What a send off for a great Democrat…
House Minority Leader Charles Blake announced Thursday he is stepping down to pursue the next service chapter of his life. Rep. Blake has been a tremendous force of good for the people of Arkansas.
Democratic Party of Arkansas Chairman Michael John Gray praised Blake’s time in the House.
“Minority Leader Charles Blake has made Arkansas better for all of us. In his three terms, Blake took on the hardest fights and delivered, including the unthinkable like ensuring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is honored alone on the calendar. When it came to tax relief, education, and criminal justice reform, Rep. Blake could be counted on to put Arkansas first,” said Chairman Gray. “I consider Charles a close friend and his positive demeanor and influence will be missed.”
During the last legislative session Rep. Blake set the stage for several issues that are gaining traction heading into the next session. He introduced a bill to change the meaning of a star on the state flag that currently stand for the Confederate States of America. The governor and legislative leadership have said they will act on this in the next legislative session.
Blake led the fight with Rep. Tippi McCullough against a Republican tax cut designed to only benefit those making more than $456,000 a year. Instead, he backed an Earned Income Tax Credit for working families. Blake also took a stand on restoring healthcare to 18,000 Arkansans kicked off their Medicaid by a work requirement that has now been ruled illegal by a judge.
Rep. Blake offered his thoughts on his Facebook page.
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