Arkansas Senate District Primaries to Watch

Arkansas remains a deeply polarized political state, where general elections rarely produce close contests between Democrats and Republicans. The most meaningful competition instead takes place within party primaries in districts that are safely red or safely blue. In those districts, the primary election effectively determines who will hold office, making the nomination itself the decisive contest.

In the 2026 cycle, while many local primaries across the state remain quiet and predictable, a handful of Arkansas Senate races stand out for their competitiveness and significance. These contests carry real stakes and are worth close attention.

Senate District 13: The Only Fully Contested District

Arkansas State Senate District 13 stands out as the only district this cycle with both contested Democratic and Republican primaries, creating a rare and fully competitive race on both sides. The seat is currently held by Jane English (R), who is not seeking reelection, opening the door to an open seat contest in a district that covers North Little Rock, Sherwood, Maumelle, and part of Jacksonville.

On the Republican side, two term Rep. Brandon Achor of Maumelle is facing former Department of Human Services administrator Mischa Martin.

Achor is a pharmacist. Martin is an attorney who worked for the Department of Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services from 2016 to 2023. According to their websites, both candidates support school vouchers, tax cuts, and policies aimed at promoting business growth through the elimination of red tape and regulatory barriers.

In 2025, Achor sponsored a law that prohibits drug manufacturers from limiting which pharmacies can purchase their drugs.

While the district remains challenging terrain for Democrats, it still offers a measure of opportunity. English’s previous opponent, Allison Grigsby Sweatman, is again seeking the Democratic nomination after losing the 2022 election by 2,559 votes.

Sweatman is a mental health professional and former president of the Young Democrats of Arkansas. She is facing Jason Williams, a nurse practitioner at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. According to their websites, both Democratic candidates advocate for expanded access to health care, including mental health care.

Senate District 15: A Democratic Primary That Will Decide the Seat

While Democrats face limited opportunities statewide, Senate District 15 in southwest Little Rock is a solidly Democratic district where the primary will determine the next senator.

Voters will select a successor to Fred Love, who is seeking the party’s nomination for governor. His wife, ShaRhonda Love, is running in the Democratic primary against Tara Shephard and Charity Smith Allen, the wife of term limited Rep. Fred Allen. The Democratic nominee will advance to November’s general election without a Republican challenger.

ShaRhonda Love previously served as state school health director at the Arkansas Department of Health and as executive director of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission. Charity Smith Allen is a former official with the Arkansas Department of Education and has worked as both a teacher and a principal. Tara Shephard is an auditor for the American Correctional Association and a youth program consultant who has served in the Legislature since 2023.

All three candidates are running on similar platforms centered on improving education and health care. Shephard, who sponsored a law requiring opioid overdose rescue kits to be placed in public schools, is also calling for criminal justice reform.

Senate District 21: A Republican Power Struggle

Senate District 21 represents the Republican counterpart to District 15, a deep red seat where the primary election will decide the general election outcome.

This northeast Arkansas race is an incumbent on incumbent contest, with sitting Rep. Jeremy Wooldridge of Marmaduke challenging Sen. Blake Johnson of Corning, the Senate Republican leader. Johnson has served in the Senate since 2015 and has represented the rural district, which includes all of Greene, Clay, and Randolph counties, as well as part of Lawrence County, since redistricting in 2021. Wooldridge was elected to the House in 2022, representing House District 1.

With no Democrats running, the Republican primary will determine the next senator for District 21 and could also shape the future of Senate Republican leadership.

Johnson has announced plans to run for Senate president pro tempore if he wins the primary. Caldwell has said he plans to run for the post unless another senator enters the race. Caldwell voted against funding for the Franklin County prison, and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has endorsed his primary challenger.

Many of the state’s top elected Republicans have endorsed Johnson for reelection, including Sanders, Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge, and Attorney General Tim Griffin. Outgoing Senate President Pro Tempore Bart Hester has also endorsed Johnson’s leadership bid.

The Broader 2026 Primary Landscape

Voters will elect members of the Arkansas Senate in all 35 state Senate districts, with each seat carrying a two year term. There are other primaries on the ballot, including Senate District 10 with Trey Bohannan and Ronald Caldwell, Senate District 16 with Randy Sams and Rodney Wright, Senate District 21 with Blake Johnson and Jeremy Wooldridge, and Senate District 28 with Bryan King and Bobby Ballinger, but the contests in Senate Districts 13, 15, and 21 stand out as the cycle’s most competitive primaries.