# 1968 Arkansas gubernatorial election

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vte :
The 1968 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, when incumbent Republican Winthrop Rockefeller defeated former speaker 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

Probably due to the crowded Democratic primary and allegations of nepotism cast upon Crank, aided by the recent full enfranchisement of African Americans who supported Rockefeller and his liberal reforms Rockefeller prevailed with a clear majority, though a reduced one, compared to his 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 :
| 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

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