Notes: Gov. As Hutchinson (R) had little difficulty in his bid for a second term, defeating Jared Henderson (D) and Mark West (L).  Henderson most recently served as Arkansas executive director and earlier as senior vice president of regional operations for Teach for America.  West is a pastor and corporate office manager.  While Republicans hold all statewide and federal offices in Arkansas, it was not so long ago that a Democrat held the top office; Gov. Mike Beebe (D) was elected in 2006 and 2010.

In the May 22 primaries Henderson defeated hair stylist Leticia Sanders by 63.3% to 36.7%; Hutchinson defeated gun range owner Jan Morgan by 69.6% to 30.4%.

There were three general election debates.  All three candidates debated on June 30 at the Arkansas Press Association's annual convention in Eureka Springs (>) and on Oct. 12 hosted by Arkansas Educational Television Network at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway (1, 2).  Hutchinson skipped the KATV-TV Channel 7 debate on Sept. 10 in Little Rock, leaving Henderson and West to participate (>).

According to the National Institute on Money in Politics, the Hutchinson campaign received contributions of $3.6 million compared to $272,013 for Henderson and $2,695 for West (>).


Campaign Managers:
Asa Hutchinson:  Robert Moery
(announced Jan. 1, 2018)  Director of legislative and agency affairs in the Office of the Governor, Jan. 2015-Dec. 2017.  Also, partner at Moery Farming Co. in Carlisle, AR since Sept. 2012.  Executive aide to then-candidate Asa Hutchinson, Jan.-Dec. 2014.  Field rep. in the Office of Sen. John Boozman, Oct. 2011-July 2012.  Degree in kinesiology from the University of Arkansas, 2011.

Jared Henderson:  Hannah McCollester
(Jan. 2018)  Community coach (from June 2017); application reviewer (Aug.-Dec. 2017); managing director (June 2014-June 2017) and director (June 2013-June 2014) for teacher leadership development in Little Rock; manager in Pine Bluff (June 2011-June 2013) all with Teach for America; 4th grade teacher and Teach for America Corps member at Park Avenue Elementary in Stuttgart, AR, June 2009-June 2011.  B.A. in English and Spanish from University of Virginia, 2009.
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