Jim Holt

In 2010, Holt was a candidate in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate and was defeated by Republican John Boozman, 53–17 percent, with the remaining percent divided among six other GOP candidates. Boozman in turn unseated Lincoln, against whom Holt had run six years earlier.

Holt opposes the healthcare reform measures implemented by the U.S. Congress in March 2010, stating "We don’t need health care 'reform', but remove government from the health sector and let the market decide.

On January 18, 2008, the Northwest Arkansas Times ran an opinion piece by Holt blasting Huckabee and his supporters. Holt accused Huckabee's followers of not researching what Huckabee's positions are, and supporting him merely because he is a Christian.

In December 2007, Holt was asked by the presidential campaign of Congressman Ron Paul of Texas to go to Iowa and do several radio interviews about Huckabee with former colleague Randy Minton of Cabot, Arkansas. Holt did not endorse Paul or any other candidate, but he vowed to acquaint Iowa caucus participants about liberal aspects of Huckabee's record in Arkansas.

Holt was first elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in the 2000 general election. He served in the House from 2001 to 2003, during which time, he sponsored a bill designed to prohibit the teaching of the theory of evolution in Arkansas public schools (see Evolution below). Holt was elected to the Arkansas Senate in the 2002 general election and served there until December 31, 2006.

In 2006, Holt was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor and was defeated by Democrat Bill Halter, 57–42 percent.

As a legislator, Holt tangled publicly with former Governor Mike Huckabee over immigration. Huckabee, who like Holt is a Southern Baptist preacher, spoke out against Holt's proposal in 2005 to ban state services to illegal immigrants. Holt has criticized Huckabee for having told him, "I drink a different kind of Jesus juice."

In 2004, Holt was the Republican nominee for the U. S. Senate. He was defeated by the Democrat Blanche Lincoln, 55–44 percent.

Holt was born in Camden in Ouachita County, southern Arkansas. He joined the military in 1987 and served in the U.S. Army Joint Intelligence Operations at the National Security Agency. His website notes he "was involved in highly classified operations during the Cold War, the ousting of Manuel Noriega from Panama, and Operation Desert Storm". He is a "small business owner/operator and a part-time counselor". In 1996, Holt became an ordained Southern Baptist minister. He and his wife, the former Bobye Barenberg, originally of Rogers, Arkansas, have ten children.

Jim L. Holt (born January 17, 1965) is an American Baptist minister and a conservative Republican politician from Springdale in northwestern Arkansas.