From the Arkansas Advocate:
Alex Holladay of North Little Rock will advance to the March 3 special election to fill a vacant Arkansas House seat after winning Tuesday’s special Democratic primary.
Holladay defeated Cordelia Smith-Johnson of Sherwood, receiving 641 of the 805 votes cast, or nearly 80% of the vote. He will face Republican Bo Renshaw in the special general election to represent Pulaski County’s House District 70 until January 2027.
In a statement, Holladay thanked voters for choosing him and said he hopes to see their continued support in the general election.
“I’m running because you deserve strong schools, safe streets, and a healthier future,” Holladay said. “As costs of living soar, our governor is trying to build mega-prisons and gut health and food services. We have to hold this off-the-rails and out-of-touch state government accountable, and to do that, our district needs to elect someone like me who’ll stand up and say enough is enough.”
Holladay lost to Rep. Carlton Wing, R-North Little Rock, in the November 2024 election by 316 votes. Wing resigned in September to head Arkansas TV, the state’s recently rebranded public television outlet.
Holladay told the Arkansas Advocate he decided to run for office because he was frustrated with the LEARNS Act, the 2023 law that created a school voucher program that allows state funding to be used for certain private school and homeschooling expenses.
Smith-Johnson and Holladay will have a rematch in the district’s regular primary, also on March 3, and the winner will face Renshaw again in the general election on Nov. 3. The winner of the November election will serve a two-year term in the Arkansas House beginning in January 2027.
Holladay recruits health care professionals for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Smith-Johnson is an Air Force veteran and a prevention coordinator for the Army National Guard.
“Although tonight’s outcome wasn’t what I hoped for, I am immensely proud of the race we ran and the stand we took,” Smith-Johnson said in a statement. “As a veteran and someone who has devoted my life to serving others, I ran to make sure our community had a voice. And together, we achieved something truly important: we ensured that this election happened when it needed to, so that no one in this district would be left without representation. That’s a victory in itself. I want to thank everyone who supported us, stood by our side, and worked tirelessly for our shared values.”
The winner of March’s general election will take office before April’s fiscal legislative session, which focuses on the state budget.
If the Democratic candidate wins in March or November, parts of North Little Rock and Sherwood will be represented by a Democrat in the House for the first time in 12 years. Republicans hold 80 of the 100 seats in the Arkansas House.
