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DHS Attorney To Challenge Incumbent On Arkansas Supreme Court

David Sterling
Michael Hibblen
/
KUAR News

An attorney for the Arkansas Department of Human Services says he plans on challenging a state Supreme Court justice who's seeking re-election this year.

DHS Chief Counsel David Sterling told The Associated Press he plans to run against state Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson in the May judicial election.

Sterling ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for attorney general in the 2014 election.

Goodson was targeted by outside groups in her failing bid for chief justice two years ago.

Campaign Adviser Keith Emis said Monday that Goodson intends to seek reelection. He said the justice wasn't available for an interview about her plans.

Goodson was defeated by Dan Kemp in her bid for chief justice in 2016 after outside groups blanketed the state with ads and mailers criticizing her. The groups and candidates for that and another high court seat spent more than $1.3 million on TV advertising.

Goodson's Supreme Court seat is the only one on the high court up for election this year.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.