Arkansas chief justice election won’t change conservative tilt of court, but will make history

Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The winner of Arkansas’ race for state Supreme Court chief justice won’t change the conservative majority of a court that has been targeted by Republican groups in recent elections. But whoever wins the race will become the first woman elected to chief justice in Arkansas. Justices Karen Baker and Rhonda Wood are running to replace outgoing Chief Justice Dan Kemp in this year’s nonpartisan runoff. They were the top two finishers in a four-person race for the court in March, but neither garnered the majority to win the race outright. The two candidates split earlier in the court’s ruling over an abortion rights measure.