Little Rock, Arkansas – Tuesday’s special primary elections in Arkansas delivered a decisive result in one race and set the stage for a runoff in another, with all precincts reporting by the Arkansas Secretary of State. In North Little Rock’s District 70, voters selected a clear Democratic nominee to take on the Republican candidate in the upcoming March 3 general primary, while Senate District 26 will move to a February 3 runoff between the top two Republican contenders.
In District 70, Alex Holladay secured the Democratic nomination with a commanding 79.3% of the vote, defeating first-time candidate Cordelia Smith-Johnson, who garnered 20.37%. The vote total for the race was 805, reflecting the competitive but local nature of this special election. Holladay will face Republican Bo Renshaw on March 3 for the House seat, which became vacant after former Republican Representative Carlton Wing resigned to accept a leadership position at Arkansas PBS, now known as Arkansas TV.
Holladay is no stranger to this district. In the 2024 general election, he narrowly lost to Wing by just 286 votes, finishing with 7,255 votes to Wing’s 7,541, a 51% to 49% margin. That race saw no primary challengers for either candidate. Smith-Johnson’s entry marks her first campaign as a candidate, and she now faces the same general election matchup in March, where Holladay hopes to convert his primary momentum into a general election victory.
Meanwhile, in Senate District 26, the special Republican primary followed the death of Senator Gary Stubblefield in September 2025. The five-candidate race did not produce a majority winner, triggering a runoff on February 3 between retired Greenwood businessman Wade Dunn, who received 37.38% of the vote, and Paris businessman Brad Simon, who earned 30.93% of the 6,129 votes cast.
The remaining three candidates split the rest of the vote. Former State Representative Marion Berry captured 13.61%, while Stacie Smith of Greenwood and Ted Tritt of Paris received 9.32% and 8.76%, respectively. The winner of the February runoff will advance to face independent Adam Watson in the March 3 general election. No Democrats filed to run in District 26, leaving the race between the Republican nominee and the independent candidate.
District 26 spans parts of Sebastian, Logan, Johnson, and Franklin counties. A controversial state prison project proposed for Franklin County has become a topic of discussion during the campaign. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has backed the project, while the late Stubblefield had been a vocal critic. All candidates in the special Republican primary have expressed opposition to the prison plan, citing concerns over cost, lack of transparency in site selection, and the potential for alternative solutions.
Election officials confirmed that precinct reporting was completed in full, providing voters and candidates with a clear understanding of the results. Analysts say the District 70 outcome reflects Holladay’s strong local support and experience in the district, while the District 26 runoff promises to be competitive as both Dunn and Simon seek to consolidate support from the candidates eliminated in the first round.
For voters seeking additional details, including precinct-level results and historical comparisons, the Arkansas Secretary of State’s election reporting website provides comprehensive statistics and updates. With the March 3 general primaries approaching, both districts are set to draw heightened attention as candidates prepare for the final stages of their campaigns.
The special primary elections highlight the dynamic nature of Arkansas politics, with experienced candidates like Holladay leveraging previous campaigns, newcomers like Smith-Johnson entering the political arena, and business leaders such as Dunn and Simon navigating a crowded Republican field. Voters in both districts now look ahead to the upcoming runoff and general elections, which will determine representation in the state House and Senate amid key issues including community development and local infrastructure projects.
