Several national, state and local races were decided on Election Day in Arkansas. Here’s a roundup of some of the most prominent races statewide, and here in central Arkansas.
U.S. House of Representatives
All four Republican incumbent members of Arkansas’ delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives won re-election Tuesday. In the 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses most of Little Rock, Rep. French Hill beat his Democratic challenger, Col. Marcus Jones.
Jones said he’s proud of the campaign he ran to unseat the longtime incumbent. He called Hill to concede the race Tuesday night. In his concession speech, he thanked voters and spoke about reproductive rights.
“And we may not have won today, but what I've got to ask you to do is come back again,” he said. “Vote like your daughter's life depends on it, because in Arkansas it does.”
1st District incumbent Rep. Rick Crawford won his race against Democratic challenger Rodney Govens and Libertarian Steve Parsons. Crawford has represented the east Arkansas district in Congress since 2011. Govens is a court-appointed special advocate, and like Crawford, is a military veteran. Parsons holds a doctoral degree in economics.
Early in the night, Govens thought he may have been heading toward an “upset.”
“Arkasnas as a whole,” he said in his concession speech “we just don't vote.”
In Northwest Arkansas, 3rd District incumbent Rep. Steve Womack beat Democratic challenger Caitlin Draper. Womack has represented the district since 2011 following a stint as mayor of Rogers. Draper is a social worker and political newcomer who made reproductive rights a central theme of her campaign.
Rep. Bruce Westerman won re-election to Arkansas’ 4th Congressional District, beating out his Democratic rival, Risie Howard. Westerman has served in Congress since 2014 and currently chairs the House Committee on Natural Resources. Howard is an attorney in Pine Bluff.
Little Rock City Board of Directors
Incumbent at-large City Director Antwan Phillips easily won re-election over his challenger Jordan Thomas. A close ally of Mayor Frank Scott Jr., Phillips has served on the board since 2021. Thomas is a soybean meal broker who has lived in Little Rock since 2016.
Political newcomer Blake Tierney sought to unseat the longest-serving member of the Little Rock City Board of Directors, Joan Adcock.
As of Tuesday night, Adcock seemed poised to keep her job on the city board by a narrow margin. 52% of the vote was in her favor, while 47% favored her opponent.
Much of their respective campaigns focused on the differences between the two; Adcock contrasted her years of service to Tierney’s youth, while Tierney said he would bring a fresh perspective to the City Board.
Results for the Rock sales tax initiative
Voters in Little Rock were asked to weigh in on two separate sales tax increases, billed together as the “Results for the Rock” initiative championed by Mayor Frank Scott Jr. One is a three-eighths of a cent permanent increase, the other is a five-eighths of a cent increase which expires in 10 years.
Funding from the sales tax increase would go toward what Scott refers to as the “Four Ps,” parks, public safety, public infrastructure and the Port of Little Rock. Funding would also go toward two new youth sports complexes, estimated to cost around $115 million combined.
As of Tuesday night, both taxes seemed poised to fail. About 40% of voters voted for both taxes. It’s the second time Scott has sought a sales tax increase; a previous effort failed in 2021.
Issue 1
Voters approved Issue 1 by a wide margin. This amendment allows the state-issued scholarship funded by lottery proceeds to apply toward students’ vocational or technical school education. Lottery-funded scholarships were previously limited only to students at two and four-year colleges and universities. Issue 1 was the only measure referred to the ballot by the Arkansas Legislature this election cycle.
Issue 2
As of late Tuesday, Issue 2 appeared to be on track to pass. This amendment vacates an existing license awarded to Cherokee Nation Businesses to build a new casino in Pope County. It also requires local approval of any new casinos in the state. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, an unsuccessful applicant for the Pope County casino license, raised just under $18 million in support of Issue 2. The Cherokee Nation spent just over $12 million against it.
Issue 2 was the only measure successfully referred to the ballot by Arkansas citizens this election cycle. Several other grassroots efforts, like to expand medical marijuana and to legalize abortion, did not make it to the ballot.
Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice
Both candidates vying to be the chief justice are current members of the court. Justices Karen Baker and Rhonda Wood are on the ballot.
As of Tuesday night, Baker seemed most likely to get the top job. Wood was trailing her by about 4%.
Whoever wins will be the first woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court.
The race became uniquely contentious after Justice Wood wrote the majority opinion that threw out an amendment to legalize abortion up to the 18th week of pregnancy.
Meanwhile, Baker has been hard to pin down on the campaign trail. She did not agree to do an interview with most news stations, including Little Rock Public Radio, about her candidacy.
