French Hill | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2025 | |
| Chair of theHouse Financial Services Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Patrick McHenry |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromArkansas's2nd district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Tim Griffin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James French Hill (1956-12-05)December 5, 1956 (age 68) Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Vanderbilt University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
James French Hill (born December 5, 1956) is an American businessman and politician serving as theU.S. representative forArkansas's 2nd congressional district since 2015. He is a member of theRepublican Party.
Hill was born in Little Rock, Arkansas.[1] His father, Jay F. Hill ran a Little Rock-based financial firm that he inherited from his father, James "Jay" Wilson Hill.[2] As a teenager, French Hill worked in the family financial firm during the summer months.[2]
A ninth-generation Arkansan, Hill is a direct descendent ofslave plantation owner Creed Taylor who was among the wealthiest 1% of Americans in 1860.[2] Another of Hill's direct ancestors, John W. Gracie, was a cotton baron who inherited landholdings from Taylor and usedprison labor after theemancipation of slaves.[2]
He graduated with aBachelor of Arts degree ineconomics fromVanderbilt University.[3] He attended theUCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management, where he earned a certified corporate director designation.[4]
From 1982 to 1984, Hill was an aide to Republican SenatorJohn Tower.[1] He was a staffer on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.[1] Hill was executive secretary to PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush’sEconomic Policy Council from 1991 to 1993, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Corporate Finance from 1989 to 1991.[1][5] Hill founded and wasCEO and chairman of the Board Delta Trust and Banking Corporation in Little Rock until its acquisition bySimmons Bank in 2014.[6]
Hill ran for the 2nd district U.S. House seat after fellow RepublicanTim Griffin decided instead to run forlieutenant governor. Hill defeated Democratic nomineePat Hays, themayor ofNorth Little Rock,[7] 52 to 44 percent.[8]
Hill was renominated in the Republican primary over Brock Olree of Searcy (White County) and was reelected with 58% of the vote against the Democratic nominee, formerLittle Rock School District Board President Dianne Curry, and Libertarian nominee Chris Hayes of North Little Rock.[9]
In 2017, Arkansas's 2nd district was included on the initial list of Republican-held seats targeted by theDemocratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2018.[10] In the November general election, Hill defeated Democratic nomineeClarke Tucker with 52.1% of the vote to Tucker's 45.8%. Libertarian Joe Swafford received 2%.[11]
Hill ran for another term.Sarah Huckabee Sanders endorsed Hill, speaking at a rally in support of him.[12]
In 2020, the Hill campaign warned that Democratic nomineeJoyce Elliott was "as dangerous as they come".[1] Hill warned that if elected, Elliott would "be a member of the Democratic conference and she'd be a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and her first vote would be for Speaker Pelosi to be the speaker of the House."[1] In the November general election, Hill defeated Elliott.[13]
Hill ran for reelection in 2022 and beat his Democratic opponent Quintessa Hathaway, winning with 60.0% of the vote.[14]
Hill ran for a sixth term in 2024, defeating his Democratic opponent Marcus Jones with 58.9% of the vote to Jones's 41.1%.[15]
Hill has been a member of the U.S. House during the presidencies of Barack Obama, Donald Trump (first term), Joe Biden, and Donald Trump (second term). During Trump's presidency, Hill voted in line with the president's position 96.8% of the time.[16] At the start of Biden's presidency, Hill opposed Biden's decision to cancel theKeystone Pipeline. He said he wanted to work with the Biden administration on policy issues including Iran, free trade, and immigration.[17] As of October 2021, Hill had voted in line with Biden's stated position 12.5% of the time.[18]
On May 4, 2017, Hill voted to repeal thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and pass theAmerican Health Care Act.[19][20] He voted for theTax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[21]
On April 17, 2020, House Minority LeaderKevin McCarthy appointed Hill to theCOVID-19 Congressional Oversight Commission to oversee the implementation of theCARES Act.[22]
Hill praised the Trump administration's handling of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[1]
Hill did not join the majority of Republican members of Congress who signed anamicus brief in support ofTexas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at theUnited States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election. Hill voted to certify both Arizona's and Pennsylvania's results in the2021 United States Electoral College vote count.[23][24]
In March 2021, Hill voted against theAmerican Rescue Plan Act of 2021.[25]
In 2020 and 2021, Hill strongly opposed plans by the United States and other nations in the G7 to issue a $650 billionSpecial Drawing Rights general allocation, calling for a specific and targeted allocation instead.[26]
Hill strongly supported Biden's airstrikes on Iranian targets inSyria.[27]
On May 19, 2021, Hill was one of 35 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to approve legislation to establish theJanuary 6, 2021 commission meant to investigate thestorming of the U.S. Capitol.[28]
In 2025, Hill sponsored legislation to rescind a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule that set a cap for bank overdraft fees at $5.[29]
For the118th Congress:[30]
Hill describes himself aspro-life. He voted in support of thePain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. He has a 100% rating from theNational Right to Life Committee for his pro-life voting record.[39] He supported the2022 overturning ofRoe v. Wade, saying that it "elevates life by affirming that there is no constitutional right to an abortion."[40]
In 2022, Hill was one of 39 Republicans who voted for the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022, an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations for anti-competitive behavior.[41][42]
| Arkansas's 2nd congressional district Republican primary election, 2014 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | French Hill | 29,916 | 55.08 |
| Republican | Ann Clemmer | 12,400 | 22.83 |
| Republican | Conrad Reynolds | 11,994 | 22.08 |
| Arkansas's 2nd congressional district election,2014 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | French Hill | 123,073 | 51.86 |
| Democratic | Pat Hays | 103,477 | 43.60 |
| Libertarian | Debbie Standiford | 10,590 | 4.46 |
| Write-ins | Write-ins | 190 | 0.08 |
| Arkansas's 2nd congressional district Republican primary election, 2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | French Hill (inc.) | 86,474 | 84.54 |
| Republican | Brock Olree | 15,811 | 15.46 |
| Arkansas's 2nd congressional district election,2016[43] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | French Hill (inc.) | 176,472 | 58.34 |
| Democratic | Dianne Curry | 111,347 | 36.81 |
| Libertarian | Chris Hayes | 14,342 | 4.74 |
| Write-ins | Write-ins | 303 | 0.1 |
| Arkansas's 2nd congressional district election,2018 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | French Hill (inc.) | 132,125 | 52.1 |
| Democratic | Clarke Tucker | 116,135 | 45.8 |
| Libertarian | Joe Swafford | 5,193 | 2.0 |
| Arkansas's 2nd congressional district election,2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | French Hill (inc.) | 184,093 | 55.4 |
| Democratic | Joyce Elliott | 148,410 | 44.6 |
| Arkansas's 2nd congressional district election,2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | French Hill (inc.) | 147,975 | 60.0 |
| Democratic | Quintessa Hathaway | 86,887 | 35.2 |
| Libertarian | Michael White | 11,584 | 4.7 |
| Arkansas's 2nd congressional district election,2024[44] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | French Hill (inc.) | 180,508 | 58.9 |
| Democratic | Marcus Jones | 125,777 | 41.1 |
ARoman Catholic,[45] Hill resides inLittle Rock.[1] He and his wife, Martha McKenzie, have two children.[1]
In 2023, Hill’s public financial disclosures show net worth between $10.3 million and $25.7 million.[2]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromArkansas's 2nd congressional district 2015–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Chair of theHouse Financial Services Committee 2025–present | |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 139th | Succeeded by |
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| Other | |
