Governor
Incumbent Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders easily won a second four-year term in office, beating Democratic state Sen. Fred Love and Libertarian Colt Shelby with roughly 54% of the vote as of late Tuesday evening.
Sanders also dominated in fundraising, with a campaign war chest of roughly $3.4 million as of late September. Sanders raised about $472,000 that same month, compared to just over $26,000 for Love and $3,800 for Shelby. Love was largely absent from campaigning in-person, while Shelby focused his efforts on grassroots outreach.
The three candidates met for one debate, broadcast on Arkansas TV, the state’s public television network. Sanders defended her record from her first four years in office, highlighting her sweeping education overhaul known as Arkansas LEARNS. Both Love and Shelby spoke against LEARNS, with Love saying he would undo the legislation via executive order if elected. Shelby is a political newcomer who rose to prominence through his opposition to Sanders’ now-canceled proposal to build a 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County.
Arkansas’ junior Republican U.S. Senator, Tom Cotton, won another six-year term in office on Election Day. Cotton beat out his Democratic challenger, Hallie Shoffner, and Libertarian Jeff Wadlin for his third term in office. Cotton secured just over 54% of the vote as of late Tuesday, compared to 42.5% for Shoffner and just over 3% for Wadlin.
A native of Dardanelle in Yell County, Cotton got his bachelor’s and law degree from Harvard University. He is an Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. Before being elected to the Senate, Cotton represented Arkansas’ 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Shoffner comes from a family of farmers. She is from northeast Arkansas and attended Vanderbilt University. After finishing there, she graduated from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. Shoffner ran her family farm until it closed in 2024.
Wadlin was born in Virginia. He’s lived in several states, but settled down in Bentonville. He attended the University of Virginia for undergrad and Northwestern University for graduate school. He is a businessman and engineer who has worked for companies like Capital One Bank and Sam’s Club.
Shoffner has raised over $4 million, according to the Federal Elections Commission, from July 2025 to October 2026. Cotton has raised over $7 million from January 2025 to October 2026. Money was also spent by third parties to affect the outcome of the election.
U.S. House of Representatives
Three of Arkansas’ four members of the U.S. House of Representatives won another term in office, while one race is still too close to call as of late Tuesday evening.
U.S. Reps. Rick Crawford, Steve Womack and Bruce Westerman won their re-election bids, while central Arkansas’ incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill is leading by a thin margin against his Democratic challenger Chris Jones.
As of 11:46 Tuesday evening, Hill had secured 50.9% of the vote compared to Jones’ 49.1%, with 99% of votes counted.
Hill is a six-term Congressman and chair of the House Financial Services Committee, which regulates banking and securities, as well as cryptocurrency. Jones is an MIT-trained scientist and unsuccessfully ran for governor against then-candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders in 2022.
Incumbent Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. easily won re-election to another four-year term in office Tuesday. Challenged by Vice Mayor and Ward 7 City Director B.J. Wyrick, Scott secured over 60% of the vote compared to Wyrick’s 39.6%, successfully avoiding a runoff election.
Scott ran on a platform of defending his record from his first two terms in office, highlighting gains in economic growth and public safety. Wyrick criticized Scott’s leadership style, labeling him “dogmatic” and accusing him of misrepresenting crime statistics. In a series of social media videos, Wyrick appeared to criticize the city’s use of Flock automated license plate reader cameras, though she voted against an ordinance which would have provided more transparency around the use of the technology.
Wyrick gave up her Ward 7 seat on the City Board, which she’s held since 1994, to run for mayor. Scott will now begin his third term as Little Rock’s first popularly-elected Black mayor.
Little Rock City Board of Directors
All three Little Rock city directors who were up for re-election Tuesday night were successful in their bids; Ward 1 Director Virgil Miller beat out challenger Jeremiah Russell, Ward 3 Director Kathy Webb beat challenger Lake Smith and Ward 6 Director Andrea Lewis emerged victorious against her challenger Victoria Macuil. Ward 5 Director Lance Hines ran for re-election unopposed.
