Political filing season begins with 197 filings (Updated)

Politicians from all over Arkansas are about to descend upon Little Rock as the 2012 candidate filing period begins.

The filing period opened at noon today (Feb. 23) and will end at noon on March 1. All Congressional and state legislative candidates must file during this period. The day saw 197 candidates file for office.

In 2010, 338 candidates filed to run for an Arkansas political office — 196 were Democrats, 108 were Republicans, and 34 were non-partisan.

The numbers will be different this year, because unlike in 2010, none of Arkansas’s seven constitutional offices are up for election, and because it appears there will be fewer Congressional candidates. In 2010 there were a combined 16 candidates for the GOP nominations for U.S. Senate and 3rd Congressional District.

All 135 seats in the legislature — 100 in the House, 35 in the Senate — are up for election this year, due to decennial redistricting.

For the first time in living memory, there will be a battle for control of the state legislature. The Republican Party made huge advances in the last election cycle, gaining a net 18 seats in the House and a net 7 seats in the Senate.

The Democratic Party, which has dominated the legislature since the Reconstruction era, currently holds a 54-46 edge in the House and a 20-15 advantage in the Senate.[a]

Early races to watch in the Fort Smith area and Northwest Arkansas:
• The highest-profile primary in the state, to this point, has been the GOP race for Senate District 7 between incumbent Bill Pritchard, R-Elkins, and term-limited Rep. Jon Woods, R-Springdale. Woods has already attacked Pritchard for past votes for taxes, while Pritchard has questioned Woods’ for being part of a rock music video that does not "depict conservative Christian values."

• Freshman Rep. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, was moved into the same district with his friend and fellow freshman, Rep. Jon Eubanks, R-Paris. Stubblefield is abandoning his seat to run for Senate District 6. Stubblefield will face off against former Rep. John Paul Wells, D-Paris, who lost a bid for the Senate in 2010 to Bruce Holland, R-Greenwood.

• Speaking of Holland, he faces an uphill battle to retain his seat in Senate District 9. Former Rep. Rick Green, R-Van Buren, has challenged Holland in the primary, and the winner will face term-limited Rep. Tracy Pennartz, D-Fort Smith, in the general election.

• The Democratic primary for House District 86 looks like it will be one of the most crowded primaries in the state. Incumbent Uvalde Lindsey, D-Fayetteville, is term-limited and running for state Senate. The group of Democrats angling to fill his seat is headlined by former Congressional candidate David Whitaker, and also includes Josh Mahony, John Gibson, and Mahlon Rice. The only Republican to announce a candidacy to this point is James Keenan.

• Rep. Denny Altes, R-Fort Smith, is eligible for one more term in Little Rock, but he’ll have to earn it — he faces a primary challenge in House District 76 from Mat Pitsch, who outstripped Altes in early fundraising last year.

Following are the filings for legislative seats in the Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas areas.

Senate Districts in the Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas areas
Senate District 1 (part of Benton County):
Rep. Tim Summers, Republican
Bart Hester, Republican

Senate District 2 (parts of Benton and Washington Counties):
Jim Hendren, Republican

Senate District 3 (part of Benton County):
Sen. Cecile Bledsoe, Republican

Senate District 4 (part of Washington County):
Rep. Uvalde Lindsey, Democrat

Senate District 5 (parts of Crawford, Madison and Washington Counties):
Rep. Bryan King, Republican
Bill Coleman, Republican

Senate District 6 (parts of Franklin, Johnson, Logan and Yell Counties):
John Paul Wells, Democrat
Rep. Gary Stubblefield, Republican

Senate District 7 (part of Washington County):
Rep. Jon Woods, Republican
Sen. Bill Pritchard, Republican

Senate District 8 (Sebastian County-Fort Smith):

Senate District 9 (parts of Crawford, Scott and Sebastian Counties):
Rep. Tracy Pennartz, Democrat
Sen. Bruce Holland, Republican

House Districts in the Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas areas
House District 74 (parts of Logan, Scott and Sebastian Counties):
Daniel Wall, Democrat
Rep. Jon Eubanks, Republican

House District 75 (parts of Crawford and Sebastian Counties):
Charlotte Douglas, Republican

House District 76 (part of Sebastian County):
Rep. Denny Altes, Republican
Matthew Pitsch, Republican

House District 77 (part of Sebastian County):
Rep. Stephanie Malone, Republican

House District 78 (part of Sebastian County):
George McGill, Democrat

House District 79 (part of Crawford County):

House District 80 (parts of Crawford and Washington Counties):
Charlene Fite, Republican
Terry Bibbs, Republican

House District 81 (parts of Crawford and Washington Counties):
Wolf Grulkey, Democrat
Rep. Justin Harris, Republican

House District 82 (parts of Franklin, Logan and Madison Counties):
Rep. Leslee Milam Post, Democrat
Bill Gossage, Republican

House District 84 (part of Washington County):
Adella Gray, Democrat
Rep. Charlie Collins, Republican

House District 85 (part of Washington County):
Maylon Rice, Democrat

House District 86 (part of Washington County):
Rep. Greg Leding, Democrat
Brian Scott, Republican

House District 87 (parts of Benton and Washington Counties):
Rep. Johnathan Barnett, Republican

House District 88 (part of Washington County):
Randy Alexander, Republican

House District 89 (part of Washington County):
Micah Neal, Republican

House District 90 (part of Benton County):
Rep. Les Carmine

House District 91 (part of Benton County):
Dan Douglas, Republican

House District 92 (part of Benton County):
Jim Parsons, Republican
Rep. Mary Lou Slinkard, Republican

House District 93 (part of Benton County):
Duane Neal, Republican

House District 94 (part of Benton County):

House District 95 (part of Benton County):
Sue Scott, Republican

House District 96 (part of Benton and Carroll Counties):
Rep. Duncan Baird, Republican

House District 97 (part of Carroll and Washington Counties):
Jeremy Miller, Republican