It’s not often the chair of the Democratic National Committee feels the need to weigh in on a state legislative race in Arkansas.

But after Democrat Alex Holladay flipped a seat in the state House of Representatives on Tuesday, DNC Chair Ken Martin could not hold back his praise for Democrats in the Natural State.

“This big win is yet another warning sign to Republicans across the country, and a new reality is now sinking in: no Republican seat is safe,” Martin said in a statement Wednesday.

Holladay defeated Republican Bo Renshaw in a special election for House District 70, a seat that covers parts of North Little Rock and Sherwood, flipping a Republican-held seat.

The district had been represented by former state Rep. Carlton Wing, R-North Little Rock, since it was redrawn after the 2020 census. But in September Wing resigned to become the executive director and CEO of ArkansasTV, formerly Arkansas PBS, creating the need for a special election.

The election was a rare opportunity for Democrats to net a seat in the state Legislature, where they have almost only lost seats since losing control of the General Assembly in the 2012 elections.

Once sworn in, Holladay will become the 20th Democrat in the 100-member House, only making a small dent in the Republican supermajority.

But for Martin, Holladay’s win continues a string of victories in special elections for state legislative races that foreshadow midterms in November.

In recent months, Democrats have picked up seats in the Texas and Mississippi legislatures, which they have pointed to as a sign of growing momentum.

“Across the South, Democrats continue to rise and win. I always say that when you organize everywhere, you can win anywhere, and that there’s no such thing as a permanent red district,” Martin said.

Of particular note was Holladay’s margin of victory.

With an estimated 100% of the votes counted, unofficial returns were:

Holladay4,033

Renshaw2,995

“All of our projections never said that we would have a margin like that,” Holladay said in a phone interview Wednesday.

One of the many surprises from the election included the election day turnout numbers, Holladay said.

While Democrats dominated the early voting numbers in Pulaski County — one of the few heavily blue pockets of the state — Democrats outnumbered Republicans in election day voting on Tuesday with 18,363 people casting Democratic ballots compared to the 10,500 who pulled ballots for Republicans.

In District 70, the margins were closer. While Holladay blew out Renshaw in the early vote numbers, pulling in 2,394 early votes to Renshaw’s 1,365, on election day Holladay bested Renshaw by a mere two votes.

“I can’t believe we won election day,” Holladay said. “Democrats typically do not win election day.”

For his part, Holladay said his win came down mostly to local issues such as concerns over rising costs, education and opposition to a proposed prison in Franklin County. Although he did say, “I would be lying if I said the national news didn’t help our cause.”

While Holladay said his campaign had the momentum, it was Renshaw’s that had the cash. According to their campaign finance reports filed about a week before the election, Renshaw had raised a total of $86,000 compared to the $37,000 Holladay raised.

But Tuesday’s contest was just round one between Holladay and Renshaw, as the two candidates will square off again in the regularly scheduled election in November.

Drew Martin, the executive director of the Republican Party of Arkansas, said in a text message Wednesday: “We’re looking forward to the rematch in November.”

“Last night was about competitive Democrat primaries in Pulaski County that drove their turnout,” he said. “November will be a different story.”

Democratic Party of Arkansas Chair Marcus Jones called Holladay’s win “a fantastic indication of how (Arkansans) are going to vote and that momentum is swinging our way.”

Additionally, Jones noted state Senate candidates Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders endorsed in the Republican primary failed to unseat the incumbent legislators who are skeptical of her plans for a prison in Franklin County, another sign voters are weary the state’s GOP establishment.

Jones also said Holladay was aided by the special election, something Democrats have excelled in, with the party flipping nine legislative seats since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025, according to NBC News.

“It has been proven since Trump took over as our president that Democrats have over performed in special elections and this is no different,” Jones said.