LITTLE ROCK—It was a bad year to have a familiar name on Arkansas’ ballot.

The wives of two term-limited lawmakers, the son of a popular former Little Rock mayor and the widow of the state’s former state health director were handed defeats in legislative primaries throughout Arkansas Tuesday.

“It does appear that there is concern to put someone related to a former legislator in office. ... It may not have ended up being a plus,” said Linda Bisbee, who lost in the Republican primary for a House seat in northwest Arkansas. Bisbee’s husband is Sen. Dave Bisbee, R-Rogers, who is leaving the Legislature due to term limits.

Bisbee lost to Duncan Baird, who doesn’t face a Democrat in the November race.

Bisbee and Vickie Critcher, who lost a bid for a House seat Tuesday, both decided against running for their husband’s seats but said they wouldn’t have run for the House if their husbands weren’t exiting the Senate. Critcher’s husband is outgoing Senate President Jack Critcher, D-Batesville.

Vickie Critcher was defeated by James McLean, an Independence County justice of the peace who targeted her husband as much as her in mailings and advertisements in the weeks before the primary. McLean credited his victory in part to his criticisms of the outgoing senator, who he said was a fair target in the race.

Jack Critcher said he believed his wife’s loss may have been more a referendum on his Senate tenure than her campaign.

“Had I not been an elected official she probably would have done better. I hate that for her,” Critcher said.

Also losing in Tuesday’s races was Vickey Boozman, the widow of former state health director Fay Boozman and the sister-in-law of U.S. Rep. John Boozman, R-Ark. Tim Summers defeated Boozman in the Republican primary for a House seat in northwest Arkansas.

Jeff Dailey, the son of former longtime Little Rock Mayor Jim Dailey, was defeated in the Democratic primary for a House seat in Little Rock by John Edwards. Edwards will face Republican Kelly Eichler in the general election.

Dailey had touted his family’s roots in the state, with a video on his campaign site showing pictures of him campaigning for his father’s successful mayoral bids.

With the four races, voters effectively rejected the notion of keeping political clout in the family, a tradition that dates back to Hattie Caraway, who became the nation’s first female U.S. senator in 1931 when she was appointed to her late husband’s seat. She was later elected to the seat in 1932.

The state also has spawned political dynasties such as the Hutchinsons—former U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson and brother former U.S. Rep. Asa Hutchinson, and Tim’s sons, Jeremy and Timothy, who both served in the state House. The Pryors—former U.S. Sen. David Pryor and his son, Sen. Mark Pryor, are another example. Janet Huckabee’s attempt to follow husband and former Gov. Mike Huckabee into politics failed, however, when she lost her bid for secretary of state in 2002.