Division 2 race heads to runoff, again

Local attorney Cecilia Dyer, candidate for Division 2 circuit court judge, campaigns Tuesday at the Village Bible Church, 100 Ponderosa Way, in Hot Springs Village. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record
Local attorney Cecilia Dyer, candidate for Division 2 circuit court judge, campaigns Tuesday at the Village Bible Church, 100 Ponderosa Way, in Hot Springs Village. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record

The three-way race for Division 2 circuit court judge will again be decided in a runoff in November between incumbent Wade Naramore, seeking a second term, and local attorney Cecilia Dyer, as it was in 2014.

Dyer came out ahead Tuesday night with all precincts reporting with 6,789 votes, or 35.7%, followed by Naramore with 6,404 votes, or 33.7%, while attorney Brian Johnson ran third with 5,800 votes, or 30.5%. The votes were still unofficial at presstime.

"I'm not surprised at how close it was," Dyer said late Tuesday. "When you have three good candidates and especially when you have Wade who has been on the bench for six years. Brian is a good candidate, too; he's a fine attorney. I knew it was going to be neck and neck."

Dyer said she felt good going into the runoff in November, noting, "I'm just hopeful I can capture and convince those who voted for Brian to switch and support me."

Division 2 Circuit Court Judge Wade Naramore, who is seeking a second term, campaigns Tuesday at Creekside Community Church, 1010 Shady Grove Road, one of the polling places for the nonpartisan general election. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record
Division 2 Circuit Court Judge Wade Naramore, who is seeking a second term, campaigns Tuesday at Creekside Community Church, 1010 Shady Grove Road, one of the polling places for the nonpartisan general election. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record

"I'm really thankful for everyone who came out and supported me," Naramore said late Tuesday. "I'm looking forward to a good clean campaign and going into November."

Naramore said he also wanted to congratulate Johnson on a "well run and hard-fought campaign."

"I ran a clean race," Johnson said late Tuesday. "I have nothing to look back and wonder if I could have done anything differently. I put everything into this race for five months and believe I did everything that I could have possibly done."

Naramore had told The Sentinel-Record earlier in the day he knew it was a possibility it would come down to a runoff, but noted, 'You never know. With four candidates (in 2014), it was almost guaranteed, but with three, it's hard to say."

Dyer had predicted it would "definitely" be a runoff, saying, "In order for one to win, they would have to get 50% plus one. When you have three or more running, it's possible, but not probable."

"At this point, there's not a result that would really surprise me," Johnson had said earlier. "If it is a runoff or if one person gets the majority, if it's a runoff between me and Cecilia or me and Wade or Wade and Cecilia. I have no clue where it's really going to end up. But I feel like it's probably going to be a runoff."

Brian Johnson, managing public defender for the judicial circuit comprising Montgomery and Polk counties, a candidate for Division 2 circuit court judge, campaigns Tuesday outside the Garland County Election Commission on Ouachita Avenue. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record
Brian Johnson, managing public defender for the judicial circuit comprising Montgomery and Polk counties, a candidate for Division 2 circuit court judge, campaigns Tuesday outside the Garland County Election Commission on Ouachita Avenue. - Photo by Richard Rasmussen of The Sentinel-Record

"We campaigned hard and we tried our best to get as many votes as we could," Naramore said.

Dyer said, "There are two ways to run, unopposed or scared. I'm opposed so I've been running scared for awhile. But we ran a good positive campaign and I feel good and positive about it."

Johnson said he was encouraged to hear turnout for early voting was higher than in 2016 and 2018, noting, "I'm glad to hear we're getting the voters out to the polls."

He said the whole process "was a giant learning experience no matter what happens in the end. I'm a better person for it. It allowed me to reach out and find my place in the community and to find out where the community needs help. It's all a big plus no matter what the final outcome turns out to be."

Johnson said he was "lucky enough" to be a new board member of Hot Springs Young Professionals and CASA and an advisory board member for Stop the Violence and the Salvation Army, all as a result of his campaign and going through the process.

Noting earlier the campaign "has been going wonderfully," Naramore said, "I want to thank everyone, my family and friends, for everything they've done to help, and everyone who has been stopping by and visiting with me these last two weeks. I'm really thankful to have that kind of support."

Dyer said she had numerous people to thank, but noted, "First and foremost, everyone who supported me with their vote, their prayers or even just positive words of encouragement."

She also commended her election team, stressing that "there's no way a single person can run a good positive campaign by themselves. I had so many who helped. I want to thank my immediate family, my husband and children. They've just been incredible and the outpouring of support from Garland county as a whole has just been fantastic."

Johnson said he wanted to thank his parents, Becky and Joe Johnson, "who have been fantastic," and his wife, Brittney, noting, "I put everything into this for the last five months and she's been there for me in every way through the whole thing."

He said he also wanted to thank Barbara Wade, Brittney Johnson, Cora Jones, Cyndi and Jeffrey Tauth, Brooke Neal "for organizing the poll workers" and Bill Couch.

Local on 03/04/2020

Upcoming Events