The seat was won by a Republican who passed away before election day. The sitting Democrat Representative who was term limited, has decided to step down in January despite an opinion from the Democrat Attorney General that he could stay until 2012, allowing the Governor to call for a special election.

From TalkBusiness.net:

David Goins with our content partner, Fox 16 News, reports that Rep. Rick Saunders says he’ll vacate the legislative seat in January 2011 when his term expires.

At that time, Gov. Mike Beebe can call a special election to fill the vacancy in House District 24 created by the election of Republican Keith Crass, who died unexpectedly shortly before Election Day. Crass still received the majority of the votes for the House seat.

The dates for a special election are likely to leave the seat unfilled for the majority of the 88th General Assembly, which convenes in January 2011.

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel opined that Saunders, a Democrat, could hold the seat until the 2012 general election, even though he was term-limited.

Read the statement…