Career
In 2014, he was elected to succeed Bruce Westerman, a fellow Republican who was instead elected to the United States House of Representatives for Arkansas"s 4th congressional district. In the Republican primary election, Gates defeated Donald Laymon, 2,690 to 1,869. He was then unopposed in the November 4 general election in a heavily Republican year in Arkansas.
In his first term in office, Gates serves on the House committees of (1) Aging, Children, and Youth Legislative and Military Affairs and (2) Public Transportation.
Gates is president of The Stonebridge Collection, a company in Hot Springs which sells decorative knives. Gates is a board member for the Change Point Pregnancy Care Center in Hot Springs.
He has been chairman of the Garland County Republican Party and the Garland County Young Republicans.
