Two seats were up for election on Arkansas’ Supreme Court in 2016. Arkansas Supreme Court justices are chosen in nonpartisan elections and serve for eight-year terms. All four candidates competed in a nonpartisan election on March 1, 2016. Circuit Court Judge Dan Kemp defeated Associate Justice Courtney Goodson in the race for the Chief Justice position. The current Chief Justice, Howard Brill, did not file for reelection. Circuit Judge Shawn A. Womack defeated attorney Clark W. Mason in the race for the Court’s 5th position. Justice Paul Danielson, who currently fills the 5th position, will retire at the end of 2016.
The Brennan Center used multiple sources for spending information, which showed the following:
Kantar Media/CMAG: Estimated Total TV Spending: $1,240,730*
- Estimated spending by Courtney Goodson: $378,650
- Estimated spending by the Judicial Crisis Network: $554,840
- Estimated spending by Dan Kemp: $110,710
- Estimated spending by Clark Mason: $76,080
- Estimated spending by the Republican State Leadership Committee: $120,450
*Kantar Media/CMAG estimates last updated on March 15, 2016
FCC Contracts: Recorded TV Contracts: $1,299,200*
- Television ad buys recorded for Courtney Goodson: $338,030
- Television ad buys recorded for the Judicial Crisis Network: $604,405
- Television ad buys recorded for Dan Kemp: $107,890
- Television ad buys recorded for Clark Mason: $73,500.00
- Television ad buys recorded for the Republican State Leadership Committee: $175,375.00
*Recorded ad buys last updated on March 1, 2016
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February 23 – Ka-Ching
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This ad describes Clark Mason as “the ultimate jackpot personal injury trial lawyer.”
Sponsor: Republican State Leadership Committee
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $120,450
February 23 – Special
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In this ad, Mason says he’ll “decide every case strictly on the facts of the law.”
Sponsor: Clark Mason
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $31,810
February 21 – Not For Sale
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This ad says Goodson took contributions from trial lawyers and ruled in their favor.
Sponsor: Judicial Crisis Network
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $255,010
February 20 – Dark Money 2
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Goodson calls attack ads against her “shady,” emphasizing that she “play[s] by the rules.”
Sponsor: Courtney Goodson
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $125,690
February 19 – The Least Among Us
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Mason discusses his legal experience and says he will “be fair and impartial.”
Sponsor: Clark Mason
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $44,270
February 16 – Our Values Rev
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Kemp discusses the values from his upbringing: “faith in God, integrity, and experience.”
Sponsor: Dan Kemp
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $57,340
February 16 – Our Values
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Kemp discusses his upbringing, values, experience on the court.
Sponsor: Dan Kemp
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $53,370
February 10 – Dark Money
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Goodson calls attack ads against her “shady and false.”
Sponsor: Courtney Goodson
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $132,440
February 9 – First Day in Court Rev
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Courtney Goodson discusses the values she will bring to the court.
Sponsor: Courtney Goodson
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $17,380
February 8 - The Insider
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This ad criticizes Courtney Goodson for accepting gifts and contributions from trial lawyers.
Sponsor: Judicial Crisis Network
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $299,830
February 3 - First Day in Court
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In this ad, Goodson says her priority is “to earn your trust every day, honoring the Constitution, and making sure justice is served.”
Sponsor: Courtney Goodson
Estimated Spending (Kantar Media/CMAG): $103,140
Mailers
Republican State Leadership Committee
This mailer by the Republican State Leadership Committee highlights his ethics, integrity, and conservative values, while attacking Goodson’s ethics and claiming she took gifts from trial lawyers.
News
John Lyon, Panel Debates Possible Judicial Reforms, Arkansas News, March 30, 2016.
David Ramsey, Dan Kemp and Shawn Womack Elected to Supreme Court, Arkansas Times, March 1, 2016.
David Ramsey, Justice Courtney Goodson Ad Hits Airwaves in Race for Chief Justice of State Supreme Court, Arkansas Times, February 3, 2016.
Benjamin Hardy, The 2016 Election Preview, Arkansas Times, November 12, 2015.
Methodology
Data on ad airings and spending on ads are calculated and prepared by Kantar Media/CMAG, which captures satellite data in the nation’s largest media markets. CMAG’s estimates do not reflect ad agency commissions or the costs of producing advertisements, nor do they reflect the cost of ad buys on local cable channels. Cost estimates are revised by Kantar Media/CMAG when it receives updated data, resulting in some fluctuations in the reported ad spending.
Data on spending on ads was also compiled from ad purchase contracts posted by the FCC and from state disclosure databases when available.