Colt Shelby (L) – Arkansas Governor 2026

About

Colt Shelby is a Franklin County farmer and oil-and-gas industry worker from Cecil, Arkansas, and the Libertarian Party's nominee for governor in 2026. He became known locally as a leading opponent of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' proposed Franklin County mega-prison and successfully challenged the timing of a special legislative election in court. His campaign emphasizes government transparency and accountability, fiscal restraint, income-based limits on school vouchers, and protections for utility ratepayers.

Biography sources 6

Positions on Key Issues

Positions of Colt Shelby on key issues
Issue	Stance	Sources
Economy	Shelby says the biggest economic issue facing Arkansas is affordability, citing rising costs and stagnant wages, and he wants an insurance commissioner who holds companies accountable and ways to return money to taxpayers. As a working farmer, he also emphasizes supporting family farms, protecting farmland and water resources, and investing in rural roads, broadband, and grid reliability.	Gubernatorial challengers talk ideas as Sanders skips debate Full Platform - Colt Shelby for Governor
Climate/Energy	Shelby's focus is on affordability and rural infrastructure, and he has said he wants to make sure economic development doesn't drive up utility rates and that reliable power and water are available to rural areas. He has opposed state bond measures he believes would burden counties.	The Issues that matter - Colt Shelby for Governor Gubernatorial challengers talk ideas as Sanders skips debate Arkansas Rural Water Association joins committee asking voters to approve bonds for irrigation, infrastructure
Healthcare	Colt Shelby says the governor should take a lead role in ensuring Arkansas' Medicaid expansion (ARHOME) is extended, calling it a crucial lifeline for more than 200,000 Arkansans and for rural hospitals, and he would create a team to reform state Medicaid. He also supports expanding Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months, bringing more insurance carriers into the marketplace, and directing federal rural health funds to rural providers.	Gubernatorial candidates on future of Arkansas' Medicaid expansion Where will mothers deliver babies?
Immigration	Shelby has said he supports increased state police presence in high-crime areas and has no major problem with how Arkansas law enforcement has worked with Immigration and Customs Enforcement so far, noting that Arkansas agencies target people engaged in illegal activity such as drunk driving and drug dealing rather than undocumented immigrants who are working and staying out of trouble.	Colt following: Could Libertarian candidate Colt Shelby have the best shot against Gov. Sarah Sanders?
Abortion & Reproductive Health	Shelby has criticized the state's claim to be a "Pro-Life state" while noting Arkansas' high infant mortality rate and its 47th-place ranking in women's health, saying the state should focus on these issues rather than abortion politics. He supports expanding Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months, arguing that improving maternal and infant health is what a truly pro-life state should prioritize.	Where will mothers deliver babies? Gubernatorial challengers talk ideas as Sanders skips debate
Tech & AI	Shelby says data-center policy should be determined by the people at the local level, and that the state should ensure the government's economic development and ratepayer protections before approving large projects, including enough water and electricity. He advocates an Arkansas Ratepayer Asset Responsibility framework and state-level accountability for data centers, including having industrial users pay for infrastructure upgrades.	The Issues that matter - Colt Shelby for Governor Full Platform - Colt Shelby for Governor Gubernatorial challengers talk ideas as Sanders skips debate
Education	Shelby opposes ending the LEARNS Act voucher program outright, instead proposing income caps on school-choice vouchers so public funds help students who lack opportunity, and requiring transparency (public records) for private schools that receive public money. He does not support universal pre-K and wants teaching to focus on learning rather than standardized tests.	Colt following: Could Libertarian candidate Colt Shelby have the best shot against Gov. Sarah Sanders? Gubernatorial challengers talk ideas as Sanders skips debate
Local Issues	Shelby emerged as a leading opponent of Gov. Sanders' proposed 3,000-bed Franklin County mega-prison, submitting public-records requests and helping organize opposition to the project near his Cecil property. He also opposed Issue 4, the $500 million water infrastructure bond measure, saying counties are already struggling to pay their bills, and said he would prefer surplus dollars be turned back to counties for infrastructure repairs.	Opposition to Mega Prison Project Shapes a Local Election in Rural Arkansas Arkansas Rural Water Association joins committee asking voters to approve bonds for irrigation Feds considering immigration detention facility at Franklin County ...
Election Policy	Shelby sued Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders over the timing of a special election to fill the Senate District 26 vacancy, arguing the June 2026 date would leave the district unrepresented during the legislative session. Courts ordered the election held earlier, and the Arkansas Supreme Court later dismissed Sanders' appeals as moot.	Arkansas Supreme Court dismisses Sanders' appeals of special election challenges Governor loses, voters win in Ark. Supreme Court rulings on timing of special elections

Review an issue

Economy

Shelby says the biggest economic issue facing Arkansas is affordability, citing rising costs and stagnant wages, and he wants an insurance commissioner who holds companies accountable and ways to return money to taxpayers. As a working farmer, he also emphasizes supporting family farms, protecting farmland and water resources, and investing in rural roads, broadband, and grid reliability.

Sources:

Gubernatorial challengers talk ideas as Sanders skips debate

Full Platform - Colt Shelby for Governor

Choose another issue above to review the remaining researched positions.

No public position found: Foreign Policy, Firearms & Second Amendment, Civil Rights & Equality

Background

Career History

Oil and gas industry worker

Oil and gas industry

Works in the oil and gas industry in Arkansas.

Drilling rig worker

Thornton Drilling

Worked on drilling rigs out of Van Buren for nearly 16 years, through two buyouts.

Contract manager

Houston-based oil company

Over the last twenty years has managed hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts in the oil and gas industry.

Farmer 2016 – Present

Family farm

Owns and works a family farm in Franklin County, tending cattle and working the fields.

Top Donors

Colt Shelby's gubernatorial campaign has raised very modest funds. As of the end of June 2026, he had raised just under $25,000 and had just over $30,000 cash on hand, far behind Gov. Sanders' fundraising. He has criticized Sanders' campaign finances.

Sources

Colt following: Could Libertarian candidate Colt Shelby have the best shot against Gov. Sarah Sanders?

Voting Record

Colt Shelby has not held legislative office. His political involvement includes a lawsuit against Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders over the timing of a special election for Senate District 26, which the Arkansas Supreme Court dismissed as moot after the election was held, and his current gubernatorial candidacy driven by issues such as opposition to a proposed mega-prison project in Arkansas.

Sources

View full voting record Arkansas Supreme Court dismisses Sanders' appeals of special election challenges

About this research

Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated October 7, 2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.