Quick Facts
LeoBiography
Kaneaster Hodges Jr. (born August 20, 1938) served as a Democratic United States Senator from the U.S. State of Arkansas.
Life and career
Hodges was born in Newport, Arkansas and graduated from Princeton University in 1960.Hodges graduated from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 1963, and the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1967.In law school he was a classmate of Jim Guy Tucker, and also served as editor-in-chief of the Arkansas Law Review. He married the former Lindley Williams, also of Newport, and they are the parents of two children.
During his career, in addition to practicing law Hodges was a farmer, Methodist lay minister, and hospital and prison chaplain.He served as city attorney for Newport and deputy prosecuting attorney for Jackson County, Arkansas from 1967 to 1974.
Hodges worked for incumbent Senator John Little McClellan’s campaign for senator in 1972.McClellan defeated David Pryor in the Democratic primary, and went on to win the general election.In 1974 Hodges coordinated Pryor’s successful gubernatorial race in eastern Arkansas.
In 1975 Hodges was legislative secretary for Governor Pryor.From 1974 to 1976 he was chairman of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, and he was a member of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission from 1976 to 1977.
In 1977 Senator John Little McClellan died in office. Pryor appointed Hodges to serve out the remainder of McClellan's term. His time in the Senate was most noted for his stands in favor of the Panama Canal treaties and against tuition tax credits for parents of private school students. Under Arkansas law, an appointed Senator was not allowed to run for a full term. Hodges stepped down at the end of his term in 1979, and was replaced by Governor Pryor, who won the 1978 election for a full term.
Hodges returned to Newport after his Senate term.He became involved in several business ventures, including real estate development in Arkansas and adjoining states.He was also active in several civic and charitable causes, including the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Arkansas Nature Conservation Foundation, Winrock International, and the Arkansas Justice Foundation.
The Lindley and Kaneaster Hodges Jr. Reading Room at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville is named for Hodges and his wife.
He is the uncle of Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges.
