Gov. Mike Beebe's office says he won't call a special election to fill the state Senate seat vacated by a lawmaker who is taking a job lobbying for the University of Arkansas system.
Beebe spokesman Matt DeCample said Thursday that the governor decided against a special election to replace outgoing Sen. Johnny Key, who is resigning to take a job as UA system's associate vice president for university relations.
Key, a Republican, is resigning effective Thursday and his term ends at the end of the year.
DeCample said Beebe thought it would be prudent to avoid the cost of a special election, since the earliest it could be held would be in November and there are no current plans for a special session this fall.
