Colt Shelby, a Libertarian candidate for Arkansas governor, is a sixth-generation Cecil, Arkansas resident who entered politics after fighting a proposed 3,000-bed prison near his home, ultimately helping defeat a $750 million appropriation. His campaign is built on three pillars — access, accountability, and affordability — with a strong emphasis on government transparency, including reopening FOIA exemptions that were closed under Governor Sanders. He raised concerns about the EFA school voucher program, arguing that Arkansas spends hundreds of millions on it while the vast majority of beneficiaries were already in private schools, leaving the state's 475,000 public school students underserved. Shelby also expressed deep skepticism about the lack of transparency surrounding data centers being developed in Arkansas, warning that residents have no way to know the impact on water usage, electricity costs, or property values. Throughout the interview, he positioned himself as a commonsense, anti-cronyism candidate focused on putting honest Arkansans — not out-of-state appointees — in positions of power.

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