Sample wins Republican SD 14 race

State Sen. Bill Sample defeated Jerry Neal Tuesday night by a 55 to 45 percent margin to win the Republican primary for the state Senate District 14 seat.

According to the Arkansas secretary of state's office, Sample received 5,712 votes districtwide, and Neal received 4,650.

"I just want to thank the voters of District 14 for having enough confidence in me to give me this win," Sample said in an interview Wednesday morning.

Sample will now face Independent candidate George Pritchett in November.

"We'll start back up in September and put all our effort into raising funds to put on another campaign," Sample said.

Neal, a first-time political candidate, said he was disappointed by the result but encouraged by the amount of support he received.

"The best part of the primary was the wonderful people we all met," Neal said. "It was a great experience. It was a disappointing result, but we didn't embarrass ourselves."

The race was considered by several news outlets to be one of a few state Senate races in 2014 that could determine the future of the state's "private option" version of Medicaid expansion. Sample is a supporter of the program and Neal opposed it.

Sample won Garland County by a 3,951 to Neal's 3,290 vote margin, and Saline County by a 1,761 to 1,360 vote margin, according to the secretary of state's office.

Local on 05/22/2014

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