Gene Jeffress – An Average Arkansan

Gene Jeffress was the 2nd of 8 children born to Homer and Mildred Jeffress. He lived in a log cabin that was built by his father along the banks of the Ouachita River near Crossett until he was 9 years old, never knowing a life of ease until much later in life.

After graduating from Crossett High School in 1966, Gene went to Arkansas A&M in Monticello (Now the University of Arkansas at Monticello), where he earned his Bachelors of Music Education Degree in 1971. Gene worked his way through college, including traveling with his family of gospel music singers across the south, which is something he still does today. Gene also met his wife of 44 years, Cynthia Searcy Jeffress, while attending college, and they soon married and moved to Louann, a small community in rural Ouachita County.

After moving to Louann, Gene became the choir director at Fairview High School in Camden (now Camden-Fairview), where he taught for 28 years, and also drove a school bus for 27 years.

After retiring from Camden-Fairview, Gene was elected to serve in the Arkansas House of Representatives, and was then elected to the Arkansas State Senate. In Little Rock, Gene serves alongside his older brother, Senator Jimmy Jeffress (D-Crossett). In the General Assembly, Senator Jeffress has worked to bring general improvement funds to his district, and has helped Governor Beebe lower the sales tax on groceries and balance Arkansas’s budget while also protecting vital programs through the worst economic downturn in Arkansas history since the Great Depression.

A proud family man, Gene enjoys spending time with his wife, Cynthia, and his children, Terra, Geoff, and Justin, along with their spouses Ricky, Stacey, and Amy. Gene also enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, Neely, Ainsley, Aspen, Jackson, and Jordan. His family is active within their communities, especially when it comes to 4-H, school, and church events. Gene is a deacon at Cullendale First Baptist Church in Camden, and currently serves as the music director at Fairview First United Methodist Church in Camden. The Jeffress’ also spend a lot of time in the outdoors, especially when it comes to hunting and fishing!

Now, Gene wants to begin a new chapter in his life by being sent to Washington, D.C., to represent Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District. Gene has a strong religious faith and is grounded in reality. He has balanced a checkbook, paid his taxes on time, raised his family to be good citizens, and has a good standing in the community around him. Gene knows the challenges of life in the Fourth District, and wants to work to make it be a great place to live, work, and raise a family. Gene understands that protecting Second Amendment Rights, public education, Social Security, Medicare, and traditional family values are all important to the people of the Fourth District, and that attracting good paying jobs with good benefits to the region should be a top priority. Gene also wants to work to make health insurance and college more affordable and accessible to working families.

When it comes to fiscal issues, Gene wants to work with individuals on both sides of the aisle to be as fiscally responsible as possible, while also protecting vital programs that benefit ALL Americans. Gene believes that members of Congress should work together instead of constantly fighting over partisan rhetoric, which will only continue to hurt our country in the long run.

Common Sense and Arkansas Values. That’s Gene Jeffress, and your support on Tuesday, November 6th, is appreciated!