Watermelons and Arkansas politics collide in Hope festival

The southwest Arkansas town of Hope is known for growing two things: governors and watermelons.

Immortalized by former President Bill Clinton who ran as the “Man from Hope” in 1992, the town of 8,400 is also the birthplace of former Gov. Mike Huckabee, the father of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. 

Hope is as proud of its history producing record-sized watermelons as it is generating politicians. So its annual watermelon festival, which just completed its 50th year, is a fitting rite of passage for candidates seeking votes. 

But in a town that’s moved further to the right over the decades — Republican President Donald Trump won 69% of the vote in Hempstead County two years ago — politics was a sore subject even as candidates worked the crowds or faced off in its infamously messy watermelon-eating contest.

Voters cited the economy — high gas prices, grocery prices — as their biggest worry. A few were angry about the changes brought about by the LEARNS Act and the impacts the law’s changes were having on rural schools.

The war in Iran, which sent gas prices skyrocketing, was a point of consternation. Billy Jack Pennington, a Miller County resident who voted for President Donald Trump in 2024, said he wanted politicians to prioritize staying out of foreign conflicts.

“I don’t understand it, I really don’t,” Pennington said of Trump’s decision to involve the U.S. in Iran after campaigning on a platform of staying out of foreign conflict. “It’s not good for the economy either.” 

He said he wasn’t sure if he would vote in November yet — “That will depend on who’s running,” he said with a laugh — but if he does, he’ll likely vote Republican.

Most were more interested in their massive hunks of watermelon than talking about politics, though.

While the festival has attracted tens of thousands of people in years past, the festival grounds were calm on Saturday, with rain looming throughout the morning before the sky opened in the afternoon.

The threat of rain didn’t stop a few Democratic hopefuls, Republican state legislators and a group of local candidates from engaging in the watermelon-eating tradition. James Russell, a Democrat challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman for his U.S. House seat, as well as Sen. Kim Hammer, the Republican candidate for Arkansas secretary of state, took part. 

So did Democratic Sen. Fred Love of Little Rock, who is challenging Sanders for the governorship. 

But it was Republican Sen. Steve Crowell, of Magnolia, who took home the 2026 watermelon-eating crown by eating his slice in just one minute, eight seconds.

“It’s not about partisanship, it’s not about elected officials. It’s just about being part of the community, so I enjoyed myself, even though I lost. I probably came in dead last,” Love said after his watermelon-eating defeat, before expressing amazement at Crowell’s victory, “Oh my gosh, I wasn’t prepared.”

Sarah Huckabee Sanders didn’t attend this year, nor did U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton. Members of their reelection campaigns instead marched in the festival parade on their behalf. Westerman, whose district includes Hope, visited the festival on Friday. 

On Saturday, Sanders campaign staffers could be seen offering festival attendees paper fans that declared “I’m a Sarah Huckabee Sanders fan,” and a staffer partook in the watermelon eating contest too, placing.

“We used to be a state in which these festivals matter … in terms of being able to shake hands and say hello to people,” said Democrat Hallie Shoffner, who is challenging Cotton. “It just really feels like the tradition of politicians coming down to these festivals has been abandoned.”

Still, several candidates said the festival was still important for connecting with voters.

“This is where the community is,” said Love. “Just being able to come together, visit with people, talk to them about the issues that’s pressing on them.”