On this episode of ledes that made me laugh:

Arkansas Senate Majority Leader Sen. Blake Johnson lost his primary tonight. Republican Rep. Jeremy Wooldridge came away with a convincing win over the longtime senator, who had planned to run for the Senate’s top job. Read more in @arkansasadvocate.com #arpx

Republican Brad Simon is Senate District 26’s new senator, winning a special election dominated by opposition to the Franklin County prison. He defeated independent Adam Watson, earning 69% of the vote with an estimated 86% of votes reported. #arpx Read more in @arkansasadvocate.com

Sen. Ron Caldwell has decisively defeated a primary challenger backed by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. He had 72% of vote to his opponent’s 28%, w/ 87% of the vote counted after the AP called the race. Caldwell voted against FrankCo prison funding last year. Read more @arkansasadvocate.com

Wrapped up a couple hours talking to voters outside New Life Church in Saline County. Tl;dr, the Republican voters I spoke to are happy with President Trump’s performance since returning to office, approving of his handling of immigration and economic policy. Read more @arkansasadvocate.com #arpx

I’ll be keeping an eye on some Arkansas Senate races today, with two Republican incumbents facing challengers backed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Read about them here: #arpx

Good primary day vibes: I had lovely conversation with a poll worker who used to work at a few newspapers in Cali about how much we both loved working in news as I got my ballot. It’s wonderful how little interactions like that can set the tone for the rest of the day! Tl;dr go vote! #arpx

new “i voted” sticker who dis?

It’s truly the little things — office building vending machines got restocked 🥹

🚨 Flood Warning issued February 21 at 6:53PM CST by NWS Little Rock AR 🚨 Additional Details Here.

From our colleagues at the @minnesotareformer.com: A timeline of Operation Metro Surge arkansasadvocate.com/2026/02/21/r...

To the LA Times reporter who wrote this: You’re my idol today

Arkansas judge dismisses part of attorney general’s lawsuit against corrections board arkansasadvocate.com/2026/02/12/a...

Arkansas judge blocks state law increasing signature requirement for ballot measures  #ARLeg #ARpx arkansasadvocate.com/2026/02/13/a...

Snark and puns are in the air for #ARLegValentines arkansasadvocate.com/2026/02/13/s...

Two more poultry companies agree to settle Oklahoma pollution lawsuit arkansasadvocate.com/2026/02/12/r...

Just met the cutest dog while running to the store and I’m missing my fearless assistant something fierce right now!

Democrats defend ‘the actual existence of the Department of Education’ in forum arkansasadvocate.com/2026/02/11/r...

Don’t mind me I’m just trying to be as cool as the people in these ice yacht clubs, because this is so cool

BREAKING: The Pentagon let Customs and Border Protection use an anti-drone laser before the FAA closed El Paso airspace, AP sources say.

NEW: Arkansas’ corrections board is looking to hire a new private attorney after firing the one it hired in 2023. Read my story in the @arkansasadvocate.com here: #arpx

Latest from me: #arpx

I found my 11 (!!) year old Series 1 Apple Watch today after losing it my sophomore year of college and it shockingly still works! I swear its the little things sometimes

Latest from me:

An absolute must read. It’s devastating to see the Post abandon its mission and lay off so many great journalists. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/b...

a good reminder this week!

Via Andrea Tinker: An Alabama House Committee passed a bill that would allow local school boards to allow chaplains in public K-12 schools.

A bit of a small scoop from me: The attorney fired by Arkansas Board of Corrections said in a letter that the body he represented in court was now "participating in the same erosion of institutional integrity" they hired him to oppose. Read more in @arkansasadvocate.com #arpx

There are several factors that go into deciding when schools close for inclement weather and how they make up lost instruction time. Learn more in my latest for @arkansasadvocate.com #arpx #arwx

16 million browser windows doing their jobs and bringing you the SD26 results. Stay tuned for more detailed story! #arpx

Election results fueled by caffeine and Jimmie Johns this evening.

Two counties have reported unofficial results, and we have early/absentee results from the other two. Read the story for more #arpx

Me and my 16 million browser tabs are primed and ready to report on the results when they come. Stay tuned for more later tonight. #arpx #arleg

Latest from me for the @arkansasadvocate.com #arpx

Via @arkansasadvocate.com: Nearly 1,300 Arkansas voters who were also registered in Alabama or Tennessee were sent undated form letters from the state lacking official letterhead telling them they may be removed from voter rolls if they didn’t respond within 30 days. #arpx tinyurl.com/577eayyt

Visual representation of me on Day 8 of being iced into my apartment. Someone send Diet Dr Pepper.

The rule making process, which takes longer and is more formal than a board policy change, requires sign-off from legislators on the Arkansas Legislative Council.

A great story from @grajeda.bsky.social looks at the concerns Arkansas’ medical marijuana patients have after a ruling last year about citizen-led changes to the constitution arkansasadvocate.com/2026/01/27/c...

Latest from me on efforts by Arkansas to restrict physical books in state prisons. Read in @arkansasadvocate.com #arpx

A great read from @tessmvrbin.bsky.social taking a look at Arkansas’ decision to cut ties with PBS arkansasadvocate.com/2026/01/26/a...

SUPER. BOWL. BOUND.

In the latest twist in the lawsuit between the Board of Corrections and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, her former staffer is now BOC’s chairman, and has called a special meeting to “Rescind the Illegal Hiring of [the board’s attorney] in Lawsuit Against the Governor.” More from me later today. #arpx

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency Thursday as Arkansas braces for a severe winter storm that will bring heavy snow, ice and near-zero temperatures statewide. @arkansasadvocate.com has some storm prep tips for ya. #arpx #arwx arkansasadvocate.com/2026/01/22/a...

The vending machine theft in our office building grows more malicious by the day

Via @arkansasadvocate.com: The abrupt revocation of a job offer to the University of Arkansas’ incoming law school dean prompted a student-led protest on campus Tuesday and calls for the school to adopt a policy to prevent undue influence on personnel decisions. arkansasadvocate.com/2026/01/20/u...

The 2026 election cycle marks the first time a new Republican Party of Arkansas rule prohibiting registered Democrats from voting in GOP primary races will be enforced. My latest for @arkansasadvocate.com #arpx #arleg arkansasadvocate.com/2026/01/20/a...

Thanks to @ainsleyplatt.bsky.social for the assist on this @arkansasadvocate.com story. #arpx #arleg arkansasadvocate.com/2026/01/16/l...

Statement from Emily Suski: "I am disappointed and hurt by the University’s decision to rescind my contract. I have been informed that the decision was not in any way a reflection of my qualifications to serve as dean, but rather the result of influence from external individuals." #arpx #arleg

I spoke with the lead counsel on the brief Emily Suski signed that was submitted to SCOTUS, who told me that penalizing legal scholars for providing legal expertise to courts would be a loss for the justice system and society. Read more here: #arpx

University of Arkansas withdraws incoming law dean’s offer in wake of Republican complaints arkansasadvocate.com/2026/01/15/u...