Arkansas 2nd Congressional District Remains Uncalled as French Hill Holds Narrow Lead Over Chris Jones
“We’re gonna take the time, if you all will allow us to do that,” campaign manager Kimberly Eddings told supporters shortly before midnight at Chris Jones’ election-night watch party. “One thing that we can all agree on tonight is that we did something here. For that, we will be proud.”
The race for Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District remained too close to call early Wednesday, with Republican incumbent French Hill holding a narrow lead over Democrat Chris Jones in a closely watched contest, talkbusiness.net reported. Arkansas’ other three U.S. House members and Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton won reelection Tuesday, though they faced stronger Democratic challenges than in recent election cycles.
With an estimated 99% of the vote counted, Hill led Jones by 4,402 votes. The Republican incumbent received 127,427 votes, or 50.9%, compared with 123,025 votes, or 49.1%, for Jones, according to Associated Press results updated at 11:46 p.m. Tuesday.
Hill, of Little Rock, is seeking a seventh term. First elected in 2014, he serves as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, overseeing banking, lending, and the nation’s financial system. Jones, a Pine Bluff native with degrees from Morehouse College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, previously ran for governor against Republican Sarah Sanders. He made economic affordability, health care, and congressional accountability central issues in his challenge.
The contest drew national attention after an August poll by Talk Business & Politics and Hendrix College showed Jones leading Hill 48% to 44%, with 8% undecided, a margin within the survey’s 5.3-percentage-point margin of error. During an October debate hosted by Arkansas TV, the candidates clashed over congressional oversight of the Trump administration, federal spending, health care, and artificial intelligence.
Tom Cotton Secures Third Term in U.S. Senate
Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton won a third six-year term Tuesday, defeating Democrat Hallie Shoffner and Libertarian Jeff Wadlin.
With an estimated 97% of the vote counted, Cotton received 477,993 votes, or 54.2%, to Shoffner’s 374,631 votes, or 42.5%. Wadlin finished with 29,292 votes, or 3.3%.
“Tonight, Arkansans voted to defend the conservative values of faith, family, and freedom that have made our state great,” Cotton said in a statement. “The next six years, I’ll continue fighting for good jobs, safe streets, secure borders, and a strong military—and to preserve the freedoms we inherited for our children and grandchildren.”
First elected to the Senate in 2014 after defeating Democratic incumbent Mark Pryor, Cotton previously served one term in the U.S. House. An Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, he serves as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, the third-ranking position in Senate leadership.
Shoffner, a sixth-generation Arkansas farmer from Jackson County, entered the race after her family’s farming operation closed due to financial difficulties. She emphasized economic pressures facing working families and the challenges confronting the state’s agricultural sector. Following the election, Shoffner posted a brief message on Facebook: “The people in Arkansas are worth fighting for. Believe in Arkansas.”
Incumbents Hold Firm Across Arkansas House Districts
Republican U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford easily won reelection, securing a ninth term representing eastern and northeastern Arkansas. With an estimated 99% of the vote counted, Crawford received 126,902 votes, or 65.5%, compared with 60,047 votes, or 31%, for Democrat Terri Yarbrough Green. Libertarian Steve G. Parsons received 6,936 votes, or 3.6%.
Crawford, of Jonesboro, was first elected in 2010, becoming the first Republican to win the district since Reconstruction. He assumed the chairmanship of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in January 2025.
In northwest Arkansas, Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Womack won a ninth term, defeating Democrat Robb Ryerse and Libertarian Bobby Wilson. Womack received 127,303 votes, or 54.9%, over Ryerse’s 96,189 votes, or 41.5%. Wilson drew 8,413 votes, or 3.6%.
“Representing the people of the Third District of Arkansas in Congress is the greatest honor of my life, and I am grateful to have once again earned their trust,” Womack said in a statement. Womack serves on the House Appropriations Committee and chairs its Transportation, Housing and Urban Development subcommittee.
Rounding out the state’s congressional delegation, Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman won a seventh term representing southern and western Arkansas. Westerman received 128,516 votes, or 65.3%, defeating Democrat Rus Russell, who finished with 68,224 votes, or 34.7%. Westerman serves as chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.
Eddings emphasized that the 2nd District campaign would take whatever time was necessary to ensure all ballots were properly reviewed before drawing any final conclusions.
