Final days resuming for filers in ’18 races

Candidate filing for state and federal offices resumes during regular business hours today at the state Capitol.

By the time filing concludes Thursday, additional candidates are expected to include an Arkansas Supreme Court incumbent, Courtney Hudson Goodson, and three running for governor: Republican Jan Morgan, Democrat Jared Henderson and Libertarian Mark West.

Republicans hold Arkansas’ four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, and all incumbents filed except for U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro, who represents the 1st District. During the first two days of filing — last Thursday and Friday — three U.S. House seats drew Democratic candidates and one attracted a Republican challenger. In November 2016, just one U.S. House race had a Democratic challenger; all four seats drew Libertarian candidates.

Libertarians held a convention over the weekend to choose the party’s candidates who will file this week.

In 2016, 22 state legislative races had Republicans facing Democrats in the general election. Thus far in this year’s filing period, at least 19 races — three in the Senate and 16 in the House — will be competitive in the

fall. The Senate has 35 seats and the House 100 seats, and Republicans have a majority in both chambers.

No Democrats have filed for any constitutional office other than governor.

Nonpartisan judicial candidates also face the same filing deadline. The judicial general election and partisan primary election are held on the same day, May 22. The general election is Nov. 6.

Below are Republican and Democratic candidates who have filed for the May 22 primary election, according to the secretary of state’s office. Incumbents are noted with an asterisk (*) and their party affiliations are denoted with R for Republican and D for Democrat.

A complete list of state and federal candidates will be published in Sunday’s editions.

More information about candidates and elections is available at the secretary of state’s website, https://www. sos.arkansas.gov/ elections.