Two seats were open: Ward 2 and Ward 7.
Ward 2
Five candidates sought to replace long-absent City Director Ken Richardson on the board: Tony Miller, Tashan O’Neal, Michael Hernandez, Stephanie Johnson and the Rev. Dwight Townsend. Townsend ultimately came out on top Tuesday night, securing just under 53% support. The second-place finisher, O’Neal, had just under 19% of the vote, avoiding a runoff.
Ward 7
Longtime Ward 7 City Director B.J. Wyrick’s decision to vacate her seat to run for mayor drew a three-way race to replace her between candidates Natalie James, Joe Gray and the Rev. Benny Johnson.
As of Tuesday evening, the race appeared to be headed to a runoff between Gray and Johnson, with Johnson at roughly 38% and Gray at about 34%.
Runoff elections are called in races where no single candidate secures at least 40% of the vote, and has a lead of at least 20% over the second-place finisher.
The runoff is set for December 1.
Pulaski County Judge
The Democratic nominee, retired Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen, easily beat his Republican opponent Michael Rushin in the race to serve as Pulaski County’s chief executive. Griffen garnered roughly 65% of the vote compared to Rushin’s 34%.
Griffen beat out incumbent Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde in the Democratic primary, amid questions about the county’s financial stability and criticism of large-scale data center projects. As a candidate, Griffen has been instrumental in drafting countywide legislation regulating data center projects.
Arkansas Secretary of State
Republican state Sen. Kim Hammer appeared poised to beat Democratic challenger Kelly Grappe and Libertarian Michael Pakko in his bid to fill the open secretary of state position as of late Tuesday. The constitutional office oversees elections, business registration and the grounds of the Arkansas State Capitol. With 99% of the vote counted, Hammer was at just under 56% compared to about 39% for Grappe and about 5% for Pakko.
Hammer, a longtime state lawmaker from Saline County, was instrumental in passing several restrictions on the direct democracy process, where voters can refer changes to the constitution to the ballot through the petition process. Grappe’s background is in business, but has drawn on her experience as a grassroots petition organizer in her campaign. Pakko is an economist and centered himself as an alternative for voters disillusioned with the two-party system.
Arkansas Senate
Arkansas incumbent state senators largely held their ground against challengers, while one candidate successfully flipped a previously Republican district.
Democrat Allison Grigsby Sweatman beat her Republican challenger, state Rep. Brandon Achor on Tuesday, securing 53% of the vote compared to 47% for Achor. Both candidates were seeking to replace the term-limited incumbent Republican state Sen. Jane English representing a large swath of northern Pulaski County stretching from Maumelle, through Camp Robinson, and parts of North Little Rock, Sherwood, and Jacksonville.
Saline County Sheriff Rodney Wright beat out Democrat Joshua Irby in the Senate District 16 race with 58% of the vote.
Arkansas House of Representatives
Democrats seemed poised to make strong gains in the Arkansas House of Representatives Tuesday evening.
Democratic State Rep. Steve Magie describes District 56, including northern parts of Conway and Faulkner County, as a “tough district.” He won by just 10 votes against Republican Trent Minner in 2022, and won re-election with a slightly larger margin in 2024. About 61% of the vote went to Magie, compared to 39% for Brannan.
Magie, an ophthalmologist, has served in the legislature since 2013. His Republican opponent, Mark Brannan, works in finance and serves on the State Republican Committee.
District 67
Republican Rep. Karilyn Brown lost her re-election bid to challenger Andrew Eberly in a rematch of the 2024 election. The district encompasses parts of Little Rock’s northeastern suburbs, stretching from Sherwood to Jacksonville north of Highway 67. Brown has served in the legislature since 2015. Eberly is an Army veteran and cybersecurity professional. Eberly secured about 55% of the vote compared to Brown’s 44%.
