Joseph K. Wood
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Joseph K. Wood
| office = Chair of the Arkansas Republican Party
| term_start = August 19, 2023
| term_end =
| predecessor = Cody Hiland
| successor =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Chicago
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican Party of Arkansas
| residence = Fayetteville, Arkansas
| spouse = June
| children = 3
| website = [https://www.arkansasgop.org/staff.html arkansasgop.org/staff]
}}
Joseph K. Wood is an American politician currently serving as the chair of the Arkansas Republican Party. He was elected in August 2023. He previously served as Secretary of Transportation & Shared Services in Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders's cabinet from 2023-2024.{{Cite web |title=Republican Party of Arkansas |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Republican_Party_of_Arkansas |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}} He served 2 terms as Washington County judge, being elected in 2016 and reelected in 2018, working with the National Association of Counties while in that position. He has worked on the board of directors of the Northwest Arkansas (NWA) Red Cross board of directors.{{Cite web |title=Sanders Announces Intent to Nominate Judge Joseph Wood as Secretary of Transformation and Shared Services - Arkansas Governor - Sarah Huckabee Sanders |url=https://governor.arkansas.gov/news_post/sanders-announces-intent-to-nominate-judge-joseph-wood-as-secretary-of-transformation-and-shared-services/ |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=governor.arkansas.gov |language=en-US}}
Life
Wood was abandoned as a newborn in Chicago and lived in an orphanage until the age of 10. He worked as a bank examiner in Illinois. He was the first Black judge elected in Arkansas. He is the author of a book series about a child who is adopted.{{Cite news |date=2023-08-19 |title=Former Wash Co Judge named Chairman of AR Republican Party |url=https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/former-washington-county-judge-named-chairman-of-arkansas-republican-party/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240526034615/https://www.nwahomepage.com/news/former-washington-county-judge-named-chairman-of-arkansas-republican-party/ |archive-date=2024-05-26 |access-date=2025-05-10 |work=KNWA FOX24 |language=en-US}} In 2008, he lost a race to be state party chair to Doyle Webb. He lost in the Republican primary in the 2022 Arkansas lieutenant gubernatorial election, placing fourth with 8.60% of the vote.{{Cite web |title=Arkansas Online |url=https://edition.arkansasonline.com/article/281784224619043 |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=edition.arkansasonline.com}} He describes himself as a Conservative Republican.{{Cite web |title=Joseph Wood for Lieutenant Governor |url=https://www.facebook.com/josephwoodforarkansas/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210517141430/https://www.facebook.com/josephwoodforarkansas |archive-date=2021-05-17 |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}} He was a 2024 Presidential elector for the 3rd congressional district, pledged to vote for Donald Trump.{{Cite web |title=Governor Sanders Receives Certification of the 2024 General Election|url=https://governor.arkansas.gov/news_post/governor-sanders-receives-certification-of-the-2024-general-election/ |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=governor.arkansas.gov |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef
| before = Cody Hiland
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = Chair of the Arkansas Republican Party
| years = 2023-
}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{Republican State Chairs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Joseph K.}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:2024 United States presidential electors
Category:Arkansas Republican state chairmen
Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States elections
Category:Black conservatism in the United States
Category:Politicians from Chicago
Category:People from Fayetteville, Arkansas
{{Arkansas-politician-stub}}