Arkansas Republican John Boozman Wins Senate Primary, Avoids Runoff

2 years ago

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In the last days of his campaign, Arkansas Republican Rep. John Boozman flew around the state to bolster his bid for the GOP Senate nomination against seven other candidates.

It paid off.

Boozman received enough votes Tuesday to avoid a runoff election, saving himself and his party a potentially bruising Round Two.

A runoff between the top two vote-getters would have cost Republicans time, money, and energy, and may have turned more negative than the primary.

The good news for Republicans is that they now have a real chance of winning a U.S. Senate seat that has been held by Democrats for 131 years.

Though little known outside his congressional district, Boozman enters the general election as the clear favorite. A recent Rasmussen poll of the race showed him handily defeating either Democratic incumbent Blanche Lincoln or her challenger, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, who will face each other in a runoff election. What's more, Rasmussen says just 35 percent of Arkansas voters approve of President Obama's performance. In short, Boozman begins with a huge advantage.

A former rancher and ophthalmologist (experience he stressed during the campaign), Boozman is now in his fifth term in Congress. He first won his congressional seat in a special election after Republican Asa Hutchinson resigned to become head of the Drug Enforcement Administration in 2001.

Boozman currently serves as assistant whip, helping Republican Whip Eric Cantor secure votes for important pieces of legislation.

Primary Election Coverage:

- Sestak Beats Specter, Paul Wins
- Specter Loses Pa. Senate Race
- Rand Paul Credits Tea Party for Win
- Who is Joe Sestak?
- Mark Critz Wins Murtha Seat
- Lincoln, Halter Head to Senate Runoff

Boozman initially resisted party entreaties to run for Senate, but entered the race late, apparently inspired by Scott Brown's surprise Senate victory in Massachusetts. During the primary campaign, he was attacked by one of his chief rivals, Arkansas state Sen. Gilbert Baker, as a Washington insider, primarily based on his vote for Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). In response, Boozman ran positive ads that talked about his "Christian upbringing" and his days playing "Razorback football" for the University of Arkansas.

There is extra drama attached to Boozman's campaign for U.S. Senate. A victory in November would avenge his late brother's 1998 loss to Lincoln. Fay Boozman, the former director of the state health department, tragically died in a 2005 farming accident.

Filed Under: Senate, Republicans, 2010 Elections, Congress

Tagged: 2010 Senate Elections, 2010 Senate Races, arkansas, Arkansas Senate Race, arkansas senate races, ArkansasSenateRace, Bill Halter, BillHalter, Blanche Lincoln, BlancheLincoln, John Boozman, JohnBoozman

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