Gop Picks Up Another House Seat

The Republican Party of Arkansas added another member to its House caucus when GOP State Rep. candidate Bruce Cozart defeated Democrat Jerry Rephan in a special election in District 24.

The House seat encompasses part of Garland County.

The special election was conducted after initial winner, Keith Crass, won the seat posthumously. Crass died of natural causes about a week before the November election, but still won enough votes to be declared the victor. By state law, a vacated seat was declared and a new election was set.

Cozart defeated Rephan by a 1,861 to 1,219 margin, according to unofficial results.  He won’t be sworn in for several days as state law requires a certification process to count absentee ballots and to finalize election results. However, House Majority Leader Johnnie Roebuck (D-Arkadelphia) and House Minority Leader John Burris (R-Harrison) recently sent a joint letter to the Garland County Clerk asking for an expedited certification process to speed up the winner’s swearing-in.

The victory ultimately gives the GOP 45 votes in the 100-member Arkansas House of Representatives. Democrats hold 54 seats. There is one seat unfilled due to a vacancy created by the resignation of Rep. Fred Smith (D-Crawfordsville) in February.