1968 Arkansas gubernatorial election

1968 Arkansas gubernatorial election
	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^[update], this is the last time that Chicot County and St. Francis County voted for the Republican candidate.

Background

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

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
	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

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

Election results

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

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

[1] "Speaker Archive - Arkansas House of Representatives".

[2] Arkansas Politics in the 20th Century: Twelve Elections That Shaped a Century: Darth, Dumas, p. 51

[1]

[2]

v t e Elections in Arkansas
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Governor	1836 1840 1844 1848 1849 S 1852 1856 1860 1862 1864 U 1868 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1913 S 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
U.S. President	1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
U.S. Senate	Class 2: 1833 1839–40 1848 S 1853 1859 1868 S 1870 1876 1883 1885 S 1889 1895 1901 1907 1913 S 1913 1918 1924 1930 1936 1937 S 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 Class 3: 1837 1843 1845 S 1849 1855 1861 1867 1873 1879 1881 S 1885 1891 1897 1903 1909 1914 1916 S 1920 1926 1932 S 1932 1938 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016 2022
U.S. House	1837 1838 1840 1842 1844 1846 1848 1851 1853 1854 1856 1858 1860 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 (4th S) 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 (6th S) 1962 1964 1966 (4th S) 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
'S,' denotes special election; 'U,' denotes election under Federal (Union) military occupation See also: Political party strength in Arkansas

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