Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Courtney Goodson greeted politicians and supporters in the Capitol rotunda on Tuesday as she filed for re-election, while a state Court of Appeals judge said earlier in the day he would enter the race to challenge her.
Three candidates, including Goodson, have now filed or announced plans to run for the single open spot on the high court this year.
Also Tuesday, Democrat Jared Henderson of Little Rock filed to run for his party's nomination for governor.
The most recent Supreme Court candidate, appellate Judge Kenneth Hixson of Paris, said Tuesday he plans to officially file today. David Sterling, the top attorney for the Department of Human Services, filed last week.
[2018 CANDIDATES: Full list of those who have filed to run for state, federal offices]
Goodson, who serves in Position 3 on the court, was first elected in 2010, after a stint on the Court of Appeals. She lost a bid for chief justice in 2016 to the current holder of that position, Dan Kemp.
Hixson was first elected to the Court of Appeals in 2012, after a career in private practice. His current term expires in 2022. Sterling made an unsuccessful run for attorney general as a Republican in 2014, before heading the legal department at Human Services.
In recent Supreme Court races, including Goodson's 2016 campaign, ad spending by out-of-state groups with unknown donors dominated the airwaves.
Goodson was the subject of several "dark money" attack ads. Her campaign, meanwhile, received a boost from trial lawyers associated with her husband, John Goodson -- though the sources of those donations were publicly reported in her campaign finance reports.
"I'm always an optimist," Goodson said Tuesday. "I expect things to be positive but if dark money does present itself, I think we will be prepared this time and I will do a much better job of setting the record straight."
In a phone call Tuesday, Sterling -- who in campaign releases touts his affiliation with conservative groups such as the Federalist Society and the National Rifle Association -- said he didn't know what the demeanor of the campaign, or the spending behind it, would be like.
"Everyone has the First Amendment right to speak. I cannot control an out-of-state entity," Sterling said. "I certainly won't be coordinating with any of them."
Hixson said Tuesday his decision to run was "fairly last minute" and that he had not planned out his campaign.
Judicial elections in Arkansas are nonpartisan. The general election for Goodson's seat on the high court, as well as other judicial positions, will be held on the same day as the May 22 primary election. The general election for other candidates is Nov. 6.
Partisan office-seekers also continued to file Tuesday.
According to the secretary of state's website, 30 candidates for state and federal offices filed at the state Capitol on Tuesday, the fourth day of the filing period that runs through Thursday. That increased the number of candidates to 260 for state and federal offices in this year's election cycle.
Henderson, the former executive director of the nonprofit group Teach for America in Arkansas, filed one day after Hot Springs Republican Jan Morgan and Batesville Libertarian candidate Mark West filed to run for governor. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson filed last Thursday to run for a second four-year term as governor.
Asked how he would break through the Republican dominance of the past few election cycles, Henderson said, "First of all, we're going to have to show up everywhere.
"I think in rural communities, for instance, I think you have a fighting shot at earning people's vote when you ... meet them, you demonstrate that you understand and respect them and you bring real quality ideas, so in our campaign, it is going to be education ... and it's going to be health care."
Henderson said he wants to have a sane and constructive debate on guns.
"We've had a 56 percent drop in the number of teachers that have entered the profession since 2009 and that's because we have asked them to be educators, we've asked them to be social workers and in some cases we have asked them to be parents and I don't think it is helpful to ask them to do something else," he said. "I think there has to be more constructive solutions."
Arming teachers "is too much to ask of teachers," said Henderson of the current discussion on how to protect students.
Also Tuesday, three more candidates filed for other state constitutional offices.
Anthony Bland, a Little Rock School District media technician, filed in the Democratic slot for lieutenant governor. Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin filed Thursday while Libertarian Frank Gilbert came through Monday.
Bland, who has never held a public office, said he will focus on equal education, fair pay and health care for all.
"I believe in civic equality for all," said Bland. "No matter your race, color or creed, you should be treated fairly."
Susan Inman, a Democrat, filed for secretary of state. She served as director of elections under former Secretary of State Sharon Priest and was the Pulaski County election director for 13 years.
"I thought long and hard about running for this seat again because it's very hard running a statewide campaign," Inman said. "But in this environment with voting issues and potential problems with voting, I simply could not sit back and not bring my experience forward to run again."
Others running for secretary of state are Libertarian Christopher Olson and two Republican candidates, Land Commissioner John Thurston and state Rep. Trevor Drown of Dover. Secretary of State Mark Martin, whose office is in charge of candidate filing, is himself term-limited.
Democrat Larry Williams, a Hot Springs city director and former Garland County judge, filed to run for land commissioner. Republican Tommy Land filed Thursday and Libertarian T.J. Campbell filed Monday for the office.
Williams said he's looking forward to the race.
"I'm building a grass-roots organization and I intend to run, in some ways, an unconventional campaign," Williams said. "I intend to go places other candidates never think about going."
A Section on 02/28/2018