Arkansas
Arkansas governor appoints 2 justices to Supreme Court, and new secretary of state
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Friday named a top attorney for the state and a state Supreme Court justice to vacancies on the court, and her deputy chief legal counsel as secretary of state.
The Republican governor’s appointments will give conservatives a 5-2 majority on the technically nonpartisan court, which has been targeted over the years by outside conservative groups.
Sanders named Justice Cody Hiland and state Solicitor General Nicholas Bronni to the court, effective Jan. 1. Sanders last year named Hiland to a vacancy on the court that expires at the end of this year.
“When I came into office nearly two years ago, we had a liberal supreme court. Not anymore,” Sanders said at a ceremony at the Capitol. “Our supreme court is now solidly conservative.”
Bronni has represented the state in several high profile cases, including one that narrowed the scope of the Voting Rights Act and another over the state’s requirement that contractors pledge not to boycott Israel. Bronni will replace Justice Karen Baker, who was elected chief justice this year.
“I come to the bench recognizing that a judge plays an important, but limited, role in our constitutional system,” Bronni said.
Hiland had been nominated as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas by President Donald Trump in 2017 and served in that position through 2020. Before being named to the court, he was state GOP chairman and served as an adviser to Sanders’ 2020 campaign for governor. Hiland will replace Justice Courtney Goodson, who was elected to another seat on the court.
“We have a special state, and the thing that makes us special is our people. So to continue serving in such a critical role is a blessing,” Hiland said.
Sanders also named Cole Jester, her deputy chief legal counsel, to succeed Secretary of State John Thurston, who will take office in January as state treasurer. Before working in Sanders’ office, Jester was an appellate clerk for Chief Judge Lavenski Smith of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
“As your secretary of state, I will fight to keep Arkansas the best state in the country by keeping our elections the most secure in the country,” Jester said.
Purdue has landed its first transfer portal commitment. On Thursday, On3 reported that former Arkansas quarterback Malachi Singleton has committed to play for coach Barry Odom and the Boilermakers after spending the last two seasons with the Razorbacks.
Singleton, a member of the 2023 recruiting class, just completed his redshirt freshman season at Arkansas and will have three years of eligibility to use. It’s a huge addition for Purdue, which needs help at the quarterback position after losing Hudson Card (graduation) and Ryan Browne (transferring to North Carolina). Marcos Davila is also in the transfer portal.
During the 2024 season, Singleton appeared in five games for the Razorbacks, completing 21-of-28 passes for 358 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 74 yards and three touchdowns on 17 attempts.
As a high school recruit, Singleton was a four-star prospect out of Kennesaw, Ga. He ranked as a top-400 overall prospect in the 2023 class and was listed as the No. 17 quarterback of the cycle.
Landing Singleton was a significant addition for the Boilermakers, who will need to fill plenty of roster spots after being hit hard with transfer portal departures and landing just a dozen players in the 2025 recruiting class.
PURDUE FINDS NEW DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Barry Odom is bringing Mike Scherer, his defensive coordinator at UNLV, to West Lafayette, per reports. Scherer will be the Boilers’ defensive coordinator. CLICK HERE
PURDUE HIRES DE COACH: Purdue coach Barry Odom has hired Jake Trump as the next defensive ends coach of the Boilermakers. Trump played at Missouri under Odom. CLICK HERE
PURDUE HIRES NEW DL COACH: Purdue has hired former Arkansas assistant coach Kelvin Green to be the next defensive line coach in West Lafayette. The school made the announcement Wednesday. CLICK HERE
The wait is over. Purdue and Barry Odom have landed their first transfer portal commitment of the cycle, as former Arkansas quarterback Malachi Singleton is set to ink with the Boilermakers. Singleton emerged as a serious option early Thursday morning and he now gives the Boilermakers with their potential signal caller moving forward.
The former Razorback spent two seasons in Fayetteville, playing in five games this season. In those five games, Singleton completed 75% of his 28 passes for 368 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 74 yards and three scores on 15 attempts.
Singleton was a four-star recruit in the 2023 class, while being the No. 9 dual-threat quarterback in the country, according to Rivals. He chose the Razorbacks over the likes of Miami, West Virginia, Louisville, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Cincinnati and others.
At 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, Singleton provides the Boilermakers with an intriguing option under center for 2025 and beyond. He flashed in limited reps as a redshirt freshman, even earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors after throwing for 207 yards and a score, as well as rushing for 44 yards and another touchdown against Ole Miss.
Barry Odom, offensive coordinator Josh Henson and quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw now have their signal caller moving forward, when they needed it most. Purdue had only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster prior to Singleton’s commitment, with incoming freshman Garyt Odom and redshirt sophomore Bennett Meredith in the mix after the departures of Ryan Browne, Marcos Davila and Hudson Card.
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