SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Dr. Diana Gonzales Worthen of Springdale has unseated incumbent DeAnna Hodges and has made Arkansas legislative history.
Running as a Democrat, Gonzales Worthen flipped the District 9 seat and will now serve as the first Latina elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives.
According to unofficial results from the Arkansas Secretary of State's office, Gonzales Worthen garnered 54.87% (2,658) of the vote, defeating Republican incumbent DeAnna Hodges who accrued 45.13% (2,186) of the vote.
The race was a rematch from 2022 when Hodges beat Gonzales Worthen by 109 votes.
"Springdale, let’s unify, let’s come together, and let’s make this community even stronger," Gonzales Worthen said in a victory speech posted to Facebook. "We made history. Because of you, I’ll be the first (but not the last!) Latina to ever serve in the Arkansas Legislature! Thank you, District 9!"
The post included a video of the moment Gonzales Worthen and her team found out she won. She said she wanted to share the moment as a message to voters: "I want you to see how much your vote and your trust means to me and my team."
Washington County Democrats later shared that this race was a significant win, a victory that should be celebrated and built upon.
"Gaining the first Latina to the House of Representatives, Dr. Diana Gonzales Worthen is a historic achievement," the group said, adding that volunteers in the region helped make the moment happen.
"The fact that so many volunteers stepped up and helped strengthen the infrastructure for the Washington County Democrats is a huge silver lining. It speaks to the passion and commitment of the people involved in the movement, and that will continue to carry us forward in future efforts," Washington County Democrats said.
Evelyn Rios Stafford, a justice of the peace in Washington County who served as a delegate at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, took to Facebook to congratulate Gonzales Worthen.
"A bright spot in our local elections: rising Springdale Latino political power. Dr. Diana Gonzales Worthen (D) flipped a state seat to make history as Arkansas’s first Latina State Representative," Rios Stafford shared. "Congratulations! The way forward runs through Springdale."
According to her campaign website, Gonzales Worthen is the granddaughter of immigrants from San Luis Potosi, Mexico.
Gonzales Worthen campaigned on accessing and strengthening the community's resources.
"My life’s work is access—access to literacy, higher education, healthcare and mental health resources, and quality jobs," Gonzales Worthen said. "I’m ready to represent our community, and I’ll work hard for strong schools, strong families, and an even stronger Springdale."
Gonzales Worthen has said in posts to her campaign's social media that she supports a tax cut for lower- and middle-income Arkansans, a public Pre-K program, and helping seniors afford long term and elder care.
Her campaign site said that she has previously worked teaching ESL biology in Rogers and has started family literacy programs. she currently mentors up-and-coming teachers in Arkansas.
Gonzales Worthen is the co-founder of OneCommunity and the Hispanic Women's Organization of Arkansas and servers on the Boy Scouts of America Westark Diversity Committee, the UAMS Community Action Network and NWA Latinx Taskforce, and the National GYO Newtwork.
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