2020 Arkansas Senate election

The 2020 Arkansas Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 2020 United States elections. Arkansas voters elected state senators to the Arkansas Senate in 17 of the state's 35 senate districts. The primary elections on March 3, 2020, determined which candidates would appear on the November 3, 2020, general election ballot.

2020 Arkansas Senate election

← 2018 November 3, 2020 2022 →

17 of 35 seats in the Arkansas Senate
18 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Jim Hendren Keith Ingram
Party Republican Democratic
Leader since January 14, 2019 January 15, 2013
Leader's seat 1st 24th
Seats before 27 9
Seats won 15 2
Seats after 28 7
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 2
Popular vote 372,240 144,986
Percentage 71.97% 28.03%

Results of the elections:
     Republican gain
     Democratic hold      Republican hold
     No election

The outcome of this election was identified by the National Conference of State Legislatures as one of many that could affect partisan balance during post-Census redistricting.[1]

Following the previous election in 2018, Republicans, led by Bart Hester (AR-01), had control of the Arkansas Senate with 26 seats to Democrats, led by Keith Ingram (AR-24), with nine seats. In the 2020 cycle, Republicans made a net gain of two seats, defeating two incumbent Democratic senators, bringing the partisan balance to a 28-7 supermajority.

Composition

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Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
Republican Democratic Vacant
Before Election 26 9 35 0
After Election 28 7 35 0
Change   2   2  

Predictions

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Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[2] Safe R October 21, 2020

Summary

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District Incumbent Party Elected Senator Party
1st Bart Hester Rep Bart Hester Rep
2nd Jim Hendren Rep Jim Hendren Rep
7th Lance Eads Rep Lance Eads[a] Rep
11th Jimmy Hickey Jr. Rep Jimmy Hickey Jr.[a] Rep
12th Bruce Maloch Dem Charles Beckham Rep
13th Alan Clark Rep Alan Clark Rep
16th Breanne Davis Rep Breanne Davis[a] Rep
21st John Cooper[b] Rep Dan Sullivan[a] Rep
22nd Dave Wallace Rep Dave Wallace[a] Rep
23rd Ron Caldwell Rep Ron Caldwell[a] Rep
25th Stephanie Flowers Dem Stephanie Flowers[a] Dem
26th Eddie Cheatham Dem Ben Gilmore Rep
27th Trent Garner Rep Trent Garner Rep
28th Jonathan Dismang Rep Jonathan Dismang[a] Rep
29th Ricky Hill Rep Ricky Hill[a] Rep
32nd Will Bond[b] Dem Clarke Tucker Dem
34th Jane English Rep Jane English Rep
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Did not face opposition in the general election.
  2. ^ a b Not up for reelection; therefore this seat is open.

Closest races

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Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. District 34, 7.52%

Detailed results

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 District 1District 2District 7District 11District 12District 13District 16District 21District 22District 23District 25District 26District 27District 28District 29District 32District 34 

District 1

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 1st district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Bart Hester (incumbent) 36,778 64.94%
Democratic Ronetta J. Francis 19,855 35.06%
Majority 16,923 29.88%
Total votes 56,633 100%
Republican hold

District 2

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 2nd district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Hendren (incumbent) 32,705 73.44%
Democratic Ryan Craig 11,825 26.56%
Majority 20,880 46.88%
Total votes 44,530 100%
Republican hold

District 7

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 7th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Lance Eads (incumbent) 24,563 100%
Majority 24,563 100%
Total votes 24,563 100%
Republican hold

District 11

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 11th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jimmy Hickey Jr. (incumbent) 21,058 100%
Majority 21,058 100%
Total votes 21,058 100%
Republican hold

District 12

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 12th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles Beckham 17,282 55.89%
Democratic Bruce Maloch (incumbent) 13,641 44.11%
Majority 3,641 11.78%
Total votes 30,923 100%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 13

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 13th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Alan Clark (incumbent) 26,069 75.19%
Democratic Brandon Overly 8,604 24.81%
Majority 17,465 50.38%
Total votes 34,673 100%
Republican hold

District 16

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 16th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Breanne Davis (incumbent) 27,639 100%
Majority 27,639 100%
Total votes 27,639 100%
Republican hold

District 21

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 21st district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dan Sullivan 28,542 100%
Majority 28,542 100%
Total votes 28,542 100%
Republican hold

District 22

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 22nd district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dave Wallace (incumbent) 20,406 100%
Majority 20,406 100%
Total votes 20,406 100%
Republican hold

District 23

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 23rd district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ronald Caldwell (incumbent) 17,538 100%
Majority 17,538 100%
Total votes 17,538 100%
Republican hold

District 25

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 25th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephanie Flowers (incumbent) 19,737 100%
Majority 19,737 100%
Total votes 19,737 100%
Democratic hold

District 26

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 26th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ben Gilmore 17,732 60.06%
Democratic Eddie L. Cheatham (incumbent) 11,791 39.94%
Majority 5,941 20.12%
Total votes 29,523 100%
Republican gain from Democratic

District 27

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 27th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Trent Garner (incumbent) 19,892 61.08%
Democratic Keidra Burrell 1,267 38.92%
Majority 7,215 22.16%
Total votes 32,569 100%
Republican hold

District 28

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 28th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jonathan Dismang (incumbent) 14,169 100%
Majority 14,169 100%
Total votes 14,169 100%
Republican hold

District 29

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 29th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ricky Hill (incumbent) 31,111 100%
Majority 31,111 100%
Total votes 31,111 100%
Republican hold

District 32

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 32nd district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Clarke Tucker 28,481 64.92%
Republican Bob Thomas 15,392 35.08%
Majority 13,089 29.84%
Total votes 43,873 100%
Democratic hold

District 34

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2020 Arkansas Senate election, 34th district[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jane English (incumbent) 21,364 53.76%
Democratic Alisa Blaize Dixon 18,375 46.24%
Majority 2,989 7.52%
Total votes 39,739 100%
Republican hold

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Underhill, Wendy; Ben, Williams (December 4, 2019). "Election Dates for Legislators and Governors Who Will Do Redistricting". National Conference of State Legislatures. Archived from the original on June 10, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "October Overview: Handicapping the 2020 State Legislature Races". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Election Night Reporting". Scytl. Archived from the original on February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
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