Arkansas Upset! Establishment Republican Defeats Trump-Backed Candidate

Arkansas Sen. Kim Hammer (R), who received support from a handful of top Republican officials in the state, is projected to win the GOP primary runoff for Arkansas secretary of state, according to Decision Desk HQ. Hammer defeated Republican Bryan Norris — a retired Army first sergeant and businessman who enjoyed the backing of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and former President Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn — in the race to become the state’s top elections official.

Norris and Hammer, who had support from Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), after neither candidate won more than half of the vote in the March 3 primary. Norris edged out Hammer, with the Army veteran receiving 34 percent while the GOP state senator received 33 percent earlier this month.

On Tuesday, Hammer is projected to beat Norris by just over one percentage point with more than 95 percent of the vote reported, per DDHQ. The contest was closely fought and demonstrated the division within the Republican Party in Arkansas.

Hammer's victory represents a triumph for the state's Republican establishment, while Norris's defeat underscores the waning influence of figures like Lindell and Flynn in some local contests.

On the trail, the two candidates found themselves on the opposite side of the issue of hand-counted paper ballots. Norris has been a key advocate for hand counting, while Hammer introduced since-passed legislation that requires paper ballots to be “compatible with the electronic vote tabulation devices.” The law also requires counties that use paper ballots to be responsible for the costs associated with producing and using said ballots.

This key difference in their stances on electoral integrity highlighted the different views within the Republican Party on how to address concerns about election security.

Norris has also come under fire over some of his social media posts, including ones that used expletives against Cotton, according to Camden News. Norris reportedly made that comment because of his past history with the GOP senator, whom the Army veteran expressed frustrations with when he moved from Germany to Arkansas after he retired from service.

“I’m a soldier. I’m a military guy. We use some salty language from time to time,” Norris told KATV in an interview this month. “I’m a work in progress. I’m a human being that makes mistakes from time to time. You’re never going to hear me talk or speak that way again.”

Hammer will face Democrat Kelly Grappe in the red state’s November general election, which he is likely to clinch. Hammer's victory in the primary further consolidates Republican control in Arkansas.

Although Grappe represents a challenge, the state's strong Republican bias makes Hammer the favorite to win the general election and become the next Secretary of State of Arkansas.