Matthew Shepherd

This article is about the Arkansas politician. For the Wyoming murder victim, see Matthew Shepard. For the rugby player, see Matthew Shepherd (rugby).
Matthew Shepherd
Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 15, 2018
Preceded byJeremy Gillam
Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
from the 6th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 1, 2011
Preceded byJohn Lowery
Personal details
Born
Matthew Joseph Shepherd

(1976-02-21) February 21, 1976 (age 48)
El Dorado, Arkansas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseAile Shepherd
Children3
Parent
EducationOuachita Baptist University (BA)
University of Arkansas (JD)

Matthew Joseph Shepherd (born February 21, 1976)[1] is an attorney from his native El Dorado, Arkansas, who is a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 6, which includes western Union County. He was elected in the 2010, 2012, and 2014 legislative races.[2]

In 2010, Shepherd claimed the District 6 seat by defeating Democrat Ken Bridges, 4,780 to 2,074.[3] In 2012, still in the reorganized District 6, Shepherd won a second term, defeating Independent Peter Cyphers, 10,051 to 2,149.[4]

Upon the resignation of Speaker Jeremy Gillam in June 2018, he was elected Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives for the 91st General Assembly. He was re-elected in January 2019 to serve as Speaker of the 92nd General Assembly and again in May 2020 for the 93rd General Assembly.

Biography

Shepherd was born to Bobbi (née Beeson) and Bobby Shepherd, a federal circuit judge on the Eighth Circuit.[5] Shepherd graduated in 1998 from the Southern Baptist-affiliated Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, South Arkansas, his parents' alma mater. In 2001, he received the Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law at Fayetteville. Shepherd is a partner at the El Dorado-based law firm Shepherd & Shepherd, P.A., practicing alongside his brother John Thomas.[6]

Personal life

Shepherd is married to his wife Alie (née Hill), who is also an Ouachita Baptist graduate ('99). They live in El Dorado with their three teenage children, Eli, Mary Kate, and Libby. They are members of First Baptist Church, where Shepherd is a deacon and Sunday school teacher. Shepherd is also a board member of the Arkansas Baptist Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club of El Dorado, and El Dorado Fifty for the Future and serves as president of the Murphy USA Classic football game.[7][8][9][10]

See also

References

  1. ^ 91st Arkansas General Assembly Legislative Directory
  2. ^ "Matthew J. Shepherd, R-6". Arkansashouse.org. Archived from the original on 2018-11-13. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
  3. ^ "House District 6 election returns, 2010". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  4. ^ "House District 6 election returns, 2012". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  5. ^ "New state House speaker takes helm, faces choppy seas in addressing ethics issues". 22 July 2018.
  6. ^ Hardy, Benjamin (15 June 2018). "Shepherd becomes House Speaker; defers ethics rule change questions". Arkansas Times. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
  7. ^ "Matthew Shepherd ('98)". 18 November 2022.
  8. ^ "The Ouachita Circle Spring 2003". Ouachita Baptist University. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  9. ^ "Tiger for Life Podcast". Spotify.
  10. ^ "Representative Matthew Shepherd's Biography". votesmart.org. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
Arkansas House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
for the 6th district
2011–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives
2018–present 		Incumbent


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