Pictured above are Congressional candidate Dr. Chris Jones and Benton resident Rebecca Wine.
The Democratic Party of Saline County hosted its 14th annual Kickin’ Blue Dinner on Saturday, May 16, 2026, drawing hundreds of attendees to a sold-out venue at the Benton Event Center for an evening focused on community service and civic engagement.
A central highlight of the night was the presentation of the inaugural Arkansas Champion of Democracy Award to Dr. Chris Jones, the Democratic candidate for Arkansas’s 2nd Congressional District in the 2026 election cycle. The new statewide honor, recognizing leaders who work to strengthen democratic institutions and civic participation, was presented jointly by Chair Martha West and Vice Chair Andy Hillis. Read more below.
The annual gathering, which began years ago as a small county meeting at the Saline County Fairgrounds, has grown over its 14-year history into a major regional event, moving through larger venues like the Enclave Gallery before arriving at its current location. Proceeds from the sold-out ticket sales are designated to fund local organizing, candidate support, and party infrastructure.
The evening’s program opened with a welcome from Kickin’ Blue Co-Chair Hope Brookins, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and an opening message from Saline County Democratic Party Chair Martha West.
Local party honors were also presented during the ceremony:
- The Dustin Parsons DPSC Leadership Award was given to Danny Davis and Danny Brown for their work leading repairs and expansions to the local party’s meeting space, tripling its capacity for future volunteer organizing.
- The Pam Ray Democrat of the Year Award was presented to Felix Stacy and Pat Edwards in recognition of their extensive volunteer service and dedication over the past year.
- The Difference Maker Award was also introduced and awarded during the program to honor outstanding contributions to the local community.
The event featured Arkansas Young Democrat President Billy Cook as the evening’s keynote speaker, who was introduced to the stage by Saline County Young Democrat Chair Grace Slocum.
Later in the program, Arkansas State Senate Candidate Joshua Irby delivered an address as the featured party speaker, introduced by Co-Chair Hope Brookins. The evening concluded with a closing message from Chairwoman Martha West, along with Vice Chair Andy Hillis announcing the raffle and silent auction winners.
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