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Greenwood Republican Stacie Smith is seeking election to the vacant Senate District 26 seat formerly held by the late Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, Smith announced on Thursday. Meanwhile, Democratic candidates recently announced their bids for three state House seats. They are Jacksonville Democrat Andrew Eberly, who is seeking to oust state Rep. Karilyn Brown, R-Sherwood, in House District 67 for the second consecutive election; Fayetteville Democrat Jamie Atkinson, who is seeking to beat state Rep. Steve Unger, R-Springdale, in House District 19; and Rogers Democrat Dan Holtmeyer, who wants to defeat state Rep. John Carr, R-Rogers, in House District 15. The party filing period in Arkansas will begin on Monday and end Nov. 11. The regular primary election for the 2026 general election will be March 3, while the regular general election is Nov. 3, according to the secretary of state's office. Smith, 56, is currently the community affairs coordinator for Arkansas Oklahoma Gas (AOG), a subsidiary of Summit Utilities, Inc.. She formerly worked for 18 years in government relations at Golden Living, where she said she advocated for eldercare issues and was a champion for improving the lives of the most vulnerable citizens. She is the fifth Republican candidate to announce plans to run in the special election for the vacant Senate District 26 seat. One of the announced candidates later decided not to run in the special election. Former state Rep. Mark Berry of Ozark, businessmen Brad Simon and Ted Tritt, both of Paris, and retired teacher Brenda Brewer of Booneville have announced their intention to run for the Senate seat. But Brewer confirmed last week that she won't run in the special election because she concluded she is ineligible to seek the seat in the special election as a Logan County justice of the peace. Senate District 26 includes parts of Franklin, Johnson, Logan and Sebastian counties. Smith said Thursday in a news release that Stubblefield leaves behind a legacy of strong, principled leadership. "Moving forward, we need a Senator who honors that legacy and brings the skills necessary to tackle today's complex issues," she said. "As a Government and Community Relations leader with a strong background in both Economic Development and Civic Engagement, I will effectively serve our district and ensure our voices are heard in Little Rock." Smith said she is running for the state Senate because, as a 30-year resident of Sebastian County, "I find it unacceptable that our community may go unrepresented during the fiscal session. "Furthermore, I am against the proposed prison at Mill Creek Mountain," she said, in part, in her news release. "As your Senator, I would not support it, nor would I vote to fund it." House and Senate officials said an appropriation for a prison in the fiscal session still will require 27 votes for approval in the Senate and 75 votes for approval in the House, if the Senate District 26 and House District 70 seats are vacant in the fiscal session. The House District 70 seat is vacant after Carlton Wing, R-North Little Rock, resigned to become executive director of Arkansas PBS. On Sept. 26, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced her decision to change the date for the special election to June 9, 2026, after the Republican governor drew some criticism from some Republicans and Democratic leaders for initially setting the special election for Nov. 3, 2026, earlier in the day. She said the special primary election will be held March 3 and the special primary runoff election will be held March 31, in conjunction with the regular primary and runoff elections. In a ruling on a lawsuit filed by Colt Shelby of Cecil in Franklin County seeking the scheduling of the special election prior to the start of the fiscal session on April 8, Pulaski County Circuit Judge Patti James ruled last week that the special election for Senate District 26 shall be set as soon as practicable after the 150th day following the occurrence of the vacancy in accordance with Arkansas Code Annotated 7-7-105, to ensure the date for the special election for Senate District 26 will not infringe or curtail the constitutional and fundamental rights of the citizens of the Senate district. "To allow the special election to take place after the conclusion of a legislative session would indeed result in an infringement of a constitutional right based on the fundamental democratic principle of 'no taxation without representation,'" James wrote. Attorney General Tim Griffin has appealed James' ruling to the state Supreme Court. ARKANSAS HOUSE DISTRICT 67 Eberly, an Army veteran and cybersecurity professional, announced this week that he is seeking the Democratic nomination in Arkansas House District 67. Brown has served in the state House of Representatives since 2015. Eberly, who lost to Brown in the 2024 election, is the first announced challenger for the House seat in the 2026 election. "I have served my country in uniform, and now I want to serve my neighbors in the legislature," Eberly said in a news release. "Families in Sherwood and Jacksonville deserve a representative who understands the challenges they face, from rising costs to underfunded schools, and who will always put duty to the people ahead of politics or party." He said his campaign will focus on making Arkansas more affordable for everyday families, protecting public schools, and ensuring that government works transparently and responsibly. "Public service is in my blood," Eberly said. "My family has served this country for generations, from World War II to Iraq to today. I am running because I believe it is my turn to step up and continue that tradition of service here at home." The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette left a voicemail with a number associated with Brown and did not immediately hear back. ARKANSAS HOUSE DISTRICT 19 Atkinson, a business owner, announced this week that he is seeking the Democratic nomination in Arkansas House District 19. Atkinson, 53, is the first announced challenger for the seat, which Unger has held since 2023. District 19 includes part of Washington County. "While I appreciate Rep. Unger's public service, he has been ineffective for a district this important," Atkinson said in a news release . "Unfortunately, Rep. Unger is just a rubber stamp for the MAGA Republican agenda, whether it is good for NWA or not." Unger in a telephone interview Thursday denounced both of Atkins claims, pointing to his voting records as well as the bills he has sponsored and passed. "I'm not a rubber stamp for anybody," he said. "I voted against several things that (were) not going the way the party was going because I think for myself." Among Atkinson's priorities, according to his campaign website, are affordability, keeping communities safe by "investing in people and infrastructure, not just prisons" and "investing in mental health care, substance abuse treatment, and commonsense healthcare access." Unger on Tuesday said he would represent the people of District 19 with a "thoughtful, conservative point of view," adding that he's "deeply invested in law enforcement." ARKANSAS HOUSE DISTRICT 15 Holtmeyer recently announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in Arkansas House District 15. He is a writer, photographer and native plant nursery owner, according to a news release. He previously worked as a reporter for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and then as a recycling program manager at the Northwest Arkansas Council. "Life under Republican rule is just plain harder and more expensive," Holtmeyer said in a news release. "I'm running to stand up for the people, places and principles that I care about and to make life in Rogers better instead of worse." He in his news release criticized state Republicans for "firing librarians, pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into private schools and a secretive prison, and making all of us, immigrant and otherwise, less safe," and Carr for "rubber-stamping all of his party's bad ideas." Carr, who is currently serving his third term, said in a written statement he's spent his time in the Legislature focusing on issues important to Rogers residents, including cutting taxes on groceries, used cars and income taxes. "As your State Representative and resident of Arkansas House District 15 for more than 20 years, I focus on real results for all the residents of our district, not divisive politics that hurts our community," Carr said.
