With one week of campaigning left before next Tuesday’s runoff election, both Democratic candidates for the Jefferson County judge’s office say they continue talking to potential voters.
“We’re going to stay the course, continue knocking on doors, making calls, and do what brought us to this point,” said Pine Bluff Assistant Chief of Police Ivan Whitfield, who led the ticket during the party primary May 22. “We’re going to reach out to all the people we can and encourage them to get out and vote.”
Former Pine Bluff Mayor Dutch King, who finished second to Whitfield, said he also would be trying to reach as many people as he can over the next seven days and tell them how important their votes can be.
Complete but unofficial results from the primary showed Whitfield with 3,706 votes to 3,408 for King and 1,969 for Justice of the Peace Alfred Carroll.
Both King and Whitfield said they have talked to Carroll and sought his support for the runoff. Carroll said Monday afternoon he would be sending an email regarding a decision on supporting one of the candidates but that email had not been received by press time.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The position because open when current Jefferson County Judge Mike Holcomb chose to run for District 10 of the Arkansas House of Representatives. Holcomb faces Democrat Dorothy Hall of Sheridan in the June 12 runoff.
King said that during the campaign, and particularly in the two weeks since the primary, he has heard from people who say they’re concerned about several issues regarding county government, particularly roads, crime and economic development.
“They want to know about jobs and I think we’re on the verge of being in a very good position to make that happen,” King said.
Whitfield said people have also talked to him about roads, and about jobs, but also about things like continuing to partner with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Southeast Arkansas College, and about youth programs.
“Anything they want to bring to the table I’m willing to listen to,” said Whitfield, who will officially retire from the police department on July 1.
The winner of the Democratic Party primary will face Republican Justice of the Peace Ted Harden of White Hall in the November general election. Harden is also a candidate for re-election to the Quorum Court and has said he would step down from that position if he is elected county judge.