Arkansas State Senate elections, 2010
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Elections for the Arkansas State Senate were held on November 2, 2010. State senate seats in 17 of the 35 districts were on the ballot in 2010. The 17 districts where electoral contests took place in 2010 were: 5, 6, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 34, and 35.
The signature filing deadline was March 8, 2010, and the primary election was May 18, 2010.
The incumbent senator ran for re-election for 4 of the 17 state senate seats up for election. In the other 13 seats, the incumbent could not run because of the state's term limits.
As a result of the election, Democrats lost seven seats and Republicans gained seven seats. Democrats retained a majority.
- See also: Arkansas State Senate and State legislative elections, 2010
November 2 General Election Results
The following candidates won election on November 2, 2010:
- Bill Sample
- Bruce Holland
- David Burnett
- Eddie Joe Williams
- Jack Crumbly
- Jake Files
- Jason Rapert
- Jeremy Hutchinson
- Jonathan Dismang
- Linda Chesterfield
- Mike Fletcher
- Missy Irvin
- Paul Bookout
- Robert Thompson, Arkansas Senator
- Stephanie Flowers (Arkansas)
- Steve Harrelson
- David Johnson (Arkansas)
- Bill Pritchard (Arkansas)
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Heading into the November 2 election, the Democratic Party held the majority in the Arkansas State Senate:
| Arkansas State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 1, 2010 | After the 2010 Election | |
| Democratic Party | 27 | 20 | |
| Republican Party | 8 | 15 | |
| Total | 35 | 35 | |
Campaign contributions
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.[1]
| 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:[2]
| 2010 Donors, Arkansas State Senate | |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Impact of term limits
After serving two four-year terms, a senator is ineligible for re-election in Arkansas. Thirteen incumbent state senators in Arkansas, in the 17 seats up for election, were ineligible to run for re-election in 2010 because of term limits. This included twelve incumbent Democrats and one incumbent Republican.
The following 13 senators were ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits:
Democrats (12):
- Hank Wilkins
- Ed Wilkinson
- Steve Bryles
- Bob Johnson (Arkansas)
- Terry Smith (Arkansas)
- Bobby Glover
- Barbara Horn
- Michael Broadway
- Steve Faris
- John Paul Capps
- Tracy Steele
- Paul Miller, Arkansas
Republicans (1):
Incumbency
Unopposed incumbents
The following three incumbents (75%) ran unopposed in the November 2 general election:
- District 11: Incumbent Democrat Robert Thompson
- District 14: Incumbent Democrat Paul Bookout
- District 35: Incumbent Republican Bill Pritchard
Primary challenges
One incumbent faced competition in the May 18 primary. Jack Crumbly won his primary and ran unopposed in the general election.
Retiring incumbents
All incumbents that were eligible to run for re-election to the Arkansas State Senate did so in 2010. The 13 incumbents that did not run were all ineligible because of term limits.
Qualifications
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| Parties with candidates |
| Impact of term limits |
| Successful challengers |
| Defeated incumbents |
| State house elections |
| State senate elections |
| State legislative elections |
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 5
May 18 Democratic primary result:
- David Rainey 3,746
- Stephanie Flowers 4,798
May 18 GOP primary result:
- No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.
November 2 General election candidates:
Note: Incumbent Democrat Hank Wilkins did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 6
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- May 18 GOP primary result:
November 2 General election candidates:
- John Wells 9,602
- Bruce Holland 14,838
Note: Incumbent Democrat Ed Wilkinson did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 10
| Partisan dominance in state senates heading into the 2010 state legislative elections |
 |
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- Paul White 1,290
- Missy Thomas Irvin 1,381
November 2 General election candidates:
- Curren Everett 10,204
- Missy Thomas Irvin 14,865
Note: Incumbent Democrat Paul Miller did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 11
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- Robert Thompson Incumbent Thompson was first elected in 2006.
- Robert Thompson
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.
November 2 General election candidates:
District 13
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- No Democrat candidates filed to run for this seat.
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- Jake C. Files 2,555 Primary Runoff: 2,463
- Jim Medley 1,470
- Frank Glidewell 2,392 Primary Runoff: 1,822
- Jake C. Files 2,555 Primary Runoff: 2,463
November 2 General election candidates:
Note: Incumbent Republican Denny Altes did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 14
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- Paul Bookout Incumbent Bookout was first elected in 2006.
- Paul Bookout
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.
November 2 General election candidates:
District 15
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- David Burnett 5,742
- David Burnett 5,742
- Barrett E. Harrison 3,121
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.
November 2 General election candidates:
Note: Incumbent Democrat Steve Bryles did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 16
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- Alvin L. Simes 3,784
- Jack Crumbly 7,228 Incumbent Crumbly was first elected in 2006.
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.
November 2 General election candidates:
District 18
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- May 18 GOP primary result:
Green Party candidate:
November 2 General election candidates:
- Johnny Hoyt 11,603
- Jason Rapert 15,418
- Gregory D. Slocum 1,062
Note: Incumbent Democrat Bob Johnson did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 19
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- Gene Shelby 5,372
- Q. Byrum Hurst 4,630
- Gene Shelby 5,372
- May 18 GOP primary result:
November 2 General election candidates:
- Gene Shelby 10,550
- Bill Sample 14,071
Note: Incumbent Democrat Terry Smith did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 21
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- Steve Harrelson 6,396
- Ken Cowling 5,592
- Steve Harrelson 6,396
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.
November 2 General election candidates:
Note: Incumbent Democrat Barbara Horn did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 22
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- Todd Witham 2,515
- Dawn Creekmore 7,007
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- Jeremy Hutchinson 5,333
- Daniel Greenberg 3,893
- Jeremy Hutchinson 5,333
November 2 General election candidates:
- Dawn Creekmore 14,551
- Jeremy Hutchinson 21,331
Note: Incumbent Democrat Michael Broadway did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 27
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- Mike Fletcher 6,212
- Jack McCoy 5,257
- Mike Fletcher 6,212
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.
November 2 General election candidates:
Note: Incumbent Democrat Steve Faris did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 28
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- May 18 GOP primary result:
November 2 General election candidates:
- Lenville Evans 8,072
- Eddie Joe Williams 14,328
Note: Incumbent Democrat Bobby Glover did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 29
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- May 18 GOP primary result:
November 2 General election candidates:
- Sandra Prater 7,625
- Jonathan Dismang 12,424
Note: Incumbent Democrat John Paul Capps did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 34
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- Jay Barth 2,769
- Linda Pondexter Chesterfield 4,588
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.
November 2 General election candidates:
Note: Incumbent Democrat Tracy Steele did not run for re-election because of the state's term limits.
District 35
- May 18 Democratic primary result:
- No Democrat candidates filed to run for this seat.
- May 18 GOP primary result:
- Bill Pritchard Incumbent Pritchard was first elected in 2006.
- Bill Pritchard
November 2 General election candidates:
See also
- Arkansas State Senate
- Arkansas State Legislature
- State legislative elections, 2010
- Primary election dates in 2010
External links
- Arkansas 2010 Election candidates
- Offices on the ballot in 2010
- Primary results
- District 13 primary runoff results
- Arkansas Democratic Party's list of state senate candidates
- Arkansas Republican Party's list of state senate candidates
- Project Vote Smart list of candidates for Arkansas State Senate in the November 2, 2010 election
- General election results
Footnotes
