3 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
3 candidates · ballot order · Sarah Huckabee Sanders currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Continuing 'transformational education reform' through Arkansas LEARNS — higher teacher pay and universal school choice.
Lower taxes; she has said lawmakers must limit spending for a tax cut session to happen.
Safer communities: more prison capacity, keeping repeat offenders in custody, and the 'death by delivery' charge for fentanyl.
The Natural State Initiative to grow Arkansas's outdoor economy.
Streamlining state government.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Governor of Arkansas since January 2023; the state's first woman governor; White House press secretary 2017-2019.
Signed the Arkansas LEARNS Act, which raised teacher pay and created a universal school voucher programme.
Signed income tax cuts.
Announced the purchase of 815 acres in Franklin County for $2.95 million in October 2024 for a new 3,000-bed prison; legislators voted five times in the 2025 session to defeat a $750 million funding package for it, and the project has been described by officials as on hold while she pursues other options.
Cites an increase of 1,500 beds in existing prisons and the creation of a 'death by delivery' charge as public safety accomplishments.
Gained a majority on the Arkansas Board of Corrections in early 2026.
Several candidates she endorsed in the March 2026 legislative primaries lost, including Senate Majority Leader Blake Johnson.
Was unopposed for the Republican nomination and is endorsed by President Donald Trump.
Arguments in favor
She delivered the largest education overhaul in decades — higher teacher pay and universal school choice under LEARNS — plus income tax cuts, in a single term.
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Governor campaign
She has added 1,500 prison beds and created the 'death by delivery' charge for fentanyl deaths, and would keep building capacity to hold repeat offenders.
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders, in her 2026 State of the State address
She carries President Trump's endorsement and was unopposed for renomination.
— President Donald Trump and the Republican Party of Arkansas
Arguments against
The Franklin County prison has gone nowhere: legislators, including Republicans, voted five times in 2025 to defeat its $750 million funding package, and the project has been on hold for months while she looks for other ideas.
— Arkansas Times and Arkansas Advocate reporting
Her school voucher programme should be stopped, and the Franklin County prison should not be built.
— Fredrick Love, Democratic nominee
Her hold on her own party is weaker than it looks: candidates she endorsed in the March 2026 legislative primaries lost, including the Senate majority leader, in races reported as tests of her pull over the prison fight.
— Arkansas Advocate reporting
What we couldn’t verify
Her official campaign website could not be verified, so no URL is listed.
Her current plan for prison capacity now that the Franklin County funding has repeatedly failed.
Her position on protecting Arkansas's Medicaid expansion, which her opponent has made an issue.
Protecting public schools and stopping the LEARNS Act school voucher programme.
Protecting Arkansas's Medicaid expansion.
Creating regional economic hubs around the state, with a focus on rural and underserved areas.
Opposing the proposed 3,000-bed prison in Franklin County.
'Protecting public schools, empowering communities, and driving inclusive economic growth across the state.'
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Arkansas state senator for District 15 since January 2023; member of the Arkansas House of Representatives 2011-2023.
Announced his campaign in June 2025.
Won the March 3 2026 Democratic primary with about 81% (104,725 votes) over Supha Xayprasith-Mays.
Arguments in favor
He would stop the school voucher programme and put the money back into public schools, and protect Arkansas's Medicaid expansion.
— Fred Love for Governor campaign
His economic plan is built around regional hubs aimed at rural and underserved parts of the state rather than at the metro areas.
— Fred Love for Governor campaign
He opposes the Franklin County prison, which has failed five funding votes in a Republican legislature and drawn strong local opposition.
— Fred Love for Governor campaign
Arguments against
He is running against LEARNS and its universal school choice provisions, which the governor's supporters treat as the most popular achievement of her term.
— Sarah Huckabee Sanders for Governor campaign
Opposing new prison capacity leaves him without an answer to the overcrowding the state's public safety agenda is built around.
— Republican Party of Arkansas
What we couldn’t verify
His official campaign website could not be verified, so no URL is listed.
How he would fund regional economic hubs, or what he would do about prison overcrowding.
Very little criticism of him by name from the Sanders campaign was located, so only two arguments against are listed and both are drawn from general party framing rather than quoted statements; a reviewer should treat that as thin.
Libertarian Party of Arkansas nominee for governor in 2026.
A farmer by occupation.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
His stated policy positions could not be established; no campaign website or platform document was located, so standsFor is left empty rather than filled in from the national Libertarian platform.
No organised advocacy for his candidacy and no criticism of him by name from an opposing campaign or outlet could be found, so no arguments are listed on either side.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Republican incumbent Sarah Huckabee Sanders is seeking a second term. Roster established from Wikipedia's race page, Ballotpedia, Arkansas Advocate, Arkansas Times, KAIT and Talk Business & Politics, cross-checked. Sanders was unopposed for the Republican nomination in the March 3 2026 primary; state Senator Fredrick 'Fred' Love won the Democratic nomination with about 81% over businesswoman Supha Xayprasith-Mays. Colt Shelby, a farmer, is the Libertarian nominee and also appears on the ballot. Shelby is listed with empty argument sections: no organised advocacy for him and no criticism of him by name could be found.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Arkansas ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.