Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1966
| Elections in Arkansas | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
The Arkansas gubernatorial election of November 8, 1966 was the first time since Reconstruction that a member of the Republican Party was elected governor.
The same year, during a midterm election, Republicans made some gains in the traditionally Democratic southern stronghold – including winning the governorship in Florida (also first time since Reconstruction), and narrowly losing the gubernatorial race in Georgia (when a GOP candidate won a plurality, but the Democratic-controlled legislature selected their own candidate).
Democratic nomination
Popular and powerful six-term (since 1955) incumbent Orval E. Faubus decided against seeking re-election.
Candidates
- Former U.S. Representative Thomas Dale Alford of Little Rock, who had challenged Faubus'fourth term bid in 1962.
- Sam Boyce, prosecuting attorney from Newport, Arkansas
- Former U.S. Representative Brooks Hays of Little Rock, who had previously run for Governor in 1930.
- State Supreme Court Associate Justice Frank Holt of Little Rock.
- State Supreme Court Associate Justice James D. "Justice Jim" Johnson of Conway, who unsuccessfully challenged Faubus in 1956.
- Raymond Rebsamen of Little Rock, an insurance executive and Ford dealer.
- Kenneth S. Sulcer of Blytheville, a real estate broker and State Senator.
"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.
Primary results[1] (July 26):
- Johnson – 105,607 (25.14%)
- Holt – 92,711 (22.07%)
- Hays – 64,814 (15.43%)
- Alford – 53,531 (12.74%)
- Boyce – 49,744 (11.84%)
- Rebsamen – 35,607 (8.48%)
- Sulcer – 18,051 (4.30%)
Runoff[2] (August 9):
- Johnson – 210,543 (51.86%)
- Holt – 195,442 (48.14%)
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 was not old enough to vote at the time.
Republican nomination
A northeastern native, multimillionaire and scion of 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
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
Rockefeller won by nearly nine percentage points.:[3]
- Winthrop Rockefeller (R) – 306,324 (54.36%)
- James D. Johnson (D) – 257,203 (45.64%)
