Wrightsville and Cammack Village District Judge Rita Bailey defeated state Sen. David Johnson (D-Little Rock) for a district court judge position in Pulaski County last night. 

Bailey won 53-47 in the contest for district court judge for Jacksonville District Court and Maumelle District Court. Jacksonville and Maumelle previously had separate district courts, each with its own judge; beginning January 1, 2017, the district courts will be combined under a single judge.

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Johnson is leaving his senate seat. Johnson previously worked as deputy prosecuting attorney in Pulaski County from 1998 to 2004, including work in the Jacksonville and Maumelle District Courts. In 2004, he was elected to the state House, where he served two terms before being elected to the Senate in 2008.

Bailey, a former public defender, has been an attorney since 1990 and was elected to the Wrightsville seat (now part time) in 2009. In 2012, she was elected in 2012 for the Wrightsville and Cammack Village position.

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