Recount in District 52 confirms GOP victory

— The final recount in the state House District 52 race Thursday morning affirmed a victory for Republican John Hutchison of Harrisburg by a slim margin.

The district’s four counties have until Friday to receive overseas and military ballots, but the secretary of state’s office expects fewer than half a dozen — not enough to change the outcome.

Hutchison led by 44 votes on election night, and that figure hasn’t shifted substantially.

The result of the recount ensures Republicans will have a majority in the House, with 51 representatives, the first time they have been the party in power in more than 125 years. Democrats hold 48 seats in the House, and the Green party has one representative.

Thursday’s finished recount in Democratic-leaning Independence County didn’t close the gap.

On election night, the county reported that Democrat L.J. Bryant of Grubbs received 407 votes and Hutchison received 383, according to the secretary of state.

On Thursday, after officials awarded two provisional ballots to each candidate, Bryant led Hutchison, 409 to 385.

In Craighead County, Bryant received 1,501 votes and Hutchison received 1,857, according to the secretary of state. Jackson County reported 1,083 votes for Bryant and 522 for Hutchison, according to the secretary of state.

No changes were reported in the recounts in Craighead and Jackson counties.

Poinsett County reported 2,013 votes for Bryant and 2,286 for Hutchison, according to the secretary of state.

Poinsett County clerk Fonda Condra said she would not release recount totals until after the results are certified this afternoon, but a Republican Party spokesman said that recount would make the difference 41 votes.

Bryant said in an e-mail that he was waiting on the final ballots to come in, but that the chance of a “major change there is remote.”

“The razor-thin election shows Arkansans are closely divided,” Bryant said. “However, once the election is over it’s time for everyone to unify to move Arkansas forward.”

Hutchison did not return a phone call seeking comment Thursday afternoon.

Republican Party of Arkansas Chairman Doyle Webb said he personally attended the recount and was “very pleased” with the process.

Webb referred to the Republicans holding the majority in the state House as “a vision that has now come to fruition.”

“I know that there’s a lot of celebrating, both in heaven and on earth, as a result of this accomplishment,” Webb said.

Candace Martin, a spokesman for the Arkansas Democratic Party, said she was satisfied with the recounts and said that the party would focus on the state’s needs.

“Certainly today’s results show that this election is final, and we continue to move on to what comes next,” Martin said.

Front Section, Pages 3 on 11/16/2012

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