Incumbent
Kim Hammer
Arkansas Secretary of State Republican nominee?
$61.3K
APR 7, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleState Senator
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age67 years old (Aug 11, 1958)
GenderMale
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LocationArkansas
BackgroundPastor
EducationTrinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary (B.A.)
Notable personal detailsKim David Hammer is a Republican Arkansas state senator from Benton who has served in the Arkansas Senate since 2019, after serving in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2011 to 2018. He is a Missionary Baptist pastor and a retired hospice chaplain. In 2026 he ran for Arkansas Secretary of State and won the Republican nomination in the March 31, 2026 runoff.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Kim Hammer has sponsored measures that reduce certain taxes (for example, proposing to extend a sales-tax exemption for student electronic devices) while his legislative record includes votes tied to fee or tax increases and expanded government funding. Overall his record contains both tax-cutting proposals and votes that have raised or created taxes or fees.
Healthcare
Opposes expansive public-health mandates and has sponsored and supported legislation expanding conscience protections for healthcare providers, allowing refusal of certain services on religious or moral grounds. Record shows involvement in legal action against COVID-19 public-health directives and sponsorship of state bills that broaden providers’ rights to decline participation in services they object to.
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Immigration & Border
Kim Hammer has expressed support for cooperating with federal immigration enforcement in cases involving criminal offenders and has raised concerns about non-citizens participating in elections. His comments emphasize targeting criminal immigration cases while distinguishing long-term non-criminal residents from those he characterizes as threats to public safety.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate has sponsored and supported legislation that memorializes and restricts abortion in Arkansas, including sponsoring the 2023 bill (Act 310 / SB307) to create a “Monument to the Unborn” and a legislative record of voting for limits on abortion and related restrictions. Public statements and actions show sustained opposition to abortion access beyond narrow life-of-the-mother exceptions.
Climate & Energy
Kim Hammer opposes increased environmental regulations aimed at reducing climate change and indicated opposition to state funding for alternative energy while supporting state funding for traditional domestic energy sources and energy infrastructure improvements. His public materials focus on his legislative and election priorities rather than climate policy specifics.
Public Safety & Guns
Has sponsored and supported legislation that expands concealed-carry privileges and reduces restrictions on lawful handgun possession, and has sponsored bills increasing penalties or limiting parole for certain firearm offenses. Positions indicate strong support for Second Amendment rights and for law-enforcement-oriented, punitive firearm policies.
News
Kim Hammer won the Republican runoff for Arkansas secretary of state and is now the GOP nominee for the November general election. The race was very close, and Bryan Norris has since requested recounts in multiple counties; several recounts so far have shown no change in the vote totals. Norris has also asked a judge to recuse or transfer the election challenge ahead of a May 29 hearing. Hammer also received an endorsement from Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders during the primary.
Defeated SOS candidate Bryan Norris seeks judge’s recusal on eve of trial
Three more counties complete recount in secretary of state race, report no change
Norris requests recount in Republican primary runoff for secretary of state
Kim Hammer narrowly wins runoff in Republican Secretary of State primary
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising