Lincoln succeeds from unions; November matchup with Boozman set

Embattled incumbent Sen. Blanche Lincoln bucked the national trend of anti-incumbent fever and won re-election despite a stiff Democratic primary challenge from labor-backed Lt. Gov. Bill Halter.

Lincoln defeated Halter 52-48% to earn the chance to face Republican nominee U.S. Rep. John Boozman.

Lincoln pulled out all the stops in the three-week run-off campaign.  She received a big endorsement from former President Bill Clinton, part of a strategy to shore up her Democratic establishment support.  Lincoln also highlighted Halter’s backing from major labor organizations, which brought in big dollars and campaign staffers to help with his race.

Boozman issued a statement on the Democratic primary outcome that suggested Lincoln should gear up for another aggressive political fight.

“I congratulate Senator Lincoln on securing her party’s nomination. We have worked together over the years and she won a hard fought victory tonight. The fact remains, however, that the people of Arkansas have rejected the Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda,” Boozman noted in the statement. “We are going to run an aggressive campaign making the distinctions clear on Obamacare, card check, cap-and-trade, job killing stimulus legislation and the tax-and-spend initiatives that continue to plunge our nation further into enormous debt."

In the First Congressional District, political newcomer and former Rep. Marion Berry chief of staff Chad Causey defeated former State Sen. Tim Wooldridge for the Democratic nomination. Causey will face GOP nominee Rick Crawford in the fall.

Causey trailed Wooldridge in the May 18 primary, but earned endorsements from third and fourth-place finishers David Cook and Steve Bryles.

In the Second District, Democratic front-runner State Sen. Joyce Elliott survived a tough run-off challenge from Arkansas House Speaker Robbie Wills. Elliott won the nomination 54-46%, but the race was much tighter for most of the night until Pulaski County returns were completed.  She will face GOP nominee Tim Griffin in November.

RESULTS FROM OTHER STATEWIDE RUNOFF RACES
99% of precincts reporting

• Secretary of State (Democratic primary)
Pat O’Brien: 150,087 (62%)
Mark Wilcox: 93,558 (38%)

• Commissioner of State Lands (Democratic primary)
Rep. Monty Davenport: 97,242 (41%)
L.J. Bryant: 141,265 (59%)

Link here for more analysis from Roby Brock on the federal statewide races.