US House races headline Arkansas primary

— Candidates for Arkansas’ only U.S. House seat held by a Democrat were hoping to win their parties’ nominations outright Tuesday in the state’s primary, capping an otherwise lackluster campaign season devoid of any major statewide matchups.

Three Republicans and three Democrats seeking the 4th District in south Arkansas were aiming to win enough votes to avoid a June 12 runoff. Three Democrats are also running for the chance to challenge freshman Republican U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford in east Arkansas’ 1st District. The top two finishers in each of race head to a runoff if no one wins a majority.

With no major statewide primary and a presidential contest that’s effectively over, most of the focus Tuesday was on the congressional campaigns.

The Republican race pits Army veteran and Dardanelle management consultant Tom Cotton against Beth Anne Rankin, a former Miss Arkansas who worked as an aide to former Gov. Mike Huckabee.

John Cowart, a Marine veteran and Texarkana police officer, also vied for the party’s nod.

In the district’s Democratic primary, Hot Springs lawyer Q. Byrum Hurst leads in fundraising, but faces state Sen. Gene Jeffress and Little Rock businessman D.C. Morrison. Both Jeffress and Morrison have name recognition that could make up for their cash-strapped operations.

The 1st District race has come down to a contest between state Rep. Clark Hall and prosecutor Scott Ellington, with economist Gary Latanich threatening to siphon enough votes from either to force a runoff. Hall has outpaced the two in fundraising and is the only candidate airing television spots around the district.

Voters are casting ballots in 22 contested state House primaries and 11 contested Senate primaries. The ballot also features nonpartisan judicial races, with state Appeals Court judges Raymond Abramson and Jo Hart running for a spot on the state Supreme Court.

In the Little Rock area, voters cast ballots in mostly local races, along with the presidential primary.

Joshua Thomsen said he voted for President Barack Obama in the Democratic primary, noting that he also backed Obama in 2008.

“I am not entirely happy with what he is doing, but when we get to the fall election I will still vote for him,” Thomsen said.

Also in Little Rock, Jack and Eileen Diers, both ministers, said they voted for Romney.

“I think we’re going to do better economically with Mitt Romney,” Jack Diers said. “He has experience as an executive and in finance.”

Obama’s only opponent on the Democratic ballot was Tennessee lawyer John Wolfe. Several voters said Tuesday they’re supporting Wolfe — even though the state party said last week that Wolfe won’t receive any delegates because he hasn’t complied with party rules.

More than 89,000 people had cast ballots in the two-week early voting period, Secretary of State Mark Martin’s office said.

Spokesman Alex Reed said no problems had been reported Tuesday morning.

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