Trevor Drown

Background

Drown is named for his grandfather, R. Trevor Drown, I (born c. 1922). He received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, his original home city. Drown served in the United States Army and is a serving member of the Special Forces, popularly called the Green Berets, Drown also served in the United States Air National Guard, and was a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force Reserve, dates of service not available. Drown's current military assignment is Master Sergeant in the 2nd Battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, Airborne (Mississippi National Guard) as a Special Forces Operations Sergeant (Military Occupational Speciality, 18Z4P) and has additional Special Forces MOS's, 18B Special Forces Weapons Sergeant and 18F Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant. In 2007, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, Global War on Terror, Drown was deployed as part of a Special Forces A Team operating out Forward Operating Base Robinson in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. In 2015, Master Sergeant Drown was called to active duty and deployed to Juba, South Sudan on individual special assignment. Drown returned to the United States in July 2016 and ordered off of active duty in August 2016. A small businessman, he was also formerly employed as a driver for United Parcel Service.

Drown and his wife, Kara, have two children, Ayden and Ella. Drown is a member of the Missionary Baptist denomination. He previously lived in Russellville, and London in Pope County and Dardanelle in Yell County.

Political life

In 2010, Drown was the first candidate in 40 years to secure the certified 10,000 signatures required to be on the ballot as an independent (no party affiliation) candidate for the United States Senate from Arkansas. He finished third in the balloting with 25,234 votes (3.2 percent). Victory went to John Boozman, the Republican nominee and an outgoing member of the United States House of Representatives from Arkansas's 3rd congressional district. Boozman unseated the Democratic incumbent Blanche Lincoln.

Drown joined the Republican Party to contest the District 68 state House seat vacated by the term-limited Republican Robert E. Dale. To gain the Republican nomination, he first handily defeated in the May 20 primary election two intra-party rivals, Zachary Tyler Sellers and Ingram Philips.

Drown then won handily in the November 4 general election over the Democrat Tachany Evans, 9,847 votes (77.9 percent) to 2,222 (22.1 percent).

Drown is assigned to the House committees on: (1) Judiciary, (2) State Agencies, and (3) Joint Committee on Energy. In February 2015, Drown joined dozens of his fellow Republicans and two Democrats in co-sponsoring legislation submitted by Representative Lane Jean of Magnolia, to reduce unemployment compensation benefits. The measure was promptly signed into law by Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson.

In the 2015 legislative session, Republican House member Nate Bell of Mena joined with the African-American Democrat Charles Blake of Little Rock in an unsuccessful effort to sever Martin Luther King Day and the Robert E. Lee holiday, which are both observed in Arkansas on the third Monday of January. Only two citizens spoke in a public hearing on the Blake-Bell measure; twenty-four signed to speak in opposition. Alabama and Mississippi also observe a combined King-Lee Day. Representative Drown opposed the plan. He said, "I keep hearing the federal government talk about how we need to be more like Europe. Well, this is the state of Arkansas. This is what our heritage is.”

Drown ran unopposed in the general election held on November 8, 2016.