2026 Arkansas gubernatorial election
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November 3, 2026
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| Elections in Arkansas |
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The 2026 Arkansas gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Arkansas. Republican incumbent Sarah Huckabee Sanders is seeking a second term. She is being challenged by Democratic state senator Fredrick Love.
Primary elections took place on March 3, 2026. Huckabee Sanders secured the Republican nomination unopposed. Love defeated businesswoman Xayprasith-Mays in the Democratic primary with 81.0% of the vote.
Republican primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Sarah Huckabee Sanders, incumbent governor (2023–present)[1]
Endorsements
[edit]Sarah Huckabee Sanders
- Executive branch officials
- Donald Trump, president of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–present)[2]
- Organizations
Democratic primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Fredrick Love, state senator from SD-15 (2023–present)[4]
Eliminated in primary
[edit]Results
[edit]
Love
- 60–70%
- 70–80%
- 80–90%
- 90–100%
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Fredrick Love | 104,725 | 81.0 | |
| Democratic | Supha Xayprasith-Mays | 24,520 | 19.0 | |
| Total votes | 129,245 | 100.0 | ||
Results by county
[edit]| County[6] | Love | Xayprasith-Mays | Margin | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 355 | 90.10% | 39 | 8.90% | 316 | 81.20% | 394 | |
| Ashley | 299 | 69.37% | 132 | 30.63% | 167 | 38.74% | 431 | |
| Baxter | 406 | 75.89% | 129 | 24.11% | 277 | 51.78% | 535 | |
| Benton | 7,414 | 74.24% | 2,573 | 25.76% | 4,841 | 48.48% | 9,987 | |
| Boone | 325 | 69.89% | 140 | 30.11% | 185 | 39.78% | 465 | |
| Bradley | 199 | 73.16% | 73 | 26.84% | 126 | 46.32% | 272 | |
| Calhoun | 81 | 68.07% | 38 | 31.93% | 43 | 36.14% | 119 | |
| Carroll | 595 | 70.33% | 251 | 29.67% | 344 | 40.66% | 846 | |
| Chicot | 1,093 | 76.27% | 340 | 23.73% | 753 | 52.54% | 1,433 | |
| Clark | 843 | 84.64% | 153 | 15.36% | 690 | 69.28% | 996 | |
| Clay | 90 | 84.91% | 16 | 15.09% | 74 | 69.82% | 106 | |
| Cleburne | 433 | 82.48% | 92 | 17.52% | 341 | 64.96% | 525 | |
| Cleveland | 57 | 72.15% | 22 | 27.85% | 35 | 44.30% | 79 | |
| Columbia | 546 | 87.78% | 76 | 12.22% | 470 | 76.56% | 622 | |
| Conway | 687 | 81.11% | 160 | 18.89% | 527 | 62.22% | 847 | |
| Craighead | 2,223 | 77.59% | 642 | 22.41% | 1,581 | 55.18% | 2,865 | |
| Crawford | 804 | 76.50% | 247 | 23.50% | 557 | 53.00% | 1,051 | |
| Crittenden | 1,864 | 83.51% | 368 | 16.49% | 1,496 | 67.02% | 2,232 | |
| Cross | 245 | 80.59% | 59 | 19.41% | 186 | 61.18% | 304 | |
| Dallas | 86 | 73.50% | 31 | 26.50% | 55 | 47.00% | 117 | |
| Desha | 1,041 | 78.51% | 285 | 21.49% | 756 | 57.02% | 1,326 | |
| Drew | 462 | 74.52% | 158 | 25.48% | 304 | 49.04% | 620 | |
| Faulkner | 4,286 | 81.04% | 1,003 | 18.96% | 3,283 | 62.08% | 5,289 | |
| Franklin | 292 | 80.89% | 69 | 19.11% | 223 | 61.78% | 361 | |
| Fulton | 119 | 73.46% | 43 | 26.54% | 76 | 46.92% | 162 | |
| Garland | 2,840 | 76.53% | 871 | 23.47% | 1,969 | 53.06% | 3,711 | |
| Grant | 248 | 83.22% | 50 | 16.84% | 197 | 66.38% | 298 | |
| Greene | 547 | 79.51% | 141 | 20.49% | 406 | 59.02% | 688 | |
