Little Rock’s first Black mayor faces reelection fight

By ANDREW DeMILLO
Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Little Rock’s first popularly elected Black mayor is hoping to fend off reelection challenges despite criticism over the city’s spiraling homicide rate and Republican-backed efforts to unseat him. Mayor Frank Scott faces three challengers in Tuesday’s election. Scott was first elected mayor of Arkansas’ capital in a runoff election in 2018. The position is technically nonpartisan, but Scott is one of the most high-profile Democrats in predominantly Republican Arkansas. His chief rival is Steve Landers, a retired car dealer who’s been citing the homicide rate. It takes at least 40% of the vote to win without a runoff.