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1968 Arkansas gubernatorial election

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1968 Arkansas gubernatorial election

← 1966 November 5, 1968 1970 →
 
Nominee Winthrop Rockefeller Marion H. Crank
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 322,782 292,813
Percentage 52.43% 47.57%

County results
Rockefeller:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Crank:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election

Winthrop Rockefeller
Republican

Elected Governor

Winthrop Rockefeller
Republican

The 1968 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, when incumbent Republican Winthrop Rockefeller defeated former speaker[1] of the Arkansas House of Representatives Marion Crank by a small margin. Rockefeller was first elected in 1966, and was the first Republican to hold the office since Reconstruction. This was the first time a Republican was re-elected as governor of Arkansas.

As of 2022, this is the last time that Chicot County and St. Francis County voted for the Republican candidate.

Background

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Probably due to the crowded Democratic primary and allegations of nepotism cast upon Crank,[2] aided by the recent full enfranchisement of African Americans who supported Rockefeller and his liberal reforms Rockefeller prevailed with a clear, though reduced, compared to 1966 margin.

Virginia Johnson was the wife of former Arkansas Supreme Court Justice James D. Johnson who, concurrently with her candidacy, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination against J. William Fulbright in the Senate election.

Democratic primary

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Candidates:

  • Marion H. Crank, state representative, former house speaker, and president of Foreman Cement Company
  • Virginia Johnson, legal secretary and wife of James D. "Justice Jim" Johnson, Democratic nominee for governor in 1966
  • Ted Boswell, attorney
  • Bruce Bennett, former attorney general
  • Frank Whitbeck, insurance executive
  • Clyde Byrd, state senator
Arkansas Democratic primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marion H. Crank 106,092 25.57
Democratic Virginia Johnson 86,038 20.74
Democratic Ted Boswell 86,629 20.64
Democratic Bruce Bennett 65,095 15.69
Democratic Frank Whitbeck 61,758 14.89
Democratic Clyde E. Byrd 10,265 2.47

Runoff

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Arkansas Democratic primary runoff
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Marion H. Crank 215,087 63.27
Democratic Virginia Johnson 124,880 36.73

Election results

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Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1968
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Winthrop Rockefeller (incumbent) 322,782 52.43 −1.93%
Democratic Marion Crank 292,813 47.57 +1.93%
Total votes 615,595 100.00

References

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  1. ^ "Speaker Archive - Arkansas House of Representatives".
  2. ^ Arkansas Politics in the 20th Century: Twelve Elections That Shaped a Century: Darth, Dumas, p. 51