RISON - Harrell Wilson of the Staves community become the first candidate to officially file for the District 1 State Senate seat left vacant by the resignation of Republican Ben Gilmore of Crossett last month.
Wilson, along with his wife, Holley, formally filed for the special primary election on Monday at the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office in Little Rock. Wilson is running as a Republican.
The filing period for the special election opened at noon Monday, July 13, and closes at noon this Thursday, July 16. Any candidate from any political party must file within that period to be included in the special primary election set for Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Laura “Missy” Wardlaw of Hermitage formally filed her paperwork Tuesday to seek the Republican nomination as well.
The nominees selected during the partisan primaries and any independent candidates who file for the seat will face off in a special election that will coincide with the general election on Nov. 3.
State Senate District 1 encompasess much of the southeast corner of Arkansas. It includes includes all of Cleveland, Ashley, Bradley and Drew counties, and portions of Chicot, Desha, Grant, Jefferson and Lincoln counties.
Whoever is elected in November will complete Gilmore’s unexpired term, which expires at the end of January 2029.
In additon to announcing his formal entry into the race, Wilson’s campaign also announced over $180,000 in campaign funds.
“I have been humbled and overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from Southeast Arkansas,” Wilson said in a prepared statement released Monday. “The prayers, volunteers, campaign contributions, and endorsements have been truly encouraging.
“This is a game of addition, not subtraction, and each day we add new supporters that care about the future of Southeast Arkansas. The momentum is real, and I am extremely grateful to everyone who has jumped on board with our campaign,” said Wilson.
Since announcing his candidacy, Wilson has received endorsements from the Gov. Sara…