The pattern of Northwest Arkansas legislative politics appeared to be holding up against most attempts to change it Tuesday.
Incumbent Justin Boyd, R-Fort Smith, was winning in his re-election bid against Libertarian challenger Stephen Edwards, also of Fort Smith, in the House District 77 race in early voting results.
Arkansas House
District 69
Overbey (D)191(21%)
Pilkington (R)712(79%)
District 77
Edwards (L)1,974(28%)
Boyd (R)5,165*(72%)
District 81
Coleman (R)1,107(59%)
McGaughey (D)762(41%)
*Incumbent
Latest results available at nwadg.com/vote.
Arkansas House
District 81
Coleman, (R)
McGaughey (D)
District 85
*Whitaker (D)
Gonzales (R)
District 89
Williams (R)
Camacho (D)
District 94
*Petty (R)
Graham (D)
District 95
McCollum (R)
Brand (L)
District 96
*Hodges (R)
Kalagias (L)
*Incumbent
Latest results available at nwadg.com/vote.
or
These are unofficial, final results from the Benton and Washington County election commissions.
In the contest for the open seat in District 69 in Johnson County, though, Democratic nominee George Overbey of Lamar trailed Republican Aaron Pilkington of Clarksville. The winner will replace Rep. Betty Overbey, D-Lamar -- George Overbey's wife.
Republican Jeff Williams led in his state House race against Democratic rival Irvin Camacho in Springdale's District 89. The district has a large minority of Hispanic and Marshallese voters. Camacho is a bilingual community activist who hoped for both English-speaking and non-English speaking support. Williams is a former Washington County assessor and Springdale City Council member who has lived in the district for years.
Democrats hoped to pick up the district's seat after incumbent Republican Rep. Micah Neal, R-Springdale, decided against running for re-election. Camacho, the son of Mexican immigrants, hoped Latino voters would come to the polls enough to help elect him, but emphasized throughout his campaign that he hoped to unite the community by representing all groups and not divide it. Williams also struck a harmonious note, telling the district's voters he would be a more effective representative for all constituents, given his years of experience in government.
On the other side of the region's partisan boundaries, incumbent Rep. David Whitaker, D-Fayetteville, was holding off a re-election challenge by Republican newcomer Dwight Gonzales. The Republican Legislative Caucus recruited Gonzales in an attempt to expand the Republican House majority. Whitaker is a member of the Democrat's legislative leadership team as Minority Whip, the official in charge of convincing any wavering Democrats to support party positions with their votes. Whitaker won a third term in House District 85.
Democrats hoped to pick up a seat in House District 81 after Rep. Justin Harris, R-West Fork, announced he would not seek re-election. Long-time GOP party loyalist Bruce Coleman of Mountainburg defeated Democrat Susan McGaughey of West Fork. The race was McGaughey's political debut. Coleman previously served on the Mountainburg School Board and was a Crawford County election commissioner before resigning to enter this race. The district straddles the Washington-Crawford county line.
In a rematch, Rep. Rebecca Petty, R-Rogers, was leading Democratic challenger Grimsley Graham in her re-election bid. Petty defeated Graham in 2014 for the District 94 House seat, but the Democrat hoped the higher turnout of a presidential election year would change that result. He also criticized Petty's record, saying she was more concerned with social issues than practical state concerns. Petty replied that the district was conservative and any true representative would reflect that.
Two other races had no major party challenges. Rep. Grant Hodges, R-Rogers, was winning a rematch. Hodges was leading Libertarian Michael J. Kalagias of Garfield in the House District 96 race. Hodges won his first term in his political debut, defeating both Kalagias and a Democrat in 2014. Kalagias had expressed hope that the narrowing of the field would help his chances. The 2014 race was the heavily Republican district's first general election contest since 2002.
Republican and political newcomer Austin McCollum of Bentonville was leading Libertarian Grant Brand of Pea Ridge in the House District 95 race. McCollum won his party's nomination by defeating two-term incumbent Rep. Sue Scott, R-Rogers, in the March 1 primary. Brand unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. Steve Womack of Rogers for Arkansas' 3rd Congressional District seat in 2014. Womack is also Republican.
NW News on 11/09/2016