Incumbent Republicans and Democrats fended off rivals Tuesday in primary elections for the Arkansas House of Representatives.
Of the 22 contested primary races for state House seats, 12 saw Republicans go head-to-head, and 10 featured Democrats vying for an opportunity to be their party’s nominee in the Nov. 5 general election.
See latest results for Districts 4-30 and Districts 32-88 in Republican primary and for the Arkansas House Democratic primary.
Among the incumbents who succeeded against challengers were Rep. Jack Ladyman, R-Jonesboro, who bested former state Rep. Brandt Smith, also of Jonesboro, in the House District 32 Republican primary.
With an estimated 99% of votes counted, unofficial returns were:
Ladyman 1,470
Smith 1,219
Ladyman will face Democrat David McAvoy of Jonesboro in the general election.
The primary race featured two former House colleagues in Ladyman and Smith.
Smith, 64, who left the Legislature in 2022 in an unsuccessful bid for Congress, said the district needed a “constitutional conservative.” Ladyman, a 76-year-old five-term incumbent, said his legislative experience would continue to benefit constituents, especially if he were elected House speaker in the 2025 legislative session.
“I’m looking forward to getting back down to Little Rock, and I want to concentrate a little more now on the speaker’s race,” Ladyman said Tuesday night.
In one of the more closely watched races for open seats, Paul Childress, 54, bested Ken Yang, 35, in the House District 83 Republican primary. The seat is currently held by outgoing Rep. Lanny Fite, R-Benton. The district includes parts of Saline County north of Interstate 30.
With an estimated 99% of votes counted, unofficial returns were:
Childress 5,650
Yang 2,252
Yang, a conservative political consultant from Benton, ran a campaign to Childress’ right, focusing on culture war and national issues.
Childress, president of the Benton School Board, will face Democrat Teresa Dannaway in the general election.
After The Associated Press called the race, Childress credited his win to his ability to get his message to voters, touting his background on the School Board and as a insurance executive and former Saline County sheriff deputy and Benton police officer.
“I talked about my background,” Childress said. “Been in this district my whole life. My law enforcement experience, my business experience, my school experience, my family experience — I think [those], you know, [were] some of the big factors. I relate to a majority of the voters in this district.”
In the Republican primary in District 41, which includes Cleburne and Stone counties, Alyssa Brown, Heber Springs, defeated former Cleburne County judge and former county Sheriff Jerry Holmes of Heber Springs.
With an estimated 86% of votes counted, unofficial returns were:
Brown 4,510
Holmes 2,812
Brown, owner of an online clothing boutique, will face Democrat Tom Nowlin in the general election for the seat held by outgoing state Rep. Josh Miller, R-Heber Springs.
Brown, 26, positioned herself to the right of Holmes on a number of key issues, including health care and guns. Holmes, 67, criticized Brown for what he described as dishonest tactics, including a mailer Brown’s campaign sent out to voters that Holmes said mischaracterized his position on health care. During last year’s legislative session, Brown worked as a researcher for the conservative Family Council and attacked Holmes for being a former Democrat and a career politician.
House District 62 in the Delta is a majority-Black district currently represented by a Republican. This year’s Democratic Primary is a rematch from 2022 with Dexter Miller, 55, of Helena-West Helena facing Kellee Mitchell Farris, 45, of Marianna.
With an estimated 41% of votes counted, unofficial returns were:
Farris 847
Miller 679
The district includes all of Lee and Phillips counties and portions of Monroe, Arkansas, Desha and St. Francis counties. The race was a rematch of the 2022 primary, in which Miller defeated Farris. The winner will face Mark McElroy, R-Tillar, in the general election.
Both candidates focused on advocating for more state investment in infrastructure for the district after recent leaks in the Helena-West Helena water system left residents without water for weeks this January.
In Little Rock’s House District 76 race, two-term Democratic Rep. Joy Springer appeared to fend off a challenge from Ryan Davis and Kia Sprinkle.
With an estimated 99% of votes counted, unofficial returns were:
Springer 1,424
Davis 1,147
Wilson 175
The district extends along the Interstate 630 corridor from around Baptist Health Medical Center in the west to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in the east. The district includes the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Boyle Park and Little Rock Central High School.
Springer, 67, came into office by winning a special election in 2020 in which she also faced Davis. In this year’s race, she called Davis inexperienced and said he would be a less effective lawmaker. Wilson, a banquet server at the Double Tree in Little Rock, finished third. Davis, 45, is the executive director of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Children International, a nonprofit that helps kids who live in poverty. He campaigned on taking a stronger stance against the Republican supermajority in the Legislature.
Springer is unopposed in the general election.
The GOP primary for House District 88 in Southwest Arkansas may head to a runoff with no candidate having a majority of the vote. The race features Dolly Henley of Washington, Arnetta Bradford of Hope and Robert Bradford of Nashville. The three are vying to replace the district’s incumbent Rep. Danny Watson, R-Hope.
With an estimated 96% of votes counted, unofficial returns were:
Henley 2,036
Arnetta Bradford 1,996
Robert Bradford 293
Arnetta Bradford was endorsed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the district’s incumbent Rep. Danny Watson, R-Hope. The winner of the GOP primary will be unopposed in the general election.
Rep. Steven Walker, R-Horseshoe Bend, faced a primary challenge from Timmy Reid in his first bid for re-election in House District 27.
With an estimated 34% of votes counted, unofficial returns were:
Walker 1,037
Reid 763
Reid, a 59-year-old cattle farmer from Marshall, positioned himself as a “fighter” for the district, which includes Izard, Newton and Searcy counties and parts of Baxter and Stone counties. Walker, a 33-year-old digital learning coordinator with the Arkansas Department of Education, is one of five freshman lawmakers on the House Education Committee.
The candidates also faced off in the 2022 primary, in which Reid won the most votes in a four-way contest that led to a runoff. In the runoff, Walker defeated Reid to gain the GOP nomination.
In House District 24, which includes parts of Crawford and Washington counties, Brad Hall, 47, and Ty Bates, 62, were vying for the GOP nomination.
With an estimated 5% of votes counted, unofficial returns were:
Hall 114
Bates 80
The winner will face Democrat Ryan Intchauspe of Rudy in the general election for the seat held by outgoing incumbent Rep. Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren.
In the race for House District 51, Rep. Cindy Crawford, R-Fort Smith, fended off a primary challenge from Jeff Burks.
With an estimated 65% of votes counted, unofficial returns were:
Crawford 3,783
Burks 1,104