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1966 Arkansas gubernatorial election

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1966 Arkansas gubernatorial election

← 1964 November 8, 1966 1968 →
 
Nominee Winthrop Rockefeller James D. Johnson
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 306,324 257,203
Percentage 54.36% 45.64%

County results

Rockefeller:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Johnson:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election

Orval Faubus
Democratic

Elected Governor

Winthrop Rockefeller
Republican

The 1966 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1966. Winthrop Rockefeller was elected governor of Arkansas, becoming the first Republican to be elected to the office since Reconstruction in 1872.

The election occurred amidst strong midterm results for the Republican Party nationally, and in the traditionally-Democratic South. Republicans concurrently won the governorship of Florida also for the first time since Reconstruction, and only narrowly lost the governorship of Georgia, despite winning a plurality of the vote.

Democratic primary

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Popular and powerful six-term (since 1955) incumbent Orval E. Faubus decided against seeking re-election. "Justice Jim" Johnson, a political ally of George C. Wallace of Alabama, ran a segregationist campaign with support of the White Citizens Council. A decade earlier, Johnson had run in the Democratic primary against Faubus, another segregationist, whom he accused of working behind the scenes for racial integration.

Candidates

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  • Thomas Dale Alford, former U.S. Representative and candidate for governor in 1962
  • Sam Boyce, attorney and former State Representative
  • Brooks Hays, former U.S. Representative and candidate for governor in 1930
  • Frank Holt, State Supreme Court Associate Justice and Attorney General
  • James D. "Justice Jim" Johnson, State Supreme Court Associate Justice, former State Senator and candidate for governor in 1956
  • Raymond Rebsamen, insurance executive and Ford dealer
  • Kenneth S. Sulcer, state senator and real estate broker

Results

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July 26 Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James D. Johnson 105,607 25.14
Democratic Frank Holt 92,711 22.07
Democratic Brooks Hays 64,814 15.43
Democratic Thomas Dale Alford 53,531 12.74
Democratic Sam Boyce 49,744 11.84
Democratic Raymond Rebsamen 35,607 8.48
Democratic Kenneth S. Sulcer 18,051 4.30
Total votes 420,065 100.00
August 9 Democratic runoff results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James D. Johnson 210,543 51.86
Democratic Frank Holt 195,442 48.14
Total votes 405,985 100.00

Holt was supported by many younger, more liberal, Democrats, such as future governor and U.S. President Bill Clinton, who served as his campaign aide though he was not old enough to vote at the time.

Republican primary

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A northeastern native, multimillionaire and scion of a prominent political/business family Winthrop Rockefeller was nominated with over 96% of the vote over Gus McMillan of Sheridan. Charges abounded that McMillan, a lifelong Democrat, was planted in the race by Faubus in order to force the Republicans to hold an expensive and needless primary. Rockefeller had been the GOP nominee in the 1964 election.

Campaign

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Rockefeller was an unusual candidate – an eastern establishment member and moderate-to-liberal party wing member (such as his brother, Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York, an unofficial leader of this wing for many years).

The Republican Party at this time practically played only a most minor role in Arkansas politics.

However, his popularity and the break within Democratic camp, where many were outraged with Johnson's segregationist stances, and good year for the Republicans nationally helped Rockefeller to win.

Results

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Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1966[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Winthrop Rockefeller 306,324 54.36
Democratic James D. Johnson 257,203 45.64
Total votes 563,527 100.00

References

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