Leslie Rutledge

Leslie Rutledge
Born	Leslie Carol Rutledge 9 6, 1976
Birthplace	Batesville, Arkansas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Attorney, politician
Title	21st Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
Known for	First woman elected Attorney General of Arkansas; first woman Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
Education	University of Arkansas (BA, JD)
Children	1
Awards	Arkansas Business 40 Under 40

Leslie Carol Rutledge (born June 9, 1976) is an American attorney and politician serving as the 21st Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas since January 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Rutledge previously served as the 56th Attorney General of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023. Born and raised in Batesville, Arkansas, Rutledge built a career in law and government before becoming the first Republican since Thomas D. W. Yonley in the Reconstruction era and the first woman ever elected attorney general of the state. She continued to make history when she was elected lieutenant governor in 2022, becoming the first woman to hold that office in Arkansas. Before entering electoral politics, Rutledge served as counsel to Governor Mike Huckabee and held positions in federal government. In November 2025, she filed paperwork to seek re-election as lieutenant governor in 2026.

Early Life

Leslie Carol Rutledge was born on June 9, 1976, in Batesville, Independence County, Arkansas. Batesville, the county seat of Independence County, is located in the northeastern part of the state along the White River. Rutledge grew up in a rural Arkansas environment, and her background in agriculture has remained a significant part of her public identity. As an adult, she has identified herself as a soybean farmer, a connection to the agricultural economy of Arkansas that has informed her policy positions, particularly on trade issues affecting the state's farming communities.

Rutledge's upbringing in rural Arkansas shaped her political outlook and later career in public service. Her roots in Independence County placed her in a region of the state with a strong tradition of conservative politics and agricultural livelihood, themes that would become central to her political campaigns and tenure in office.

Education

Rutledge attended the University of Arkansas, where she earned both her Bachelor of Arts degree and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law. Her legal education at the University of Arkansas prepared her for a career that would span both private legal practice and public service in state and federal government.

Career

Early Legal and Government Career

Before running for elected office, Rutledge accumulated experience in both state and federal government. She served as counsel to Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, gaining experience in the executive branch of state government. This position provided Rutledge with insight into the operations of the governor's office and the intersection of law and policy at the state level.

Rutledge also held positions in federal government agencies, building a résumé that combined legal expertise with public sector experience. Her work in government laid the groundwork for her eventual entry into electoral politics.

Attorney General of Arkansas (2015–2023)

2014 Election

Rutledge entered the 2014 race for Arkansas Attorney General as a Republican candidate. The campaign was not without controversy; during the election cycle, questions arose regarding her voter registration status. In October 2014, it was reported that Rutledge had to register to vote in Arkansas, an issue that drew media attention during the campaign. Despite this challenge, Rutledge defeated Democratic nominee Nate Steel in the November 2014 general election to become the 56th Attorney General of Arkansas. Her victory was historically significant: she became the first Republican elected to the office since Thomas D. W. Yonley during the Reconstruction era, and the first woman ever elected attorney general of Arkansas.

Rutledge took office on January 13, 2015, succeeding Democrat Dustin McDaniel.

LGBT Issues

As attorney general, Rutledge took several positions on issues related to LGBT rights that generated significant public attention. In 2016, she sought to appeal a judge's ruling concerning protections for LGBT individuals, arguing the matter on legal and constitutional grounds. Her actions regarding LGBT protections drew national media coverage, with outlets reporting on her efforts to block certain protections for gay and lesbian individuals at the state level.

DACA and Immigration

Rutledge was among a group of state attorneys general who took a position on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program during the Trump administration. In June 2017, Texas led a coalition of ten state attorneys general, including Rutledge, in urging President Donald Trump to end the DACA program. The letter from the attorneys general set a September 2017 deadline for the administration to act on rescinding the program. The Southern Poverty Law Center denounced the letter, describing the attorneys general's request as "cruel and heartless." The coalition's letter was part of a broader national debate over immigration policy and the legal status of individuals brought to the United States as children.

Casino Gambling

In 2017, Rutledge weighed in on a proposed ballot measure concerning casino gambling in Arkansas, expressing opposition to a casino ballot proposal. Her position on the issue reflected a conservative stance on gambling regulation in the state.

Transgender Athletes Legislation

During her tenure as attorney general, Rutledge supported legislation to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls' school sports. She introduced a bill addressing the issue, which aligned with similar efforts in other states across the country.

