LITTLE ROCK – Roughly a year after Republicans completed their sweep of statewide offices in Arkansas, the 2016 campaign begins officially in the state Monday with the start of the one-week filing period for candidates.
With an earlier primary that’s drawn several White House hopefuls to Arkansas, Republicans hope to highlight their newfound role as the majority party in what was once a Democratic stronghold in the South. Democrats, meanwhile, are trying to rebound from their losses and are focusing on several key state legislative races.
Hundreds of candidates for state, federal and non-partisan judicial offices are expected to make their candidacies official at the state Capitol. Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, plans to file his paperwork in person on Monday, a spokeswoman said.
Much of the focus over filing period for Republicans will be on the presidential race, with state GOP leaders touting Arkansas’ role in the crowded White House race.
“It’s been … years since we’ve had this much impact,” said state Republican Party Chairman Doyle Webb, citing the 1980 campaign that ended with Ronald Reagan’s nomination and eventual election.
Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson in May signed into law legislation moving the state’s primary next year from May to March, part of an effort to create a regional nominating contest supporters have dubbed the “SEC primary,” after the Southeastern Conference. The contest so far has drawn several GOP hopefuls to the state besides Huckabee – retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, billionaire Donald Trump and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina visiting Arkansas in recent months.
Webb said the party’s goal next year is to maintain its majority in the Legislature, which it’s held since 2012. Republicans hold 64 of the seats in the 100-member House and 24 in the 35-member Senate.
The filing period could also highlight the GOP’s growing pains, with several contested legislative primaries expected to focus on the future of the state’s hybrid Medicaid expansion. The GOP-led Legislature kept the expansion alive another year at Hutchinson’s behest and a legislative task force is working on recommendations about its future.
Democrats are hoping to rebuild after last November’s election, when Republicans swept statewide and congressional offices while expanding their majorities in the Legislature. Party Chairman Vince Insalaco says Democrats hope to keep seats in the state Legislature and possibly pick up more, but adds that rebounding after those losses will take time.
“What happened in Arkansas didn’t happen in one cycle. It took three cycles to get us there,” Insalaco said. “I suspect it’s going to take us three or four cycles to get us out of it.”
Democrats are also mounting an uphill challenge to Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman, with former federal prosecutor Conner Eldridge making his candidacy to unseat the incumbent official this week.
Former Little Rock School Board member Dianne Curry has announced a challenge to Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill in central Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District. So far, no other Democrats have announced bids for the state’s other three Republican-held U.S. House seats.
Two races for the state Supreme Court also highlight the filing period. Justice Courtney Goodson so far doesn’t face any opposition in her bid to become chief justice, and neither does Circuit Judge Shawn Womack in his campaign for a state Supreme Court post.
Constitutional offices such as governor and lieutenant governor will next be on the ballot in 2018.
(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Sign up for Daily E-news