| Hempstead | 374 | 89.26% | 45 | 10.74% | 329 | 78.52% | 419 | |
| Hot Spring | 670 | 79.38% | 174 | 20.62% | 496 | 58.76% | 844 | |
| Howard | 268 | 81.46% | 61 | 18.54% | 207 | 62.92% | 329 | |
| Independence | 517 | 79.66% | 132 | 20.34% | 385 | 59.32% | 649 | |
| Izard | 185 | 76.13% | 58 | 23.87% | 127 | 52.26% | 243 | |
| Jackson | 234 | 75.97% | 74 | 24.03% | 160 | 51.94% | 308 | |
| Jefferson | 5,594 | 80.22% | 1,379 | 19.78% | 4,215 | 60.44% | 6,973 | |
| Johnson | 293 | 76.10% | 92 | 23.90% | 201 | 52.20% | 385 | |
| Lafayette | 211 | 81.15% | 49 | 18.85% | 162 | 62.30% | 260 | |
| Lawrence | 222 | 86.38% | 35 | 13.62% | 187 | 72.76% | 257 | |
| Lee | 1,572 | 86.61% | 243 | 13.39% | 1,329 | 73.22% | 1,815 | |
| Lincoln | 128 | 73.14% | 47 | 26.86% | 81 | 46.28% | 175 | |
| Little River | 175 | 71.72% | 69 | 28.28% | 106 | 43.44% | 244 | |
| Logan | 239 | 77.60% | 69 | 22.40% | 170 | 55.20% | 308 | |
| Lonoke | 1,273 | 80.01% | 318 | 19.99% | 955 | 60.02% | 1,591 | |
| Madison | 165 | 79.71% | 42 | 20.29% | 123 | 59.42% | 207 | |
| Marion | 281 | 75.13% | 93 | 24.87% | 188 | 50.26% | 374 | |
| Miller | 786 | 79.64% | 201 | 20.36% | 585 | 59.28% | 987 | |
| Mississippi | 515 | 80.47% | 125 | 19.53% | 390 | 60.94% | 640 | |
| Monroe | 313 | 84.14% | 59 | 15.86% | 254 | 68.28% | 372 | |
| Montgomery | 58 | 67.44% | 28 | 32.56% | 30 | 34.88% | 86 | |
| Nevada | 282 | 81.27% | 65 | 18.73% | 217 | 62.54% | 347 | |
| Newton | 119 | 80.95% | 28 | 19.05% | 91 | 61.90% | 147 | |
| Ouachita | 728 | 79.30% | 190 | 20.70% | 538 | 58.60% | 918 | |
| Perry | 225 | 86.54% | 35 | 13.46% | 190 | 73.08% | 260 | |
| Phillips | 1,948 | 83.50% | 385 | 16.50% | 1,563 | 67.00% | 2,333 | |
| Pike | 138 | 85.71% | 23 | 14.29% | 115 | 71.42% | 161 | |
| Poinsett | 211 | 83.40% | 42 | 16.60% | 168 | 66.80% | 253 | |
| Polk | 185 | 73.12% | 68 | 26.88% | 117 | 46.24% | 253 | |
| Pope | 927 | 75.06% | 308 | 24.94% | 619 | 50.12% | 1,235 | |
| Prairie | 51 | 80.95% | 12 | 19.05% | 39 | 61.90% | 63 | |
| Pulaski | 33,841 | 84.07% | 6,411 | 15.93% | 27,430 | 68.14% | 40,252 | |
| Randolph | 229 | 83.27% | 46 | 16.73% | 183 | 66.54% | 275 | |
| Saline | 3,924 | 82.58% | 828 | 17.42% | 3,096 | 65.16% | 4,752 | |
| Scott | 54 | 73.97% | 19 | 26.03% | 35 | 47.94% | 73 | |
| Searcy | 83 | 81.37% | 19 | 18.63% | 64 | 62.74% | 102 | |
| Sebastian | 2,475 | 73.79% | 879 | 26.21% | 1,596 | 47.58% | 3,354 | |
| Sevier | 28 | 77.78% | 8 | 22.22% | 20 | 55.56% | 36 | |
| Sharp | 217 | 73.81% | 77 | 26.19% | 140 | 47.62% | 294 | |
| St. Francis | 771 | 87.22% | 113 | 12.78% | 658 | 74.44% | 884 | |
| Stone | 157 | 75.12% | 52 | 24.88% | 105 | 50.24% | 209 | |
| Union | 928 | 80.14% | 230 | 19.86% | 698 | 60.28% | 1,158 | |
| Van Buren | 300 | 77.92% | 85 | 22.08% | 215 | 55.84% | 385 | |
| Washington | 12,879 | 82.96% | 2,646 | 17.04% | 10,233 | 65.92% | 15,525 | |
| White | 1,094 | 80.26% | 269 | 19.74% | 825 | 60.52% | 1,363 | |
| Woodruff | 209 | 84.96% | 37 | 15.04% | 172 | 69.92% | 246 | |
| Yell | 169 | 76.82% | 51 | 23.18% | 118 | 53.64% | 220 | |
| Totals | 104,725 | 81.03% | 24,520 | 18.97% | 80,205 | 62.06% | 129,245 | |
Libertarian primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]Nominee
[edit]- Colt Shelby, farmer[7]