2018 Reelection

Rutledge ran for reelection as attorney general in 2018 and won, securing a second term in office. Her reelection confirmed her standing within the state's Republican political establishment and allowed her to continue serving as the state's chief legal officer through the end of her term in January 2023.

2022 Gubernatorial Campaign and Lieutenant Governor Election

In the lead-up to the 2022 election cycle, Rutledge initially entered the race for Governor of Arkansas. However, she subsequently withdrew from the gubernatorial contest and endorsed Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who went on to win the Republican primary and the general election. Following her withdrawal from the governor's race, Rutledge pivoted to run for Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas. She won the 2022 election, once again making history as the first woman elected lieutenant governor in Arkansas.

Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas (2023–present)

Rutledge assumed office as the 21st Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas on January 10, 2023, succeeding Tim Griffin, who had been elected attorney general. She serves under Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Ethics Commission Appointments

As lieutenant governor, Rutledge holds the power to make appointments to various state boards and commissions. In February 2026, she appointed retired Little Rock attorney Elisabeth A. (Beth) Walker to the Arkansas Ethics Commission.

Ethics Complaints and Dismissal

In November 2025, the Arkansas Ethics Commission dismissed ethics complaints that had been filed against Rutledge. The complaints were also dismissed against Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester. The dismissal cleared Rutledge of the ethics allegations.

Trade and Agricultural Advocacy

Rutledge has used her platform as lieutenant governor to advocate on trade issues affecting Arkansas agriculture. In October 2025, she published an opinion piece in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette titled "Cooking up a trade win," addressing U.S.-China trade tensions and their impact on American soybean producers. She backed President Trump's stance on China trade, characterizing China's refusal to buy American soybeans as "market warfare." As a soybean farmer herself, Rutledge has emphasized the importance of trade policy to Arkansas's agricultural sector, noting the particular significance of the U.S.-China trade standoff for the state's economy.

2026 Reelection Campaign

On November 4, 2025, Rutledge formally filed paperwork with the Arkansas Secretary of State to seek reelection as lieutenant governor in the 2026 election cycle.

Personal Life

Rutledge has one child, a daughter. In July 2018, she announced the birth of her daughter during her second term as attorney general.

In addition to her political career, Rutledge has maintained a connection to agriculture, identifying as a soybean farmer. This agricultural background has been a consistent part of her public identity and has informed her advocacy on trade and farming issues.

Rutledge has been active in conservative political circles beyond her official duties. In February 2026, she was featured at a social event sponsored by the Tri-County Conservative Women, described as "an evening of meaningful conversations."

Recognition

Rutledge has received several forms of recognition during her career. She was named to the Arkansas Business 40 Under 40 list, an honor recognizing notable young professionals in the state.

In September 2025, she was featured in Arkansas Money & Politics as one of the publication's "AMP Achievers in Their Forties 2025," recognizing her role as lieutenant governor and her historic firsts as the first woman to serve as both attorney general and lieutenant governor of Arkansas.

Rutledge's historic significance in Arkansas politics has been widely noted. Her 2014 election as attorney general broke two barriers simultaneously—she was the first Republican to hold the office since the Reconstruction era and the first woman elected to the position in the state's history. Her subsequent election as lieutenant governor in 2022 added another first, making her the first woman to serve in that role.

Her appearances on C-SPAN have been catalogued as part of the public record of her career in government.

Legacy

Leslie Rutledge's career in Arkansas politics is marked by a series of historic firsts. As the first woman elected attorney general of Arkansas and the first woman to serve as lieutenant governor, she broke gender barriers in a state where these offices had been held exclusively by men since statehood. Her election as attorney general in 2014 also represented the first time a Republican had won the office since the Reconstruction era, reflecting broader political realignment in Arkansas toward the Republican Party during the early 21st century.

During her eight years as attorney general, Rutledge established herself as a prominent figure in conservative legal and policy circles, taking positions on immigration, LGBT rights, transgender athlete participation in school sports, and gambling regulation that aligned with the national Republican platform. Her participation in multistate coalitions, such as the group of attorneys general who urged the end of DACA, placed her within a network of conservative state officials engaged in national policy debates.

As lieutenant governor, Rutledge has continued to use her office to advance conservative priorities, with a particular focus on trade policy and agricultural issues relevant to Arkansas's economy. Her identity as both a politician and a soybean farmer has reinforced her connection to the state's agricultural communities and provided her with a distinctive voice on trade matters.

Her filing for reelection in 2026 signals her intention to continue in public office, building on a career that has spanned roles in the governor's office, the attorney general's office, and the lieutenant governor's office over the course of more than two decades in Arkansas government.