Incumbent Reps. Wallace, Ladyman and Cavenaugh cruise to legislative primary election wins

Three incumbent Republicans rolled to primary election victories in their state legislative races Tuesday (March 5).

State Sen. Dave Wallace, R-Leachville decisively defeated Dr. Tommy Wagner, R-Manila. Wallace received 2,975 (76%) votes to Wagner’s 924 (24%) in the Senate District 19 contest. It was one of two state senate primary races.

Totals are unofficial.

The race pitted the incumbent Wallace, who has served since his first election in 2016, against Wagner who was running for the first time. Wagner has had several close relatives who have previously served in the Arkansas House including his brother, Wes Wagner. The district covers all of Mississippi County, a swath of Poinsett County, and part of the Valley View area in Jonesboro.

The State House District 32 race was won by incumbent Jack Ladyman, R-Jonesboro, versus his opponent former State Rep. Brandt Smith, R-Jonesboro. Ladyman tallied 947 (54%) of votes cast, while Smith garnered 801 (46%) votes. The district covers the western and northern parts of Jonesboro.

Both Ladyman and Smith were first elected during the Republican red wave in 2014 when the four state House seats covering the Jonesboro area shifted from Democratic to Republican control. Smith opted during the last election cycle to challenge U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, for the Republican nomination to Congress, and after he lost, the House seats in the area were redrawn pitting him against his former colleague.

The State House 30 race was the second time that Coty Powers of Walnut Ridge has tried to unseat incumbent State House Rep. Fran Cavenaugh, R-Walnut Ridge, in the primary. Cavenaugh received 1,582 (67%) of votes cast, while Powers tallied 773 (33%). The district spans parts of Craighead, Greene, and Lawrence counties.