The resignation of Republican state Rep. Carlton Wing prompted a special election to fill the House District 70 seat – Democrat Alex Holladay succeeded in flipping the district, beating Republican challenger Bo Renshaw. Tuesday night saw a re-match against the two for a full two-year term in the legislature. Holladay was once again victorious with 54% of the vote compared to 45% for Renshaw.
The race to represent Arkansas House District 71, encompassing parts of Maumelle and North Little Rock, has been one of the most acrimonious of this election cycle. Democrat Cassandra Mayes has accused her Republican opponent Stephen Bright of not living in the district, and of committing voter fraud. Shortly after that, allegations of domestic abuse and inappropriate contact with his daughter also came to light. Bright described the incidents as a “difficult chapter” in his family’s life, and said he would remain in the race.
Mayes ultimately came out on top Tuesday evening with 55% of the vote, compared to about 44% for Bright.
Mayes, a longtime educator and administrator, ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Brandon Achor in District 71 in 2024. Bright is the former mayor of Maumelle and previously served in the legislature from 2000 to 2006. Achor opted not to run for re-election to the seat, instead choosing to run for state Senate. He ultimately pulled his endorsement of Bright.
District 75
Incumbent Democratic Sen. Ashley Hudson beat Republican challenger Hunter Sadler 61% to 38%. Hudson, an attorney, has represented parts of west Little Rock and Pulaski County in the legislature since 2021, when she flipped her district Democratic by just 24 votes. Sadler serves in the Arkansas Army National Guard and works as Director of Constituent Services for Republican 2nd District Congressman French Hill.
District 76
Democratic state Rep. Joy Springer easily won re-election to a fourth term representing parts of west, central and southwest Little Rock in the state House of Representatives. Springer entered the legislature in 2020, winning a special election in the wake of her longtime mentor Rep. John Walker’s death. Her Republican opponent, Isbac Ceja, had no discernible campaign presence aside from an Instagram account appearing to show Ceja posing with Democratic 2nd Congressional District candidate Chris Jones.
Ballot Issues
Three of four statewide ballot issues passed, with one still too close to call as of Tuesday evening.
Issue 1
Issue 1, titled the “Citizens Only Voting Amendment,” clarifies in the Arkansas Constitution that only U.S. citizens have the right to vote in elections. The measure passed with 69% of the vote.
Issue 2
Like Issue 1, Issue 2 only changes a few words in the state constitution. The measure codifies that Arkansans have the right to own firearms for “lawful hunting and recreational use,” as well as “ammunition, firearm accessories, and firearm components.” The measure passed with roughly 71% of the vote.
Issue 3
Issue 3 would grant the state legislature authority to set up a framework for local municipalities to set up Economic Development Districts. These would be specific areas where businesses would have special privileges, like borrowing tax money at higher rates, or paying fewer taxes. As of late Tuesday, the measure was on track to be defeated with roughly 51% against and 49% for.
Issue 4
According to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Issue 4, also called the Natural Resources Commission Bond Measure, “asks voters to approve the state issuing up to $500 million in general obligation bonds to pay for water, waste disposal, water pollution control, abatement and prevention, drainage, irrigation, flood control, and wetlands and aquatic resources projects.” The measure passed with roughly 56% of the vote.
Lonoke County Sheriff
Unofficial results from the Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office show independent candidate Larry Behnke winning the race for Lonoke County Sheriff against Aaron Spencer, his Republican challenger. Spencer’s candidacy drew national attention, as he had been formerly charged in the 2024 shooting death of Michael Fosler. Spencer alleged Fosler had sexually abused his daughter, but murder charges against him were ultimately dismissed.
Benton County Judge
The lone candidate for Benton County Judge, former Republican state Rep. Austin McCollum, is currently facing several charges which could disqualify him from holding office. Several Republican leaders, including Gov. Sarah Sanders, called on McCollum not to take office after being arrested on domestic violence charges in August – McCollum opted to stay in the race. If he pleads guilty or is convicted of a felony, he would be ineligible to serve as Benton County Judge. His next court date is December 1.
