Chaos at Saline County GOP Meeting After Fight Breaks Out

BENTON, Ark. – A contentious meeting of the Saline County Republican Party ended in a physical fight on Thursday, Sept. 5.

Throughout the meeting, tensions flared with hecklers, middle fingers, and cursing. But it boiled over after Kandi Cox finished speaking at the microphone and then made physical contact with the woman standing behind her.

As this happened, Saline County Republican Committee member Jon Newcomb, who towered over most in attendance, is seen on video looking down at Cox. This appears to draw the ire of 62-year-old Jimmie Cavin.

As Cox walks to the back of the room, Cavin walks up and stands at her side. It is difficult to hear what Cavin says, although it sounds like “step up” is included in his words. According to a Facebook post by Cavin, he told Newcomb to “not look at her but to look at me and to leave her alone.” Cavin also said Newcomb made a rude remark about the woman’s nose ring and had flipped her off earlier in the meeting.

“I was hoping to take his attention away from Kandi and that would diffuse the situation,” Cavin wrote. “Newcomb then began coming at me, stating ‘What are you gonna do, boy.'”

The statement “What are you going to do, boy?” can be heard on the audio recording of the conflict. Newcomb then walks toward Cavin, who takes two steps back and puts his hand out to stop Newcomb, who continues forward. With one punch, Cavin drops Newcomb, although Cavin appears to get several more punches in as the two go to the ground. Chaos then ensues.

 

“As he got close, I prepared myself by taking a defensive position and told him to back off which did not faze him one bit so I put my hand up in an effort to stop him again,” Cavin wrote. “However, he just kept coming, I could not hold him back, and when he was upon me, I knew I had no choice but to defend myself in the hopes of not getting hurt or worse. Thankfully that paid off other than I injured my shoulder throwing the punches.”

Cavin wrote on social media that he felt threatened and only resorted to violence to defend himself when he could not stop Newcomb from getting in his face. Newcomb can be heard saying Cavin “sucker punched” him, although Newcomb appeared to be aggressively walking toward Cavin and looking directly at him when he was hit.

But there’s no mention of Newcomb’s actions or comments in a press release issued late Friday by the Saline County Republican Committee. Instead, Chairman Frank Curtis wrote, “A review of the video and multiple witness statements confirms that not only did Mr. Newcomb not hit Mr. Cavin, but Mr. Cavin was clearly the aggressor.”

Several readers replied to the post and called for the chairman’s resignation, including JP Justin Rue, who placed blame on both Cavin and Newcomb for the altercation.

“You have made the Saline County & Arkansas Republicans a laughing stock of our great nation because of your lack of leadership,” Rue wrote.

Not long after the post was made, the SCRC page disabled comments.

Saline County elected officials and justices of the peace issued a statement calling on the Republican Party of Arkansas to take immediate action to remove the “dysfunctional leadership and abolish the group that has betrayed our conservative principles, and portrayed our county in a deeply unfavorable light.”

On Cavin’s Facebook post, Kandi Cox thanked him for standing up for her.

“I am so thankful for you!” Cox said. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you for defending and protecting me! You are a true patriot hero!”

We reached out to Newcomb for comment but have not received a response.

KARK reports that Benton police are investigating the incident. As of the latest update, no one has been cited or arrested.

Watch the full video of the meeting here: