Arkansas State Senate elections, 2012

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Arkansas State Senate elections, 2012

Majority control • Campaign contributions

Qualifications • Term limits • Impact of Redistricting

State Legislative Election Results

List of candidates District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22• District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35

Arkansas State Senate • 2012 Arkansas House Elections

State legislative elections in 2012

Elections for the office of Arkansas State Senate were held in Arkansas on November 6, 2012. A total of 35 seats were up for election.

The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was March 1, 2012. The primary Election Day was May 22, 2012.

Although Arkansas senators typically serve four-year terms, they are elected to a two-year term during the first election of the decade. Thus, rather than only half of all senators being up for election, all sitting members were on the ballot in November.

See also: Arkansas House of Representatives elections, 2012 and State legislative elections, 2012

Majority control

See also: Partisan composition of state senates

Heading into the November 6 election, the Democratic Party held the majority in the Arkansas State Senate:

Arkansas State Senate
Party		As of November 5, 2012	After the 2012 Election
	Democratic Party	20	14
	Republican Party	15	21
Total		35	35

Incumbents retiring

Name	Party	Current office
Gene Jeffress	Democratic	Senate District 25
Gilbert Baker	Republican	Senate District 30
James Luker	Democratic	Senate District 17
Jerry Taylor	Democratic	Senate District 23
Jimmy Jeffress	Democratic	Senate District 24
Kim Hendren	Republican	Senate District 9
Mary Salmon	Democratic	Senate District 31
Percy Malone	Democratic	Senate District 26
Randy Laverty	Democratic	Senate District 2
Ruth Whitaker	Republican	Senate District 3
Sue Madison	Democratic	Senate District 7

Term limits

See also State legislatures with term limits, and Impact of term limits on state senate elections in 2012

The Arkansas State Senate has been a term-limited state senate since Arkansas voters approved the Arkansas Term Limits Initiative in 1992 as an initiated constitutional amendment.

There are 35 Arkansas State Senators, all of whom were up for re-election in November. In 2012, 10 of them who were current members, or 28.6% of the total senate seats, (7 Democratic state senators and 3 Republican state senators) were ineligible to run for the senate again in November.

In addition to the 10 state senators who left office because of Arkansas' term limits, 23 state representatives were also termed-out.

Democrats (7):

• Gene Jeffress
• James Luker
• Jimmy Jeffress
• Mary Salmon
• Percy Malone
• Randy Laverty
• Sue Madison

Republicans (3):

• Gilbert Baker
• Kim Hendren
• Ruth Whitaker

Impact of redistricting

Redistricting maps proposed by Governor Mike Beebe were approved 2-1 in August 2011. Democrats Beebe and Attorney General Dustin McDaniel voted for approval while Republican Secretary of State Mark Martin voted against. The new maps did not place any incumbent senators in the same district and maintained the number of majority-minority districts at four. In a challenge in federal court, plaintiffs argued that the newly created District 24, which included all of Crittenden County and parts of Cross, Lee, Phillips, and St. Francis Counties, violated the Voting Rights Act and Equal Protection Clause of the 14th and 15th Amendments. The district was created due to population shifts that necessitated border changes for District 16. The court ruled that the plaintiffs "failed to meet their burden of proving a violation" and the maps were upheld.

Campaign contributions

See also: State-by-state comparison of donations to state senate campaigns

This chart shows how many candidates ran for state senate in Arkansas in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in state senate races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests. All figures come from Follow The Money.

Year	Number of candidates	Total contributions
2010	38	$3,771,126
2008	23	$2,251,735
2006	27	$1,546,556
2004	26	$1,250,204
2002	64	$2,693,862

In 2010, candidates running for senate raised a total of $3,771,126 in campaign funds. Their top 10 contributors were:

Donor	Amount
Greenberg, Daniel	$185,638
Cowling, Ken	$133,512
Arkansas Healthcare Association	$113,000
Medley, Jim	$55,800
Stephens Group	$51,250
Arkansas State Farm Insurance	$39,500
Arkansas Realtors Association	$38,500
Harrison, Barrett E	$34,500
Morton, Michael S	$29,000
Harrelson, Steve	$28,500

Qualifications

Article 5, Section 4 of the Arkansas Constitution states: No person shall be a Senator or Representative who, at the time of his election, is not a citizen of the United States, nor any one who has not been for two years next preceding his election, a resident of this State, and for one year next preceding his election, a resident of the county or district whence he may be chosen. Senators shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and Representatives at least twenty-one years of age.

List of candidates

District 1

Incumbent Republican Johnny Key won re-election in District 17.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Bart Hester: 4,506 a
• Tim Summers: 3,869

November 6 General election candidates:

• Bart Hester

District 2

Incumbent Democrat Randy Laverty was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Jim Hendren a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Jim Hendren

District 3

Incumbent Republican Ruth Whitaker was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Cecile Bledsoe a - Incumbent Bledsoe first assumed office in 2009.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Cecile Bledsoe

District 4

Incumbent Republican Michael Lamoureux won re-election in District 16.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Uvalde Lindsey a

May 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Uvalde Lindsey

District 5

Incumbent Democrat Stephanie Flowers won re-election in District 25.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Bill Coleman: 3,492
• Bryan King: 3,527 a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Bryan King

District 6

Incumbent Republican Bruce Holland won re-election in District 9.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• John Wells a

May 22 GOP primary:

• Gary Stubblefield a

November 6 General election candidates:

• John Wells: 11,424
• Gary Stubblefield: 14,168

District 7

Incumbent Democrat Sue Madison was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Diana Gonzales Worthen a

May 22 GOP primary:

• Bill Pritchard: 2,613 - Incumbent Pritchard first assumed office in 2007.
• Jon Woods: 2,784 a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Diana Gonzales Worthen: 8,221
• Jon Woods: 15,110

District 8

Incumbent Republican Cecile Bledsoe won re-election in District 3.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Jake C. Files a - Incumbent Files first assumed office in 2011.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Jake C. Files

District 9

Incumbent Republican Kim Hendren was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Tracy Pennartz a

May 22 GOP primary:

• Rick Green: 2,201
• Bruce Holland: 2,438 a- Incumbent Holland first assumed office in 2011.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Tracy Pennartz: 10,472
• Bruce Holland: 13,414

District 10

Incumbent Republican Missy Thomas Irvin won re-election in District 18.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Larry Teague a - Incumbent Teague first assumed office in 2009.

May 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Larry Teague

District 11

Incumbent Democrat Robert Thompson won re-election in District 20.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Larry Cowling: 2,996
• Steve Harrelson: 3,613 a - Incumbent Harrelson first assumed office in 2011.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Jimmy Hickey, Jr. a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Steve Harrelson: 13,148
• Jimmy Hickey, Jr.: 14,510

District 12

Incumbent Democrat David Wyatt won re-election in District 19.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Bruce Maloch a

May 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Bruce Maloch

District 13

Incumbent Republican Jake C. Files won re-election in District 8.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Mike Fletcher a - Incumbent Fletcher first assumed office in 2011.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Alan Clark a

May 22 Libertarian primary:

• Frank Gilbert a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Mike Fletcher: 13,288
• Alan Clark: 15,768
• Frank Gilbert: 1,013

District 14

Incumbent Democrat Paul Bookout won re-election in District 21.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Bill Sample a - Incumbent Sample first assumed office in 2011.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Bill Sample

District 15

Incumbent Democrat David Burnett won re-election in District 22.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Johnny Hoyt a

May 22 GOP primary:

• Ed Garner: 2,196
• David J. Sanders: 2,413 a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Johnny Hoyt: 14,700
• David J. Sanders: 17,759

District 16

Incumbent Democrat Jack Crumbly ran for re-election in District 24.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Michael Lamoureux a - Incumbent Lamoureux first assumed office in 2009.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Michael Lamoureux

District 17

Incumbent Democrat James Luker was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Johnny Key a - Incumbent Key first assumed office in 2009.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Johnny Key

District 18

Incumbent Republican Jason Rapert won re-election in District 35.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• William White a

May 22 GOP primary:

• Missy Thomas Irvin a - Incumbent Irvin first assumed office in 2011.

May 22 Independent primary:

• Paul White a

November 6 General election candidates:

• William White: 15,442
• Missy Thomas Irvin: 22,290
• Paul White: 3,540

District 19

Incumbent Republican Bill Sample won re-election in District 14.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• David Wyatt a Incumbent Wyatt first assumed office in 2009.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Linda Collins-Smith a

November 6 General election candidates:

• David Wyatt: 15,442
• Linda Collins-Smith: 14,716

District 20

Incumbent Democrat Larry Teague won re-election in District 10.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Robert Thompson a - Incumbent Thompson first assumed office in 2007..

May 22 GOP primary:

• Blake Johnson a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Robert Thompson: 13,616
• Blake Johnson: 13,169

District 21

Incumbent Democrat Steve Harrelson ran for re-election in District 11.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Paul Bookout a - Incumbent Bookout first assumed office in 2007.

May 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Paul Bookout

District 22

Incumbent Republican Jeremy Hutchinson won re-election in District 33.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• David Burnett a - Incumbent Burnett first assumed office in 2011.

May 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

• David Burnett

District 23

Incumbent Democrat Jerry Taylor did not seek re-election in 2012.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Jerry Brown a

May 22 GOP primary:

• Tommy Caubble a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Jerry Brown: 12,214
• Ronald Caldwell: 13,798

Note: Tommy Caubble passed away in early July. The Republican Party chose Caldwell to run in his place.

