2022 Arkansas gubernatorial election

The 2022 Arkansas gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the next governor of Arkansas. Incumbent Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson was term-limited and could not seek a third term. Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders, daughter of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, defeated Democrat Chris Jones to become the state’s first female governor and was sworn in on January 10, 2023.

Primary elections in Arkansas were held on May 24. Runoff elections for instances where no candidate receives over 50% of the vote were scheduled for June 21. Former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders won the Republican nomination, while Chris Jones won the Democratic nomination.

Leading up to the Republican primary, Sanders received many endorsements from key Republican figures, including Donald Trump, Mike Pence, incumbent Asa Hutchinson, Arkansas' entire U.S. Congressional delegation, and the majority of Republicans in both state legislative chambers. She faced little substantive opposition in the primary, as she won every county in the state with at least 70% of the vote.

As Arkansas is a staunchly Republican state, winning the party's nomination virtually guaranteed a victory for Sanders in the general election, in which she defeated Jones by 28 points. Jones became the first Democrat to win Washington County since 2010, and Sanders became the first Republican to win majority-Black Crittenden County since her father in 1998, winning the county by one vote. This was the only 2022 election where Washington County voted against the Republican nominee. This is the first time ever that the Republican Party won three straight gubernatorial elections in the state's history.

Sanders became the first female governor of Arkansas. With the election of Leslie Rutledge as lieutenant governor, Arkansas, along with Massachusetts, became the first two U.S. states to elect both a female governor and female lieutenant governor to serve at the same time.

Republican primary Candidates Nominee Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former White House press secretary (2017–2019) and daughter of former governor Mike Huckabee

Eliminated in primary Francis "Doc" Washburn, radio personality

Withdrew Tim Griffin, lieutenant governor of Arkansas (2015–2023) (successfully ran for attorney general) (endorsed Sanders) Leslie Rutledge, Arkansas attorney general (2015–2023) (successfully ran for lieutenant governor) (endorsed Sanders)

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error LeslieRutledge SarahHuckabee Sanders FrancisWashburn UndecidedHendrix CollegeHendrix CollegeMay 2, 2022802 (LV)± 4.3%–73%17%10%Remington Research (R)May 1–2, 20221,622 (LV)± 2.2%–80%14%6% November 9, 2021 Rutledge withdraws from the raceRemington Research (R)Remington Research (R)October 25–26, 2021800 (LV)± 3.5%16%73%–11%Hendrix CollegeHendrix CollegeMay 26–31, 2021535 (LV)± 5.5%35%43%–22%

Results

Democratic primary Candidates Nominee Chris Jones, nuclear engineer and nonprofit executive

Eliminated in primary Anthony Bland, public school teacher and nominee for lieutenant governor in 2018 Jay Martin, lawyer and former Majority Leader of the Arkansas House of Representatives James "Rus" Russell, small business owner Supha Xayprasith-Mays, entrepreneur

Declined Kelly Krout, candidate for state representative in 2020 (unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor) Greg Leding, state senator (2019–present), former state representative (2011–2019), and former minority leader of the Arkansas House of Representatives (2012–2014) (successfully ran for re-election to the State Senate) Clarke Tucker, state senator (2021–present), former state representative (2015–2019), and nominee for Arkansas's 2nd congressional district in 2018 (successfully ran for re-election to the State Senate)

Endorsements

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error AnthonyBland ChrisJones SuphaXayprasith-Mays JayMartin JamesRussell UndecidedHendrix CollegeMay 2, 2022597 (LV)± 5.0%3%60%2%3%2%31%

Results

Libertarian convention

Candidates Nominee Ricky Harrington, Christian missionary, prison chaplain, and nominee for U.S. senator in 2020

General election

Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report March 4, 2022Inside Elections March 4, 2022 Sabato's Crystal Ball January 26, 2022PoliticoApril 1, 2022 RCP January 10, 2022Fox News May 12, 2022538June 30, 2022Elections DailyNovember 7, 2022

Post-primary endorsements

Polling Aggregate polls Source of pollaggregationDatesadministeredDatesupdated SarahHuckabeeSanders (R) ChrisJones (D) UndecidedMarginFiveThirtyEightFiveThirtyEightAugust 31 – October 31, 2022November 3, 202254.4%36.1%9.5%Sanders +18.3

