Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1980
Encyclopedia
The Arkansas gubernatorial election of 1980 was only that state’s third election since Reconstruction when a Republican
candidate won governorship, and the first in which an incumbent
was defeated.
One-term Democratic Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton
was narrowly defeated by Republican Frank D. White
, which made him, as he joked, “the youngest ex-governor in the nation.” He ran again two years later and regained the Governorship, continuing to serve until he was elected President of the United States
in 1992
.
and former rival to 1978 nomination Monroe Schwarzlose
.
and former Democrat Frank D. White
earned 5,867 (71.75%) votes against former State Representative and millionaire Marshall N. Chrisman.
Clinton’s increase in the cost of automobile registration tags was also unpopular. He was also hurt by President Jimmy Carter
's decision to sending thousands of Cuba
n refugees, some unruly, to a detention camp at Fort Chaffee, outside Fort Smith
in Sebastian County in western Arkansas. (See Mariel boatlift
.)
1980 general election was marked by decisive Republican victories—the GOP won the White House
, a majority in United States Senate
and 34 seats in the United States House of Representatives
. Clinton's narrow loss was viewed as part of Reagan’s coattails
.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate won governorship, and the first in which an incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
was defeated.
One-term Democratic Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
was narrowly defeated by Republican Frank D. White
Frank D. White
Frank Durward White was the 41st Governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He served a single two-year term from 1981 to 1983. He is one of only two people to have defeated President Bill Clinton in an election. Frank Durward White (June 4, 1933 – May 21, 2003) was...
, which made him, as he joked, “the youngest ex-governor in the nation.” He ran again two years later and regained the Governorship, continuing to serve until he was elected President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in 1992
United States presidential election, 1992
The United States presidential election of 1992 had three major candidates: Incumbent Republican President George Bush; Democratic Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton, and independent Texas businessman Ross Perot....
.
Democratic nomination
In primary (held on May 17) Clinton easily won renomination, gained 306,735 (68.87%) votes against 138,660 (31.13%) won by State RepresentativeArkansas House of Representatives
The Arkansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the state. Each district has an average population of 26,734...
and former rival to 1978 nomination Monroe Schwarzlose
Monroe Schwarzlose
Monroe Alfred Julius Schwarzlose was a turkey farmer in Cleveland County, Arkansas, who polled 31 percent of the vote in the 1980 Democratic primary against the incumbent Governor and future U.S. President William Jefferson Blythe "Bill" Clinton, who was seeking his second two-year term...
.
Republican nomination
In the Republican Party primaries (May 27), former head of the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission under Winthrop RockefellerWinthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller was a politician and philanthropist who served as the first Republican Governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He was a third-generation member of the Rockefeller family.-Early life:...
and former Democrat Frank D. White
Frank D. White
Frank Durward White was the 41st Governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He served a single two-year term from 1981 to 1983. He is one of only two people to have defeated President Bill Clinton in an election. Frank Durward White (June 4, 1933 – May 21, 2003) was...
earned 5,867 (71.75%) votes against former State Representative and millionaire Marshall N. Chrisman.
Campaign
Schwarzlose’s unexpected strong challenge in primaries and his 31 percent of the primary vote foreshadowed that Clinton could be in trouble for the upcoming general election.Clinton’s increase in the cost of automobile registration tags was also unpopular. He was also hurt by President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
's decision to sending thousands of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n refugees, some unruly, to a detention camp at Fort Chaffee, outside Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
in Sebastian County in western Arkansas. (See Mariel boatlift
Mariel boatlift
The Mariel boatlift was a mass emigration of Cubans who departed from Cuba's Mariel Harbor for the United States between April 15 and October 31, 1980....
.)
1980 general election was marked by decisive Republican victories—the GOP won the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, a majority in United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and 34 seats in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. Clinton's narrow loss was viewed as part of Reagan’s coattails
Reagan's coattails
Reagan’s coattails refers to the influence of Ronald Reagan’s popularity in elections other than his own, after the American political expression to “ride in on another’s coattails.” Chiefly, it refers to the “Reagan Revolution” accompanying his 1980 election to the U.S. Presidency. This victory...
.