General election
[edit]Predictions
[edit]| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[8] | Solid R | September 11, 2025 |
| Fox News[9] | Solid R | July 23, 2026 |
| Inside Elections[10] | Solid R | August 28, 2025 |
| Race to the WH[11] | Safe R | June 19, 2026 |
| RealClearPolitics[12] | Solid R | June 5, 2026 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[13] | Safe R | September 4, 2025 |
| Silver Bulletin[14] | Solid R | August 25, 2026 |
Polling
[edit]| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) |
Fredrick Love (D) |
Colt Shelby (L) |
Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hendrix College[15][A] | August 11–12, 2026 | 1,217 (LV) | ± 4.7% | 45% | 40% | 7% | 8% |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ↑ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear
Partisan clients
- ↑ Poll sponsored by Talk Business & Politics
References
[edit]- ↑ "Arkansas Governor Primary Results 2026". NBC News. March 3, 2026. Archived from the original on July 17, 2026. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
- ↑ Roberts, Adams (November 3, 2025). "President Donald Trump endorses Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, other Republican incumbents". 4029-TV. Archived from the original on August 6, 2026. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
- ↑ Biddison, Jennifer (December 3, 2025). "Maggie's List Endorses Eight More Candidates". Maggie's List. Archived from the original on March 6, 2026. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
- ↑ Gelder, Austin (June 23, 2025). "Democrat Fred Love jumps into the 2026 governor's race". Arkansas Times. Archived from the original on June 24, 2025. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
- ↑ Wickline, Michael R. (October 28, 2025). "Bentonville businesswoman running again for governor". Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Archived from the original on February 18, 2026. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
- 1 2 "2026 Special Primary Election". Arkansas Secretary of State. Retrieved March 8, 2026.
- ↑ Grajeda, Antoinette (February 23, 2026). "Libertarian Party of Arkansas nominates 2026 general election candidates". Arkansas Advocate. Archived from the original on March 17, 2026. Retrieved August 6, 2026.
- ↑ "2026 CPR Governor Race ratings". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
- ↑ Numa, Rémy (July 23, 2026). "Fox News Power Rankings: The top races to watch as 36 states choose their next governor". Fox News. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Gubernatorial Ratings". Inside Elections. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
- ↑ "Governor Forecast – 2026-2026". Race to the WH. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
- ↑ "2026 Governor Races | RealClearPolitics". RealClearPolitics. Retrieved June 5, 2026.
- ↑ "2026 Governor". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved May 1, 2025.
- ↑ Silver, Nate (August 20, 2026). "FLIPR 2026 midterm election forecast". www.natesilver.net. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Poll: Gov. Sanders holds lead over two opponents". Talk Business & Politics. August 18, 2026. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Official campaign websites
