Republicans sweep Arkansas executive offices

Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge will trade jobs in January.

They were two of the Republican candidates for seven statewide executive offices, and all seven won handily Tuesday with at least 60% of the vote by the time a vast majority of the votes had been counted.

The Associated Press called the governor’s race for Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders shortly after the polls closed at 7:30 p.m., and all six remaining races shortly before 11 p.m.

Rutledge defeated Democrat Kelly Krout and Libertarian Frank Gilbert, and Griffin defeated Democrat Jesse Gibson.

Secretary of State John Thurston and Land Commissioner Tommy Land, both incumbents, held their seats against challenges from Democrats Anna Beth Gorman and Darlene Goldi Gaines, respectively.

Mark Lowery defeated Democrat Pam Whitaker to become state treasurer, and Dennis Milligan defeated Democrat Diamond Arnold-Johnson and Libertarian Simeon Snow to become state auditor.

Unofficial returns for all six races with 86% of the vote counted were:

Lieutenant Governor:

• Rutledge 540,959
• Krout 268,601
• Gilbert 31,225

Attorney General:

• Griffin 567,829
• Gibson 269,745

Secretary of State:

• Thurston 571,036
• Gorman 276,096

Treasurer

• Lowery 563,809
• Whitaker 278,907

Land Commissioner

• Land 582,119
• Gaines 259,947

Auditor

• Milligan 566,466
• Arnold-Johnson 246,491
• Snow 35,903