Where I Stand: Beyond Party, For Arkansas

People sometimes ask me what kind of Democrat I am. Others call me a conservative Democrat, and some have even called me a Republican. The truth is, I’ve always been more of an independent and a centrist. I’ve never fit neatly into a party label — and I’m not trying to. My loyalty isn’t to a political tribe but to the people of Arkansas and to the constitutional principles that make our Republic strong.

I call myself a civic nationalist — and I’ve never been ashamed to do so.

Civic nationalism, at its core, is the belief that what unites us isn’t race, religion, or party — it’s the shared idea that a free and self-governing people can build a just and prosperous nation through virtue, responsibility, and the rule of law. It’s a love of country grounded not in ideology but in citizenship — in the daily work of caring for our communities, protecting each other’s rights, and passing on something stronger to the next generation.

That spirit runs through my campaign and my platform, Where I Stand. It’s a vision built on Arkansas values: faith, family, hard work, and neighborly responsibility. It’s about freedom paired with duty, opportunity balanced with fairness, and local control guided by common sense. It’s not about left or right — it’s about doing what’s right.

I believe the best decisions are made closest to the people they affect. That’s why I’ve championed Pro-Local Control — empowering communities, towns, and counties to govern themselves without unnecessary interference from Little Rock or Washington. Arkansans know their own needs better than any distant bureaucracy ever could.

But I also believe there are moments when statewide leadership matters — when it’s time to safeguard rights, ensure fairness, or tackle challenges that no one community can solve alone. True leadership is about balance: trusting the people, while standing up when principle demands it.

That’s the Jeffersonian in me — faith in local self-government — tempered by the Madisonian understanding that liberty survives best when power is balanced, not absolute.

Freedom has always been at the heart of who we are as Americans. But freedom without responsibility becomes chaos, and responsibility without freedom becomes tyranny. My Pro-Freedom & Responsibility principles defend both.

I will always protect our First Amendment rights — freedom of speech, religion, and conscience — because government has no business controlling a person’s faith or silencing their voice. But liberty also depends on character. It’s not government’s job to dictate morality, but it’s every citizen’s duty to live it out.

That’s where civic nationalism and classical liberalism meet: in the belief that liberty and virtue sustain one another.

A strong Arkansas begins with strong infrastructure — the roads, bridges, broadband, and utilities that connect our people and fuel our economy. My Pro-Infrastructure Growth plan invests strategically in these foundations. It’s about building for tomorrow while creating jobs today — and ensuring rural Arkansas isn’t left behind.

Infrastructure is not just construction; it’s commitment. It’s government doing what it should — enabling opportunity, not controlling it. That’s how a free market thrives: when government serves as a foundation, not a master.

As a defender of the Second Amendment, I see that right not as a partisan issue, but a constitutional one. Responsible gun ownership is both a right and a duty. By supporting education, safety initiatives, and cooperation between citizens and law enforcement, we can uphold both freedom and public safety.

Liberty and order aren’t enemies — they depend on each other. That’s a principle both Jackson and Madison would recognize.

Every free society depends on an informed citizenry. My Pro-Quality Education vision focuses on core academics, civic literacy, and real-world skills. I want Arkansas students to graduate not only ready for the workforce but ready for the responsibilities of self-government.

That means teaching the Constitution, critical thinking, and the rights and duties of citizenship. It means expanding vocational and technical pathways so that every student — whether college-bound or career-ready — can succeed. And it means trusting teachers and parents, not bureaucrats, to guide the process.

Finally, my Pro-Fair Elections platform is about giving power back to the people. I support restoring the initiative and referendum process, opening primaries so every citizen has a voice, and ending gerrymandering with transparent, technology-based solutions.

In a Republic, sovereignty belongs to the people — not to the parties, not to the politicians, and not to special interests. That’s the essence of Jacksonian democracy, refined for our times: trust the people, but preserve the Constitution that protects them.

Call me a conservative Democrat if you like. I’ll take it as a compliment. But I see myself first and foremost as an independent-minded Arkansan who believes our best days come when we lead with respect, resolve, and renewal.

I believe in a Democratic Party that remembers its classical liberal roots — the party of Jefferson’s liberty, Jackson’s democracy, and the civic virtue that binds us together. But I also believe those ideals belong to all Americans, not just one party.

That’s what civic nationalism means to me: standing firm for the Republic, for the rule of law, and for a nation built on shared responsibility and equal justice. It’s not about exclusion or ideology. It’s about unity through citizenship — about recognizing that the strength of a nation lies not in Washington, but in the hearts of its people.

My campaign isn’t about partisanship. It’s about principle. It’s about reminding Arkansans — and Americans — that the best government is the one closest to the people, rooted in virtue, and guided by common sense.

That’s who I am. That’s where I stand.

With respect for all Arkansans,

Joshua Irby

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