Justices split on abortion ruling vie to lead Arkansas Supreme Court

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Two justices who split on whether Arkansas voters should have the chance scale back the state’s abortion ban are both vying to lead the state Supreme Court, though the election will not affect the court’s conservative leaning.

Judges Rhonda Wood and Karen Baker are running to replace Chief Judge Dan Kemp in Tuesday’s election, with the state’s four congressmen fending off challenges from Democratic candidates.

Voters will also be asked to approve a constitutional amendment that would revoke the license issued by a state panel for a casino.

Whether Wood or Baker wins, history will be made: For the first time, Arkansas will elect a woman Supreme Court justice.

The two justices were on opposite sides of the debate over whether to keep a measure on the ballot that would have reduced an Arkansas law that bans nearly all abortions.

Wood wrote the court’s 4-3 majority opinion upholding the state’s decision to deny petitions filed in favor of the proposal. The court ruled that the sponsors of the measure did not comply with the paper requirements for paid signature gatherers.

In a blistering dissent, Baker asked, “Why are respondent and the majority determined to keep this particular vote from the people?”

Although the seats are nonpartisan, Wood is running with the support of the Arkansas GOP, Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and GOP Sen. Tom Cotton. Conservatives already have a 5-2 majority on the court, and Sanders is slated to fill two vacancies on the seven-member court after the election.

Arkansas has had a woman serve as chief justice, but Betty Dickey was appointed to the post by former governor Mike Huckabee in 2003, not elected.

All four of Arkansas’ Republican congressmen are fending off challenges from Democrats trying to break the GOP’s grip on all of the state’s federal seats.

Rep. Rick Crawford is running against Democrat Rodney Govens for the 1st District, which covers eastern Arkansas. Crawford was first elected in 2010 to represent the district, which includes Jonesboro and West Memphis. He is a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee and has said he will seek the top Republican seat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Govens is a Cabot resident who has worked in the telecommunications industry. Libertarian candidate Steve Parsons is also running.

Rep. French Hill faces Democrat Marcus Jones in the race for the 2nd District, which includes Little Rock and surrounding areas. Hill was first elected to the seat in 2014 and is the vice chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Jones is a retired Army colonel who served as a senior Army advisor to the Arkansas Army National Guard at Camp Robinson.

In Northwest Arkansas’ 3rd District, Rep. Steve Womack against Democrat Caitlin Draper, a clinical social worker. Womack was first elected in 2010 to the district, which includes Fayetteville and Fort Smith. Libertarian Bobby Wilson is also running. Womack, a ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, fended off a challenge in the Republican primary earlier this year from a state lawmaker.

And in the 4th District, which covers southern Arkansas, Rep. Bruce Westerman against Democrat Risie Howard, an attorney from Pine Bluff. Westerman was first elected to the US House in 2014 and chairs the House Committee on Natural Resources.

A measure on the Arkansas ballot could block the last of four casinos approved by voters in what has become a battle between the Cherokee and Choctaw nations.

The proposed constitutional amendment would revoke a license the state issued to Cherokee Nation Entertainment to build a casino in Pope County. The Choctaw Nation has spent more than $17 million campaigning for the proposal.

Pope County was one of four locations where casinos were allowed to be built under a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2018. Casinos have already been established in the other three locations. Cherokee Nation Businesses have spent more than $12 million campaigning against the amendment.

Other proposals that would have scaled back the state’s abortion ban and expanded its medical marijuana program was blocked from the ballot by state election officials.

Another measure the state Legislature voted to place on the ballot would allow revenue from the state lottery to be used to fund scholarships at trade and technical schools.