Fight Breaks Out During Republican County Meeting As Constituent Punches GOP Committee Member In 20 Seconds Flat

A brawl at the Saline County Republican Committee meeting exposes deep divisions within the local GOP.


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Things went off the rails Thursday night at a Saline County Republican Committee meeting when a heated argument exploded into a full-on brawl, leaving one guy bloodied and an entire community reeling. Local radio host Jimmie Cavin threw the first punch at resident Jon Newcomb in a melee that was caught on camera and live-streamed on Rumble. Now, the video is part of a police investigation.

The fight only highlights the deepening dysfunction within the local GOP, and officials are scrambling to distance themselves from the mess. Saline County leaders and justices of the peace issued a statement slamming not just the violence, but also what theyā€™re calling the “toxic culture” within the committee. Judge Matt Brumley didnā€™t mince words either, calling the whole thing “pathetic, disgusting, and embarrassing,” adding that the brawl sent the worst possible message to young people watching.

Brumley, clearly emotional, later apologized in an interview, calling the whole thing a disaster and pushing for the Arkansas GOP to intervene by removing the committeeā€™s leadership and even dissolving the group. Cavinā€™s attorney, Clint Lancaster, agreed with that call.

The Saline County Republican Committee quickly clarified that Cavin, who sparked the fight, isnā€™t even a member or a resident. But thatā€™s just the surface of the chaos. Last month, the committee booted four Justice of the Peace candidatesā€”Stephanie Johnson, Scott Gray, Allison Gray, and Angela Grayā€”accusing them of ā€œtoxicā€ behavior. Conservative lawyer Clint Lancaster, who led the charge to kick them out, labeled them as divisive figures harming the party.

Everything boiled over when Stephanie Gray stepped up to the mic to speak, and Cavin lost it, apparently thinking Newcomb was intimidating another woman. Fists flew, leaving Newcomb bleeding and Cavinā€™s shirt in shreds. While Cavinā€™s actions shocked many, some attendees say tensions had been simmering for a while.

This wild fight is just the latest chapter in the ongoing civil war within the Saline County GOP, where ideological rifts are tearing the group apart. Recently, the committee was evicted from its regular meeting spot by former state GOP chair Doyle Webb, who leads a rival Republican group. The eviction, sparked by both political differences and claims of unpaid insurance, shows just how deep the fractures go.

As the dust settles from Thursday nightā€™s brawl, itā€™s clear this isnā€™t the end of the drama. The GOP in Saline County is in free fall, and the punchesā€”both literal and metaphoricalā€”are far from over.

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Featured image via screenshot.



Jon Mark

I'm a freelancer based in Texas. My interests include politics and almost everything else, except leaving the houseā€”I'm definitely not a fan of that. I have experience with hardship, and occasionally, success.

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