LITTLE ROCK — A state lawmaker who spent most of his campaign cash for gas to travel the expansive 4th District returned home to rural southern Arkansas on Tuesday night with the district’s Democratic congressional nomination.
With no paid campaign staff and little money, state Sen. Gene Jeffress of Louann defeated Hot Springs lawyer Q. Byrum Hurst in the 4th District runoff for the right to face rising Republican star Tom Cotton in the November general election.
“I’m about as excited as I’ve ever been,” Jeffress said just after 10 p.m., minutes after Hurst conceded the race. “We’re so pleased.”
Jeffress garnered 61.7 percent of the vote in the 4th District and Hurst had 39.3 percent, according to unofficial results reported by the secretary of state’s office.
Tuesday’s other congressional runoff was much closer, with Jonesboro Prosecutor Scott Ellington holding a razor-thin lead — 50.65 percent to 49.35 percent — over state Rep. Clark Hall of Marvelle in the 1st District late into the evening.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Jeffress is a retired teacher who has been in the state Senate since 2003 and previously served two terms in the House.
During the race, Jeffress, who had no television advertising, spent just $31,000, compared to the nearly $227,000 spent by Hurst.
“You see that shoe leather does pay off,” Jeffress said about running a grassroots campaign. “People do want to see you out there putting up signs and visiting every hometown. It’s not about spending money. Yes, it takes money, but it’s also getting out there in their home towns and visiting with them.”
The University of Arkansas at Monticello alumnus said he expects a tough race against Cotton, a Harvard-educated veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who raised more than $1 million for the primary and easily vanquished two GOP opponents without a runoff.
“I may sleep in in the morning a little late, but I guarantee you tomorrow in the afternoon we will be out working,” Jeffress said. “Mr. Cotton better be ready. You know, this boll weevil from UAM is going to eat that cotton up, I guarantee it.”
In the 1st District, Hall made a strong late run at Ellington, the prosecutor who brokered the deal that freed men known as the West Memphis Three who were convicted in the 1993 deaths of three second-graders. Ellington narrowly missed avoiding a runoff with 49.5 percent of the vote in the May 22 primary against Hall and Arkansas State University economist Gary Latanich of Jonesboro.
“We’re excited about this opportunity,” Ellington said just before 10 p.m. “It’s been a good race, but things are starting to tighten up.”
Ellington hovered around 57 percent of the vote for much of the night until votes from Phillips County, Hall’s home county, came in.
The winner will face Republican Congressman Rick Crawford of Jonesboro in the Nov. 6 general election.
Hall, a farmer and former Marvell mayor, raised more money than Ellington and received support a number of prominent state Democrats, including former U.S. Rep. Marion Berry of Gillett, who held the seat from 1997 to 2011 before retiring.
Also Tuesday, Democratic nominees in four House districts and a Senate district also were decided in runoffs.
In House District 7, John Baine of El Dorado defeated Albert Glenn Glover of El Dorado. The winner has no opposition in the November general election.
In House District 10 race, Jefferson County Judge Mike Holcomb of Pine Bluff defeated Dorothy Hall of Sheridan.
Holcomb faces Republican Charles Roberts of Rison in the general election.
In House District 30, Charles Armstrong of Little Rock defeated Tommy Branch Jr., also of Little Rock. Armstrong has no opposition in the November election.
In House District 55, Monte Hodges of Blytheville defeated Mary Gay Shipley of Blytheville. The winner has no opposition in November.
In Senate District 26, state Rep. Eddie Cheatham of Crossett defeated former state Rep. Gregg Reep of Warren and will face Republican Mike Akin of Monticello in November.