Graphical summary

Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error SarahHuckabeeSanders (R) ChrisJones (D) RickyHarrington (L) UndecidedUniversity of ArkansasUniversity of ArkansasOctober 13–31, 2022557 (LV)–53%34%4%9%Hendrix CollegeHendrix CollegeOctober 17–18, 2022835 (LV)± 3.8%51%41%3%5%Remington Research Group (R)Remington Research Group (R) September 14–15, 20221,418 (LV)± 3.4%59%34%3%4%Hendrix CollegeHendrix CollegeSeptember 12, 2022835 (LV)± 3.8%51%40%2%7%Echelon InsightsEchelon InsightsAugust 31 – September 7, 2022382 (RV)± 7.7%62%32%–6%Remington Research Group (R)February 26–27, 2022827 (LV)± 3.4%58%28%3%10%

Sarah Huckabee Sanders vs. generic Democrat Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error SarahHuckabeeSanders (R) GenericDemocrat Other UndecidedHendrix CollegeHendrix CollegeFebruary 7–8, 2022961 (LV)± 4.4%44%34%8%15% Generic Republican vs. generic Democrat Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error GenericRepublican GenericDemocrat UndecidedUniversity of ArkansasUniversity of ArkansasOctober 12–24, 2021800 (A)± 3.5%46%21%34%555 (LV)± 4.2%50%23%27%

Debates + 2022 Arkansas gubernatorial debates Date Host Moderator Link Republican Democratic LibertarianKey: Participant Absent Non-invitee Invitee Withdrawn Sarah Huckabee Sanders Chris Jones Ricky Harrington Jr1 Oct, 2022 Arkansas PBS Steve BarnesLink

