LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ordered flags to be placed at half-staff to mourn the loss of Tommy Robinson, who was a former Pulaski County sheriff and U.S. Congressman.
Robinson died last week at the age of 82. He died of natural causes around 7 p.m. on July 10 at the Forrest City Medical Center, according to the St. Francis County coroner.
During his life, Robinson was known for his time as a sheriff and congressman, finding himself involved in controversial events headline grabbing events.
Gov. Sanders reflected on Robinson's life, sharing that he "was popular and loved Arkansas during his decides in public life."
"It is fitting and right for Arkansas to honor him and his decades of service to [Arkansans]," Gov. Sanders said in a press release on Monday.
During his career, Robinson initially made a name for himself in the 1980s after winning an election to become Pulaski County sheriff. It's there Robinson would grab the attention of the state media with controversial tactics while also dealing with an overcrowding issue at the county jail.
As the years passed, Robinson would later be elected as a congressman, initially as a Democrat before switching to the Republican Party during his third term.
He left Congress in 1991 and nearly a decade later would go on to serve in different roles under Gov. Mike Huckabee, father of current Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.