Arkansas held its primaries on May 18. Richard Carroll was defeated for re-election in the Democratic primary, for State House, 39th district. Carroll had been elected as a Green Party legislator in 2008, but after the 2009 legislative session had ended, he had switched from the Green Party to the Democratic Party.

The vote in the May 18, 2010 primary was 19.7% for Carroll, and 80.3% for Tracy Steele, who is an incumbent State Senator. Steele can’t run for re-election to the Senate because he is term-limited. The 2010 race was tough for Carroll, because the district is majority black, and Senator Steele is black, but Carroll is white, although his wife is black.

Arlen Specter has been defeated in the Pennsylvania Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Specter changed parties last year, from Republican to Democratic, and was hoping to be re-elected this year.

Steve Komacki, a writer for Slate, appears to have been correct when he wrote a week ago that Specter should have run for re-election this year as an independent, not as a Democrat. The Pennsylvania Democratic primary is very close and Specter as an independent candidate would have had significant support from independent voters, from a substantial share of Democrats, and a substantial share of Republicans.

On May 17, the Louisiana Senate passed HB 292, which converts congressional elections to a system in which all candidates run in November. If no one gets 50%, there is a run-off in December.

Louisiana also used this system 1998 through 2006. Generally the incumbent runs for re-election and gets 50% or more, so there is no run-off.

According to this story, the Senate amended the bill so it takes effect this year. Now it must return to the House, to see if the House agrees with that change. The original bill didn’t take effect until 2011.

The Senate also passed SB 796, which is identical to HB 292 but which says the change won’t take effect until 2011. That bill also now goes to the House.