Results

By county CountySarah Huckabee SandersRepublicanChris JonesDemocraticRicky Dale Harrington Jr.LibertarianMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Arkansas3,19771.22%1,23127.42%611.36%1,96643.80%4,489Ashley4,01273.47%1,38625.38%631.15%2,62648.09%5,461Baxter12,09877.21%3,29321.02%2771.77%8,80556.20%15,668Benton55,90761.51%33,00036.30%1,9902.19%22,90725.20%90,897Boone10,12779.42%2,31918.19%3052.39%7,80861.23%12,751Bradley1,76466.92%84632.09%260.99%91834.83%2,636Calhoun1,24878.54%32420.39%171.07%92458.15%1,589Carroll5,69262.96%3,15834.93%1902.10%2,53428.03%9,040Chicot1,60147.01%1,78252.32%230.68%-181-5.31%3,406Clark3,49256.62%2,58941.98%861.39%90314.64%6,167Clay3,06077.59%79820.23%862.18%2,26257.35%3,944Cleburne8,25282.17%1,60816.01%1821.81%6,64466.16%10,042Cleveland2,30581.88%47917.02%311.10%1,82664.87%2,815Columbia4,06666.80%1,93731.82%841.38%2,12934.98%6,087Conway4,48166.25%2,17632.17%1071.58%2,30534.08%6,764Craighead18,17165.57%8,98032.40%5612.02%9,19133.17%27,712Crawford13,81476.92%3,77821.04%3672.04%10,03655.88%17,959Crittenden5,29549.25%5,29449.24%1631.52%10.01%10,752Cross3,67274.41%1,17423.79%891.80%2,49850.62%4,935Dallas1,33163.68%73235.02%271.29%59928.66%2,090Desha1,61151.80%1,46447.07%351.13%1474.73%3,110Drew3,38063.63%1,87135.22%611.15%1,50928.41%5,312Faulkner25,38262.93%14,13135.03%8222.04%11,25127.89%40,335Franklin4,13075.88%1,21322.29%1001.84%2,91753.59%5,443Fulton3,04576.43%83420.93%1052.64%2,21155.50%3,984Garland22,22566.66%10,49331.47%6221.87%11,73235.19%33,340Grant5,11281.31%1,05516.78%1201.91%4,05764.53%6,287Greene8,98277.69%2,33020.15%2502.16%6,65257.53%11,562Hempstead3,31170.67%1,31628.09%581.24%1,99542.58%4,685Hot Spring7,23072.74%2,52825.44%1811.82%4,70247.31%9,939Howard2,58070.84%1,00027.46%621.70%1,58043.38%3,642Independence8,07776.31%2,31621.88%1921.81%5,76154.43%10,585Izard3,63679.10%86118.73%1002.18%2,77560.37%4,597Jackson2,86070.84%1,10627.40%711.76%1,75443.45%4,037Jefferson6,87439.29%10,46659.82%1570.90%-3,592-20.53%17,497Johnson5,07172.34%1,79125.55%1482.11%3,28046.79%7,010Lafayette1,28664.88%67434.01%221.11%61230.88%1,982Lawrence3,65578.74%87618.87%1112.39%2,77959.87%4,642Lee98348.74%1,01250.17%221.09%-29-1.44%2,017Lincoln2,01572.56%73026.29%321.15%1,28546.27%2,777Little River2,90676.17%83521.89%741.94%2,07154.29%3,815Logan4,85477.56%1,26520.21%1392.22%3,58957.35%6,258Lonoke16,60374.22%5,28723.63%4802.15%11,31650.59%22,370Madison4,40375.69%1,30422.42%1101.89%3,09953.27%5,817Marion4,74479.04%1,11918.64%1392.32%3,62560.40%6,002Miller8,57176.06%2,52322.39%1741.54%6,04853.67%11,268Mississippi5,40162.13%3,09235.57%2002.30%2,30926.56%8,693Monroe1,23355.02%97743.60%311.38%25611.42%2,241Montgomery2,47179.17%57818.52%722.31%1,89360.65%3,121Nevada1,65867.29%78031.66%261.06%87835.63%2,464Newton2,44079.22%55718.08%832.69%1,88361.14%3,080Ouachita4,06557.88%2,86340.77%951.35%1,20217.12%7,023Perry2,87375.25%87122.81%741.94%2,00252.44%3,818Phillips1,89243.33%2,41555.31%591.35%-523-11.98%4,366Pike3,12183.81%55214.82%511.37%2,56968.98%3,724Poinsett4,38678.76%1,05018.85%1332.39%3,33659.90%5,569Polk5,63481.57%1,12316.26%1502.17%4,51165.31%6,907Pope12,92873.33%4,41825.06%2841.61%8,51048.27%17,630Prairie2,16781.22%45917.20%421.57%1,70864.02%2,668Pulaski47,02737.88%75,39360.73%1,7331.40%-28,366-22.85%124,153Randolph4,20178.42%1,02619.15%1302.43%3,17559.27%5,357Saline29,87269.20%12,53229.03%7661.77%17,34040.17%43,170Scott2,49884.36%40713.75%561.89%2,09170.62%2,961Searcy2,60882.27%49215.52%702.21%2,11666.75%3,170Sebastian22,93966.73%10,73431.23%7032.05%12,20535.50%34,376Sevier2,82577.12%78421.40%541.47%2,04155.72%3,663Sharp4,81679.64%1,05617.46%1752.89%3,76062.18%6,047St. Francis2,47748.74%2,52749.72%781.53%-50-0.98%5,082Stone3,93677.04%1,07020.94%1032.02%2,86656.10%5,109Union7,82666.93%3,69531.60%1721.47%4,13135.33%11,693Van Buren4,81076.68%1,33521.28%1282.04%3,47555.40%6,273Washington34,36148.63%34,84249.31%1,4532.06%-481-0.68%70,656White18,01077.88%4,61319.95%5022.17%13,39757.93%23,125Woodruff1,34764.39%69533.22%502.39%65231.17%2,092Yell4,17278.88%1,02219.32%951.80%3,15059.56%5,289Totals571,10562.96%319,24235.20%16,6901.84%251,86327.77%907,037

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Crittenden (largest city: West Memphis)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Washington (largest city: Fayetteville)

By congressional district Huckabee Sanders won all four congressional districts. District Huckabee Sanders Jones Representative 70% 28%Rick Crawford 56% 43%French Hill 60% 38%Steve Womack 68% 30%Bruce Westerman

2022 Arkansas gubernatorial election

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