Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1982

Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1982

November 2, 1982

Nominee Bill Clinton Frank D. White Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 431,855 357,496 Percentage 54.71% 45.29%

Election results by county

Governor before election Frank D. White Republican Elected Governor Bill Clinton Democratic

Elections in Arkansas
Federal government Presidential elections 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 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 Presidential primaries Democratic 2008 Republican 2008 2012 U.S. Senate elections 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2014 2016 U.S. House elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 Special elections 3rd District, 2001
State government Gubernatorial elections 1912 1913 1930 1932 1958 1966 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 State elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
Ballot measures 2004 Constitutional Amendment 3 2008 Proposed Initiative Act No. 1

The Arkansas gubernatorial election of 1982 was the second since Reconstruction in which an incumbent was defeated; the preceding election was the first.

One-term Democratic Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton regained the position after having narrowly been defeated by Republican Frank D. White at the previous election. Clinton continued to serve this office until shortly after he was later elected to the presidency in 1992.

Democratic nomination

• Gov. Bill Clinton, Governor of Arkansas 1979-1981
• Lt. Governor Joe Purcell, former Acting Governor of Arkansas, 1979, former Lieutenant Governor 1975-1981

Republican nomination

Frank D. White – Incumbent Governor

Campaign

Bill Clinton, one of the youngest ex-governors in the nation, at the age of 36, was running to reclaim his political career. Frank White easily won renomination from the Republican party.

White was hurt politically due to several unpopular decisions that he made, and Clinton ran an aggressive campaign.^[1]

Result

Bill Clinton, who was defeated in the last election, won the election, and elected again in 1984, 1986, and 1990, until his presidential victory in November 1992.

References