GOP sweeps Congressional races, state constitutional offices

Arkansas' congressional delegation will now be all Republicans starting in January 2015 after the party swept state constitutional and federal offices Tuesday night (Nov. 4).

In the 4th District, State Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, bested Democrat James Lee Witt by a vote of 52% to 44%, while Libertarian Ken Hamilton received 3% of the vote. (See list of statewide election results at the end of this story.)

In a statement, Witt spokesman Beau Bishop said, "The people of the 4th District have spoken. We're proud of the race that we've run. We ran on the issues and the election's over now and it's time for us to come together as a district and do what's best for the people of Arkansas."

He continued, "Our campaign has been about working together and doing things for the betterment of Arkansas and James Lee's not going to run from those principals and ideals at this point. He still believes in everyone deserves an opportunity for a hope and a dream. We can't do that if we're not all working together. That's what James Lee said to Rep.-Elect Westerman when he spoke to him."

Asked whether Witt was done with politics or may run again, Bishop said, "We hadn't gone that far. But I would say he's done, but we haven't talked about it."

Attempts to reach Westerman have been unsuccessful.

In the 2nd District, Republican French Hill is leading with 49% of the vote to former North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Henry Hays' 46%. Libertarian Debbie Standiford has 4%. Shortly after 11 p.m., Hill delivered an acceptance speech, saying that he would focus on cutting the size of government and returning the nation to “economic success for all of our citizens.”

With 17% of precincts counted, Womack won the 3rd District with 82% of the vote against Libertarian Brand Grant, who received 18% of the vote. Womack did not face a Democratic opponent.

With 36% of precincts reporting, Crawford had 64% of the vote to Democratic Heber Springs Mayor Jackie McPherson, who garnered only 32%. Libertarian Brian Willhite received 4% of the vote.

On ballot questions up for statewide vote, preliminary numbers show that Issue No. 1 and 5 passed, while Issue No. 4 failed. The results are based on 38% of the vote reported statewide.

ISSUE NO. 1
On the ballot question that would change administration of state government, voters passed the question by a vote of 60%-40%.

The question mandates review by the legislature of administrative rules in all Arkansas state agencies and approval of any changes to said rules.

The practice for years allowed the agencies to change rules with nothing more than a review of the legislature, but the House and Senate committees overseeing the rule changes have been unable to mandate changes to the rules or reject changes made by the agencies themselves.

ISSUE NO. 4
The other controversial issue on the ballot this year was the question of whether to turn all of Arkansas wet, therefore allowing alcohol sales statewide versus the patchwork wet-dry setup that has been in place across Arkansas since the end of Prohibition nearly 100 years ago.

The initiative to go all wet failed by a vote of 43% for to 57% against. Opponents of the legislation had said it would remove the local community's choice of whether or not to be a wet community.

Should it have passed passage, the 37 counties in Arkansas that are currently dry would have been able to host not just restaurants that want to serve, but also liquor stores and sales of alcohol in grocery stores.

ISSUE NO. 5
While not necessarily controversial, the final ballot question garnering a lot of attention in the races for U.S. Senate and governor was the question on whether or not to raise the state's minimum wage from the current race of $6.25 per hour to $8.50 by 2017.

The ballot question came the same year President Barack Obama has been advocating a race of the minimum wage to $10.10 federally. The rate has been matched by states such as Maryland in recent months.

In Arkansas, the ballot question passed by a vote of 66% for and 34% against.

With passage, the state of Arkansas would be above the current federal minimum wage of $7.50 per hour, though it remains to be seen if the federal rate would rise above the Arkansas rate of $8.50 by 2017.

Other races that have been called include attorney general, where Republican Leslie Ruledge garnered 52% of the vote to Democratic Rep. Nate Steel's 44%; lieutenant governor with U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin earning 57% of the vote to Democrat John Burkhalter's 40% and Libertarian Christopher Olson's 4%; and secretary of state, where incumbent Republican Mark Martin was re-elected with 60% to Democrat Susan Inman's 36% and Libertarian Jacob Holloway's 4%.

STATEWIDE RACES (30 of 30 counties reporting)
1ST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford (R): 63.55%
Mayor Jackie McPherson (D): 32.1%
Brian Willhite (Libertarian): 4.35%

2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT (7 of 7 counties reporting)
Patrick Hays (D): 43.59%
French Hill (R): 51.87%
Charles Neely (write in): 0.08%
Debbie Standiford (Libertarian): 4.36%

3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT (8 of 10 counties reporting)
U.S. Rep. Steve Womack (R): 81.47%
Grant Brand (Libertarian): 18.53%

4TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT (30 of 33 counties reporting)
Ken Hamilton (Libertarian): 3.62%
Janis Percefull (write in): 0.08%
Rep. Bruce Westerman (R): 53.85%
James Witt (D): 42.45%

LT. GOVERNOR (71 of 75 counties reporting)
John Burkhalter (D): 38.5%
U.S. Rep. TIm Griffin (R): 57.39%
Christopher Olson (Libertarian): 4.11%

ATTORNEY GENERAL (71 of 75 counties reporting)
Aaron Cash (Libertarian): 5.08%
Leslie Rutledge (R): 52.04%
Rep. Nate Steel (D): 42.88%

SECRETARY OF STATE (71 of 75 counties reporting)
Secretary of State Mark Martin (R): 60.77%
Jacob Holloway (Libertarian): 4.24%
Susan Inman (D): 34.99%

STATE AUDITOR (71 of 75 counties reporting)
Regina Stewart Hampton (D): 37.27%
Rep. Andrea Lea (R): 57.36%
Brian Leach (Libertarian): 5.36%

STATE TREASURER (71 of 75 counties reporting)
Karen Garcia (D): 37.2%
Chris Hayes (Libertarian): 6.32%
Circuit Clerk Dennis Milligan (R): 56.48%

LAND COMMISSIONER (71 of 75 counties reporting)
Commissioner John Thurston (R): 57.3%
Elvis Presley (Libertarian): 6.08%
Mark Robertson (D): 36.62%

BALLOT ISSUES (71 of 75 counties reporting)
Issue No. 1 (Administrative rules change)
FOR: 59.18%
AGAINST: 40.82%

Issue No. 2 (Allowing more time to gather initiative signatures)
FOR: 53.24%
AGAINST: 46.76%

Issue No. 3 (Ethics rules changes; term limits extension)
FOR: 51.95%
AGAINST: 48.05%

Issue No. 4 (Allowing alcohol sales in all Arkansas counties)
FOR: 42.66%
AGAINST: 57.34%

Issue No. 5 (Act to increase Arkansas’ minimum wage)
FOR: 65.74%
AGAINST: 34.26%