Arkansas state Rep. Austin McCollum resigns after domestic violence arrest

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussions of domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

An Arkansas lawmaker who was arrested on charges of aggravated assault against his wife has resigned from the state House.

House Speaker Brian Evans on Wednesday announced that Republican Rep. Austin McCollum resigned, days after he was arrested at his Bentonville home. McCollum had served in the state House representing Benton County since 2017.

Investigators said McCollum punched his wife in the face and slammed her head against the ground during an argument early Saturday morning. He faces charges of aggravated assault, domestic battering and false imprisonment.

McCollum did not mention the arrest in his resignation letter, dated Wednesday.

“As I focus on my family, I do not intend to fulfill the remainder of my House term,” McCollum wrote. “I am thankful to the people of House District 8 for the honor of serving all of Arkansas these past nearly 10 years.”

McCollum, 35, faced calls to resign from the state’s top Republicans, including Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Evans. Evans had said he was prepared to convene the House to take necessary action if McCollum didn’t step down. The Republican House Caucus had called for him to resign.

“The Arkansas House has consistently acted to strengthen our state’s domestic violence laws because there is no place for abuse in our homes or our communities,” Evans said in a statement Wednesday morning. “Representative McCollum’s resignation is the appropriate step and protects the integrity of the House of Representatives as the legal process moves forward.”

Expelling McCollum from the House would have required a two-thirds vote in the predominantly Republican chamber. The House last ousted a member in 2019, when it expelled a lawmaker who pleaded no contest to charges he didn’t pay taxes.

McCollum won the Republican nomination for Benton County judge in March. He does not face an opponent in the November election.

McCollum was released Sunday on $10,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 8.

McCollum’s resignation leaves Republicans with a 78-20 majority in the House. The House has another seat vacant due to a lawmaker’s death earlier this year. 

Republican Bill Teeter won a special election for the vacant seat Tuesday and is will be sworn in after election results are certified.

Sam Dubke, a spokesperson for Sanders, said the governor will issue a letter to the Democratic and Republican parties certifying McCollum’s vacancy and will ask them to request a special primary election or convention.