Longtime member of the Arkansas General AssemblyJim Hendren (Independent) announced his retirement in 2022, opening a vacancy in the 35th district, which had recently been renumbered from the 2nd district during redistricting.[2][3] Dees ran against Jeff Tennant and State Representative Gayla Hendren McKenzie in the March 2022 Republican primary. The race went to a runoff election,[4] when Dees defeated McKenzie to win the Republican nomination.[5]