The Arkansas State Capitol rotunda echoed with the promise of political aspiration Monday on the first day of candidate filing for the 2026 election.
Candidates can file with the Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester’s office through Nov. 12. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was first in line, filing for re-election, and thus far, she has no Republican primary opponent.
Two Democrats filed to oppose her in the November 2026 general election: Supha Xayprasith-Mays of Little Rock and Arkansas Sen. Fred Love of Mabelvale. Xayprasith-Mays ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2022 and received just 5 percent of the vote in a five-person primary. Love is a longtime member of the state legislature who is term-limited this year.
U.S. Rep. French Hill, the Republican who represents Arkansas’ Second District, filed for re-election on Monday, as did his GOP colleague Bruce Westerman, who represents the Fourth District. Democrat Chris Jones, who garnered 35 percent of the vote against Sanders in the 2022 general election, filed to run against Hill. Democrat Diane Lawrence filed for the Democratic nomination in the Third District.
Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton filed for re-election. The only potential opponent who filed on Monday was Hallie Shoffner, a Democrat and farmer.
Jester, a Republican who is filling out the term of John Thurston , is ineligible to run for secretary of state in 2026 since he was appointed, but he has indicated that he will file for commissioner of lands. Three Republicans filed Monday for secretary of state — state Sen. Kim Hammer, Judge Cathy Hardin Harrison and Bryan Norris.
According to Jester’s office, 106 Republicans, 39 Democrats and 122 non-partisan candidates had filed as of 5 p.m. on Monday for the ’26 election. The primary election is scheduled for March 3, 2026, with Election Day on Nov. 3, 2026.
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