Arkansas Blog

The Election Commission finally has early votes up. Remember that it may account for 40 percent of the vote so the early totals may be determinative.

Among the highlights:

County Judge Buddy Villines and NLR Mayor Pat Hays both enjoy big leads over vigorous opponents, Phil Wyrick and Bubba "Rusty Submarine" Lloyd.

Democrat John Edwards is leading Kelly Eichler in the hot race for House from the Heights.

Judicial leaders: Rita Bailey in Wrightsville; Alice Lightle and Mark Leverett for district judgeships; Melinda Gilbert for a circuit judgeship.

Kathy Lewison may beat Republican Rep. Sid Rosenbaum in a race for JP in WLR.

Gene Fortson is leading two candidates to keep his LR City Board seat, but has only 53 percent of the vote despite having ALL the money.

Pulaski voters are favoring ALL the ballot measures by broad margins with one happy exception -- the vote AGAINST Act 1 is 55-45. We may yet stand virtually alone again on another anti-gay measure. Small consolation. Annual sessions of the legislature? Go figure.

Oh and another place where we depart from the rest of Arkansas: It's Obama 65-35 in Pulaski County.