An Arkansas father awaiting trial on a second-degree murder charge has won the Republican primary for county sheriff in Lonoke County, Arkansas, setting up a closely watched race in November.
Unofficial results from the Arkansas secretary of state show Aaron Spencer captured about 53% of the vote in Tuesday's Republican primary, defeating three-term incumbent Sheriff John Staley and challenger David Bufford.
The race has drawn national attention because Spencer, 37, is out on bond and faces a pending murder case in the same county he hopes to lead, according to NBC News.
Spencer is charged with second-degree murder in the October 2024 shooting of 67-year-old Michael Fosler, who had been accused of sexually abusing Spencer's then-13-year-old daughter and was free on bail at the time.
Spencer has admitted to the shooting but pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers say he acted within Arkansas law to protect his child and himself.
The trial was initially scheduled to begin in January but was postponed after the Arkansas Supreme Court removed the original judge from the case at the defense's request. A retired judge has since been assigned, and a hearing later this month is expected to set a new trial date, meaning the criminal case could move forward before the November general election, ABC17 News reported.
Lonoke County is a conservative area where Donald Trump won nearly three-quarters of the vote in the 2024 presidential election, and Spencer's primary win makes him a strong contender in the fall. He will face Democrat Brian Mitchell Sr. in the general election for sheriff.
Spencer, an Army veteran and farmer, launched his campaign last year, saying his own case showed him problems in local law enforcement and the courts. On the trail, he has spoken about public safety, support for crime victims, and what he describes as a need for greater accountability in the justice system.
State law allows Spencer to remain on the ballot while his case is pending, and there is no automatic bar on his serving as sheriff if elected while awaiting trial. Local Republican officials have said that if Spencer is eventually convicted and cannot serve, the party would have to select a new nominee to fill the vacancy, as per CNN.