District 24

Incumbent Democrat Jimmy Jeffress was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Jack Crumbly: 3,986 - Incumbent Crumbly first assumed office in 2007.
• Keith Ingram: 6,119 a

May 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Keith Ingram

District 25

Incumbent Democrat Gene Jeffress was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits. He ran for U.S. House in Arkansas District 4.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Efrem Elliott: 3,345
• Stephanie Flowers: 4,718 a - Incumbent Flowers was first assumed office in 2011.

May 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed.

Libertarian candidate:

• David Dinwiddie a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Stephanie Flowers: 19,955
• David Dinwiddie: 4,138

District 26

Incumbent Democrat Percy Malone was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Johnnie Bolin: 3,245
• Eddie Cheatham: 4,157 a
• Gregg Reep: 4,058 a

June 12 Democratic primary runoff:

• Eddie Cheatham a
• Gregg Reep

May 22 GOP primary:

• Mike Akin a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Eddie Cheatham: 14,479
• Mike Akin: 14,124

District 27

Incumbent Democrat Mike Fletcher ran for re-election in District 13.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Bobby Pierce: 3,648 a
• Garry Smith: 3,350

May 22 GOP primary:

• Henry Frisby, II a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Bobby Pierce: 15,805
• Henry Frisby, II: 15,506

District 28

Incumbent Republican Eddie Joe Williams won re-election in District 29.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Tiffany Rogers a

May 22 GOP primary:

• Jonathan Dismang a - Incumbent Dismang first assumed office in 2011.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Tiffany Rogers: 13,096
• Jonathan Dismang: 15,724

District 29

Incumbent Republican Jonathan Dismang won re-election in District 28.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Eddie Joe Williams a - Incumbent Williams first assumed office in 2011.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Eddie Joe Williams

District 30

Incumbent Republican Gilbert Baker was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Linda Pondexter Chesterfield a - Incumbent Chesterfield first assumed office in 2011.

May 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Linda Pondexter Chesterfield

District 31

Incumbent Democrat Mary Salmon was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Joyce Elliott: 3,963 a - Incumbent Elliott first assumed office in 2009.
• Fred Allen: 2,362

May 22 GOP primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 Libertarian primary:

• Glen Schwarz a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Joyce Elliott: 24,407
• Glen Schwarz: 3,917

District 32

May 22 Democratic primary:

• David Johnson a - Incumbent Johnson first assumed office in 2009.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Jim Sorvillo a

November 6 General election candidates:

• David Johnson: 22,183
• Jim Sorvillo: 16,875

District 33

Incumbent Democrat Joyce Elliott won re-election in District 31.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

May 22 GOP primary:

• Jeremy Hutchinson a - Incumbent Hutchinson first assumed office in 2011.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Jeremy Hutchinson

District 34

Incumbent Democrat Linda Pondexter Chesterfield won re-election in District 30.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Barry Hyde a

May 22 GOP primary:

• Jane English a

November 6 General election candidates:

• Barry Hyde: 17,932
• Jane English: 18,220

District 35

Incumbent Republican Bill Pritchard ran for re-election in District 7.

May 22 Democratic primary:

• Linda Tyler a

May 22 GOP primary:

• Jason Rapert a - Incumbent Rapert first assumed office in 2011.

November 6 General election candidates:

• Linda Tyler: 13,458
• Jason Rapert: 15,973

See also

• Arkansas State Senate
• Arkansas State Legislature
• State legislative elections, 2012

External links

• Election List
• Arkansas Secretary of State - Official 2012 Primary Results
• Arkansas Secretary of State - 2012 General Election Candidates
• Arkansas Secretary of State - Official 2012 General Election Results

Footnotes

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Current members of the Arkansas State Senate

Leadership

Majority Leader:Blake Johnson

Minority Leader:Greg Leding

Senators

District 1

Ben Gilmore (R)

District 2

Matt Stone (R)

District 3

Steve Crowell (R)

District 4

Jimmy Hickey (R)

District 5

Terry Rice (R)

District 6

Matt McKee (R)

District 7

Alan Clark (R)

District 8

Stephanie Flowers (D)

District 9

Reginald Murdock (D)

District 10

Ronald Caldwell (R)

District 11

Ricky Hill (R)

District 12

Jamie Scott (D)

District 13

Jane English (R)

District 14

Clarke Tucker (D)

District 15

Fredrick Love (D)

District 16

Kim Hammer (R)

District 17

Mark Johnson (R)

District 18

Jonathan Dismang (R)

District 19

Dave Wallace (R)

District 20

Dan Sullivan (R)

District 21

Blake Johnson (R)

District 22

John Payton (R)

District 23

Scott Flippo (R)

District 24

Missy Irvin (R)

District 25

Breanne Davis (R)

District 26

Vacant

District 27

Justin Boyd (R)

District 28

Bryan King (R)

District 29

Jim Petty (R)

District 30

Greg Leding (D)

District 31

Clint Penzo (R)

District 32

Joshua Bryant (R)

District 33

Bart Hester (R)

District 34

Jim Dotson (R)

District 35

Tyler Dees (R)

Republican Party (28)

Democratic Party (6)

Vacancies (1)