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 ran 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 (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 (August 9):
- Johnson - 210,543 (51.86%)
- Holt - 195,442 (48.14%)
Holt was supporter 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.
Read more about this topic: Arkansas Gubernatorial Election, 1966
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