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State Senate District 8 Runoff Set To Begin Tuesday

FORT SMITH (KFSM) — A runoff for the State Senate District 8 seat starts Tuesday (June 12). The two candidates are Representative Mat Pitsch and former Re...

FORT SMITH (KFSM) -- A runoff for the State Senate District 8 seat starts Tuesday (June 12).

The two candidates are Representative Mat Pitsch and former Representative Frank Glidewell.

The District 8 Senate seat was held by Jake Files until he resigned earlier this year after pleading guilty to federal charges of wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering.

This is one of the issues Glidewell said is very important.

“We do need to do something about this corruption that is going on and I think that has a lot to do with our GIF funds and Obamacare, that's where it originates,” he said.

After May's primary, Governor Asa Hutchinson endorsed Pitsch. He has served more than three years in the House of Representatives.

Pitsch said his voting record sets him apart from his opponent.

"I was honored to be elected by my peers as the house majority leader and that shows relevance in the body. That shows that you are down there working for the betterment of the state of Arkansas and the River Valley,” he said.

Glidewell served in the house for six years, but couldn't run again due to term limits.

He ran for State Senate District 13 seat, but was defeated in the primary runoff election by Jake Files.

Glidewell said with our taxes so high it is hard for new business to come in.

“We're the highest taxed state of any surrounding state we have. We've got to look at that. We've got to look at that. We need to change up our tax system,” he said.

Pitsch said there is a lot of work to be done in Little Rock for the betterment of our community.

“I think infrastructure, roads, highways, economic development, job creation, those are all important to a city and a region like Fort Smith and the River Valley.”

You can vote at the Sebastian County Courthouse or at Greenwood City Hall from Tuesday (June 12) until Monday (June 18).

Glidewell faces Libertarian candidate Whitfield Hyman in an August 14 special election to determine who will fill the remaining three months of Files' term from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31.

The candidate who wins next week's runoff will also face Hyman in the November general election.

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