Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Elvis Presley qualify for Arkansas' gubernatorial race

Sarah Huckabee Sanders is not the only well-known name vying for Arkansas governor.

Elvis Presley has filed papers with the secretary of state's office, hoping to have his votes counted as a write-in candidate in November.

No, it's not that Elvis Presley. This Elvis Presley is apparently alive and well and lives in Star City, according to online qualifying information from Secretary of State John Thurston.

Presley also must file a notice of candidacy with all 35 of Arkansas' counties for the votes to count. Write-in candidates also are required to file a political practices pledge and affidavit of eligibility.

A quick online search shows this is not the first time Elvis has appeared on an Arkansas ballot. Elvis Presley appeared on the gubernatorial ballot in 2010 and took a shot at the 1st Congressional District seat in 2018.

Other than Elvis Presley, Sanders is the most-recognized name who qualified this week in the gubernatorial race. The former White House press secretary is being challenged in the Republican primary by talk show host Doc Washburn.

Gov. Asa Hutchison has served two terms and cannot run again.

Five people are vying for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. They include former state Rep. Jay Martin, who served as majority leader in the Arkansas Legislature; nuclear physicist and minister Chris Jones; James “Rus” Russell III, a business owner from Little Rock; Supha Xayprasith-Mays, who previously worked at the corporate headquarters for Walmart in Bentonville; and Anthony Bland, a business teacher with the Little Rock School District.

Former missionary and chaplain Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. from Pine Bluff has filed to run as a Libertarian. Besides Presley, Dan Nelson from Rogers and Michael Woodard also have qualified to run as write-in candidates.

Lt. Gov. Tim Griffin, who initially said he was running for governor, is running for attorney general.

Three people are vying for the Republican nomination to fill Griffin's shoes: state Sen. Jason Rapert, R-Conway; Arkansas Surgeon General Greg Bledsoe of Little Rock; former state Sen. Doyle Webb of Benton, who served as chair of the Republican Party of Arkansas for 12 years.

Kelly Ross Krout of Lowell, a mother of seven and former foster parent, is the only Democrat who has filed candidacy for lieutenant governor. Frank Gilbert of White Hall is running as a Libertarian. He previously ran for lieutenant governor in 2018 and sought the governor's seat in 2014.

Candidates have until Tuesday to qualify for state offices. The preferential primary election is May 24 with early voting beginning May 7, according to information from the secretary of state.