BENTONVILLE -- Kendon Underwood of Cave Springs succeeded in his second attempt to unseat Rep. Jana Della Rosa, R-Rogers, final but unofficial vote totals show.
Meanwhile, Scott Richardson fell short in his second attempt to become the Republican nominee in another runoff race in Benton County, one between him and first-time candidate Delia Haak of near Gentry.
Complete but unofficial vote totals in the District 90 state House runoff were:
Underwood 1,006 (55%)
Della Rosa 823 (45%)
"The people I have to thank, obviously, are my supporters who came out despite everything," Underwood said, referring to both a runoff election and to the covid-19 outbreak that has closed schools and many businesses while medical experts advise people to stay in their homes.
Complete but unofficial totals in the District 91 state House runoff were:
Haak 577 (54%)
Richardson 491 (46%)
Della Rosa and Underwood, a private attorney, emerged from the March 3 Republican primary as the contenders in a runoff. Underwood came within three votes of unseating Della Rosa in the 2018 primary for District 90.
Richardson also ran that year in the District 91 race, coming within 12 votes of incumbent Rep. Dan Douglas, D-Bentonville. Douglas didn't seek reelection in 2020.
"It has been a tremendous joy to serve the residents of District 90 over the past 5 years in the Arkansas Legislature," Della Rosa said. "You believed in me and I was happy to be your voice in Little Rock as we saw our great state become an example of conservatism to others across this country."
Two of Arkansas' three runoffs for state House seats were in Benton County.
The coronavirus outbreak prompted the candidates to use social media and direct mail rather than campaign door-to-door, they said earlier this month.
Early voting started March 24. Despite a shutdown of county buildings because of the covid-19 pandemic, the Benton County Clerk's main office in Bentonville and satellite offices in Rogers and Siloam Springs remained open to allow early voting. The turnout for early voting was higher than expected, County Clerk Betsy Harrell said.
About 1,130 voters requested absentee ballots, Harrell said last week. Normally, a partisan runoff like the two this year might get 100 such requests, she said.
Underwood was endorsed by Chris Latimer, the third candidate in the primary for District 90. Haak was endorsed by Jorge Becker, the third candidate in the race for District 91. Also, 3rd District Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., supported Haak in the race, his office confirmed. Both Latimer and Becker, first-time candidates, failed to make the runoff.
State law requires a runoff between the two leading candidates in a primary election where no one candidate gets a majority of the vote.
Democrat Kelly Ross Krout also is running for District 90 and will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. Nick Jones is the Democrat running in District 91.
Della Rosa led Underwood by 298 votes in the March 3 primary, 43% to 36%. Latimer drew 21% of the vote. Final vote totals in the primary were Della Rosa, 1,645; Underwood, 1,347; and Latimer 793.
In District 91, Richardson drew 44% of the vote. Final totals were Richardson, 1,535; Haak, 1,154; and Becker with 765.
District 90 extends from New Hope Road in Rogers on the north to Bethel Heights in the south. It runs from Old Wire Road on the east through Springdale and Elm Springs to the west, reaching the city limit of Highfill.
District 91 stretches from the western tip of Rogers to the Oklahoma border. It includes Gentry along with almost all of Highfill and Centerton, plus much of Cave Springs and parts of Bentonville.
State House members serve two-year terms and have an annual salary of $41,393.
NW News on 04/01/2020