Republicans Win County Seats In NEA

Voters elected several Republican countywide candidates Tuesday in Northeast Arkansas, with the GOP making history in several counties.

Three Republican women – Craighead County’s Candace Edwards and Hannah Holloway-Towell, along with Poinsett County’s Theresa Rouse – won office in their first campaigns.

In unofficial numbers, Edwards defeated Democrat Ashley Broadaway for circuit clerk by a 55-45 percent margin, while Holloway-Towell defeated Toni Oden for assessor by a 60-40 percent margin.

Rouse won the Poinsett County Clerk’s office, becoming the first Republican ever to win the seat. She defeated Democrat Joshua Bradley by a 54-46 percent margin.

History was also made in Greene County, as Republican Rusty McMillon defeated incumbent Democrat Jerry Shipman for county judge. McMillon won by a nearly three-to-one margin over Shipman, who leaves office in January after a second stint as county judge.

Also, Republican Phyllis Rhynes led Democrat Dana Bradford in the Greene County Clerk’s election by a 52-48 margin.

Democrat Ed Hill defeated Republican Wes Ward for county judge in Craighead County, winning by a 57-43 margin, while Democrat Marty Boyd defeated Republican Larry Kelley by a nearly three-to-one margin.

COUNTY RACES
According to our content partner, KAIT, and unofficial numbers, the following is a breakdown of vote totals for major county races in Northeast Arkansas:

CRAIGHEAD
County Judge
Wes Ward-R – 10,778
Ed Hill-D – 14,142

County Clerk
Kade Holliday-R – 17,644
Nancy Robbins-D – 7,279

Circuit Clerk
Candace Edwards-R – 13,523
Ashley Broadaway-D – 11,081

Sheriff
Larry Kelley-R – 7,080
Marty Boyd-D – 17,957

Collector
Timothy Simmons-R – 10,546
Marsha Phillips-D – 14,214

Assessor
Hannah Holloway-Towell-R – 14,530
Toni Oden-D – 9,696

JP 4
Billie Sue Hoggard-R – 1,421
Kenny Hendrix-D – 1,013

JP 7
Richard Rogers-R – 1,569
Robert “Bud” Langford-D – 854

JP 10
Steve Cline-R – 1,171
Mike Hawkins-D – 877

JP 11
Garry Meadows-R – 1,164
Bob Blankenship-D – 1,023

GREENE
County Judge
Rusty McMillon-R – 8,063
Jerry Shipman-D – 2,958

County Clerk
Phyllis Rhynes-R – 3,138
Dana Bradford-D – 3,002

Sheriff
David Carter-R – 3,174
Dan Langston-D – 3,002

Collector
Gina Wells-R – 2,686
Cathy “CJ” Hays-D – 3,465

MISSISSIPPI
Sheriff
Dale Cook-D – 8,807
Brenda Willbanks-WI – 270

JP 8
Ricky Ash-R – 470
Emma Jackson-D – 327

CITY RACES
According to our content partner, KAIT, and unofficial numbers, the following is a breakdown of major city races in Northeast Arkansas:

CRAIGHEAD
Jonesboro City Council, Ward 3, Position 1
Mikel Fears – 4,845
Ann Williams – 10,265

GREENE
Paragould Mayor
Mike Gaskill-D – 3,529
Donald Pyatt-I – 851

JACKSON
Newport Mayor (No returns yet)
Charles Landrum-R
David Stewart-I

MISSISSIPPI
Osceola Mayor
Dickie Kennemore – 1,062
Bryan Winston – 954