Two candidates have filed to run for the Arkansas House District 8 seat in a special election scheduled for Nov. 3. Republican Kara Armas of Pea Ridge and Democrat Parker Stohlton of Bella Vista submitted their candidacies by the filing deadline on Friday and will compete to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Republican Rep. Austin McCollum.
The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of McCollum’s term, which ends in January. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders called for the special election last week after McCollum stepped down earlier this month following his arrest on aggravated assault charges. McCollum, who had served in the House since 2017, was accused of domestic violence against his wife. His resignation reduced the Republican majority in the House to 79-20.
Kara Armas, one of the candidates, is the wife of Brian Armas, a Republican currently running unopposed for a full two-year term in House District 8 during the November general election. Brian Armas serves on the Benton County Quorum Court. House District 8 includes part of northern Benton County.
McCollum was not running for reelection to the House and had won the Republican nomination for Benton County judge in March. Despite his resignation from the legislature, McCollum has not withdrawn from the judge’s race and remains unopposed in November.
This will mark the fifth legislative vacancy filled in Arkansas in 2026. Republican Sen. Brad Simon and Democratic Rep. Alex Holladay won special elections in March for Senate District 26 and House District 70, respectively. In August, Republican Bill Teeter secured the House District 44 seat, replacing the late Republican Rep. Stan Berry.
Meanwhile, in another upcoming special election coinciding with the general election, Republican Harrell Wilson will face Democratic Eudora Mayor Tomeka Butler for the Senate District 1 seat. That vacancy was created earlier this year when Republican Sen. Ben Gilmore resigned to join Attorney General Tim Griffin’s office. Republicans currently hold a 28-6 majority in the Senate, with one seat vacant.