Arkansas Court of Appeals
This race is a competition to fill a seat left open by a retired member of the court. Judge Rita Gruber served in the position for 15 years. The two candidates are Molly McNulty and Circuit Judge Casey Tucker.
As of Tuesday night, Tucker is winning this race. She has about a 10,000 vote lead over McNulty.
The Arkansas Court of Appeals works as a “final court” or a “court of last resort,” looking over already-decided cases and giving them a second glance.
There are twelve judges on the court who sit on panels that rotate each month. The panels have the power to reverse lower court decisions.
Circuit Judge, Sixth Judicial Circuit, 17th Division
Attorneys Brent Eubanks and Robert Cortinez both sought the position as judge on the state’s Sixth Judicial Circuit. As of Tuesday night, Eubanks was ahead in the race.
Treasurer
The state treasurer will be responsible for managing about $9 billion in state money. The election was announced to fill the seat left vacant with the death of former treasurer Mark Lowery.
Three candidates competed for the position: Republican Secretary of State John Thurston, Democrat John Pagan and Libertarian Michael Pakko.
Thurston won the race with a healthy margin, winning nearly double the votes of Pagan.
Thurson’s replacement as secretary of state will be appointed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
Legislative races
House District 92 (Julie Mayberry, David Murray)
Arkansas House District 92 includes parts of Saline County, the town of Hensley and all of Grant County.
Republican Rep. Julie Mayberry won re-election by a wide margin. She received 11,424 votes, while her opponent, David Murray, received a little over 2,000.
Mayberry has represented the district for several years. Before she held the job, her husband Andy Mayberry served in the legislature for two terms.
Democratic Challenger David Murray is a retired contractor. Before running for office, he worked building hotels and stores in the Midwest.
Senate District 17 (Mark Johnson, Maureen Skinner)
Republican state Sen. Mark Johnson has been in the position since he first ran in 2019. He won re-election again on Tuesday, receiving 21,909 votes to his opponent’s 15,697.
Democratic challenger Maureen Skinner is a therapist in Conway. She has run for office before; in 2018, she failed to win in her race against then-state Sen. Jason Rapert.
House District 69 (David Ray, Kwami Abdul-Bey)
Arkansas House District 69 covers parts of Faulkner and Pulaski counties. Democratic Candidate Kwami Abdul-Bey unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Republican Rep. David Ray, who received about 5,000 more votes than Abdul-Bey.
There has been tension between these two candidates on the campaign trail; Abdul-Bey says Ray sent out a mailer about him which Abdul-Bey described as “racist.” Ray denies the allegation.
House District 70 (Carlton Wing, Alex Holladay)
This district covers North Little Rock and Indian Hills. Democratic candidate Alex Holladay works for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Throughout Tuesday night, it seemed as though Wing could be close to losing the race. One Democratic strategist called the race a “nail biter.” The final vote tally was 7,082 for Holladay to 7,368 for Wing.
Wing was first elected in 2016 and has held the position ever since.
House District 75 (Ashley Hudson, Michael White)
Both candidates competed to represent a West Little Rock district in the state House of Representatives. Democratic Rep. Ashley Hudson is the incumbent, Michael White is her Libertarian challenger.
Hudson received almost double the vote that White received, meaning she will serve another term in the House.
White unsuccessfully challenged Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill in 2022.
House District 54 (Mary Bentley, Doug Corbitt)
Republican Rep. Mary Bentley was first elected in 2014. Her opponent was Democrat Doug Corbitt, professor of philosophy at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Bentley won reelection comfortably, receiving about 5,000 more votes than her opponent.
Their district covers Faulkner, Perry, Pope, Saline, and Yell counties.
House District 78 (James Bartolomei, Keith Brooks)
Republican Rep. Keith Brooks was challenged by Democratic candidate James Henry Bartolomei, an attorney in Little Rock. Brooks won re-election with over 67% of the vote. Their district covers Roland and Ferndale, as well as parts of Little Rock, Benton and Bryant.
House District 71 (Brandon Achor, Cassandra Green)
Incumbent Republican Rep. Brandon Achor, a pharmacy owner, won re-election over his Democratic challenger, educator Cassandra Green. Achor secured roughly 56% of the vote compared to Green’s 44%. Their district covers Maumelle and parts of Pulaski County.
House District 67 (Karilyn Brown, Andrew Cade Eberly)
Republican Rep. Karilyn Brown faced Democratic challenger Andrew Cade Eberly. Brown only won her seat in the 2022 election by 510 votes. This year, she won the seat by about 2,000 more votes than her Democratic opponent.
