11% margin.{{Cite web |date=2016-12-16 |title=2014 General Election Results |url=https://www.washingtoncountyar.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/10645/636174853907700000 |access-date=2023-11-06 |website=Washington County Election Results}} Penzo was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in November 2016 and assumed office in January 2017. He also served as vice chair of the Joint Energy Committee.{{Cite web|title=Clint Penzo|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Clint_Penzo|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Ballotpedia|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2016-03-23|title=Penzo wins District 88 runoff|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/mar/23/penzo-wins-district-88-runoff-20160323/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Arkansas Online|language=en}}
In 2021, he announced he would not run for reelection and would run for State Senate District 31. On November 8, 2022 he was elected to the State Senate over Democrat Lisa Parks by a margin of 60-40%.
In November 2023, Penzo announced he would run in Arkansas's 3rd congressional district in the 2024 United States House of Representatives elections, challenging incumbent Republican congressman Steve Womack.{{Cite web |last=Brock |first=Roby |date=2023-11-14 |title=State Sen. Clint Penzo to challenge U.S. Rep. Womack in GOP primary |url=https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-11-14/state-sen-clint-penzo-to-challenge-u-s-rep-womack-in-gop-primary |access-date=2023-12-20 |website=KUAR |language=en}} Penzo criticized Womack as insufficiently conservative for the district.{{Cite news |work=Associated Press |access-date=November 14, 2023 |url=https://apnews.com/article/penzo-womack-congress-northwest-arkansas-244ad3a2d9ff7fa44ecad98923e22cd2 |date=November 13, 2023 |author=Demillo, Steve |title=State senator to challenge Womack in GOP primary for US House seat in northwest Arkansas}} Womack defeated Penzo 54–46 in the primary.{{cite web|url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/AR/119866/web.317647/#/detail/120|title=U.S. Congress District 03 - Rep|access-date=March 15, 2024}}
On March 11 2025, Penzo was one of the few Republican, who voted against a nitrogen hypoxia death penalty method bill.{{cite news|url=https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2025-03-11/arkansas-legislature-approves-executions-using-nitrogen-hypoxia|title=Arkansas Legislature approves executions using nitrogen hypoxia|date=March 12, 2025|work=}}{{cite news|url=https://arkansasadvocate.com/2025/03/12/arkansas-lawmakers-approve-nitrogen-gas-execution-bill-await-governors-signature/|title=Arkansas lawmakers approve nitrogen gas execution bill, await governor’s signature|date=March 12, 2025|work=}}
Controversy
The Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported during Penzo’s 2016 campaign for State Representative that he had failed to pay nearly $21,000 in income taxes.{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Doug |date=March 18, 2016 |title=All tax liens resolved, House candidate says |work=Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette |url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2016/mar/18/all-tax-liens-resolved-house-candidate-/ }} Penzo stated he had since paid off the tax liens.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Arkansas State Senate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Penzo, Clint}}
Category:21st-century Mexican politicians
Category:American businesspeople in real estate
Category:Northwest Arkansas Community College alumni
Category:People from Springdale, Arkansas
Category:People from Washington County, Arkansas
Category:Republican Party members of the Arkansas House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Arkansas General Assembly
Category:University of Arkansas alumni
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Candidates in the 2024 United States House of Representatives elections