Political party strength in Arkansas

The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Arkansas:

The table also indicates the historical party composition in the:

For years in which a United States presidential election was held, the table indicates which party's nominees received the state's electoral votes.

Pre-statehood (1819–1836)

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Year Executive offices General Assembly U.S. Congress
Governor Sec. of Terr. Treasurer Senate House Delegate
1819 Robert Crittenden (DR)[a] Robert Crittenden (DR) James Scull [?] [?] James Woodson
Bates
(I)
James Miller (I)[b][c]
1820
1821
1822
1823 Henry W. Conway (DR)
1824
Robert Crittenden (DR)[d]
1825
George Izard (DR)[e]
1826
1827 Ambrose H. Sevier (J)
1828
vacant[f]
1829 [?]
John Pope (J)
...
1832
1833 Samuel Morton Rutherford
1834
1835
William S. Fulton (J)
1836

1836–1874

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Year Executive offices General Assembly United States Congress Electoral votes
Governor Lt. Governor Sec. of State Attorney
General
Auditor Treasurer State Senate State House U.S. Senator
(Class II)
U.S. Senator
(Class III)
U.S. House
1836 James Sevier
Conway
(D)
no such office Robert A. Watkins no such office Elias Nelson
Conway
(D)
W. E. Woodruff 12D, 5W 35D, 18W, 1? William S. Fulton (J) Ambrose H. Sevier (J) Archibald Yell (J) Van Buren/
Johnson (D)  Y
1837 William S. Fulton (D) Ambrose H. Sevier (D) Archibald Yell (D)
1838 John Hutt
1839 D majority D majority Edward Cross (D)
1840 Van Buren (D)  N
1841 Archibald Yell (D)[g] D. B. Greer A. Boileau 16D, 5W 42D, 22W
Elias N. Conway (D)
1842 John Winfrey
1843 D. B. Greer Robert Ward
Johnson
(D)
J. C. Martin 15D, 6W 45D, 20W, 1?
1844 Chester Ashley (D) Polk/
Dallas (D)  Y
Samuel Adams (D)[h]
1845 Thomas S. Drew (D)[i] Samuel Adams (D) 21D, 4W 62D, 13W Archibald Yell (D)
1846
1847 22D, 3W 52D, 23W Thomas W. Newton (W)
Robert Ward
Johnson
(D)
1848 George C. Watkins William K. Sebastian (D) Solon Borland (D) Cass/
Butler (D)  N
1849 C. C. Danley William Adams[1] 20D, 5W 56D, 19W
Richard C. Byrd (D)[j] John H. Crease
John Selden
Roane
(D)[k]
1850
1851 John J. Clendenin 21D, 4W 50D, 25W
1852 Pierce/
King (D)  Y
1853 Elias N. Conway (D) 19D, 6W 48D, 27W vacant 2D
Robert Ward
Johnson
(D)
1854
1855 A. S. Huey A. H. Rutherford (D) 17D, 8W 57D, 15W, 3I
1856 Thomas Johnson Buchanan/
Breckinridge (D)  Y
1857 William R. Miller (D) John H. Crease 21D, 2KN, 1AW, 1W 65D, 9KN, 1W
1858 J. L. Hollowell
1859 Alexander Boileau John Quindley 20D, 2KN, 1OSD, 1SR, 1W D majority
1860 S. W. Weaver H. C. Lowe Jared C. Martin Breckinridge/
Lane (SD)  N
John I. Stirman
1861 Henry Massey
Rector
(ID)[l]
P. Jordan Oliver Basham D majority Charles B. Mitchel (D)
William R. Miller (D) Civil War and Reconstruction
1862 O. H. Oates Sam W. Williams
1863 Harris Flanagin (I)[m][n] American Civil War
1864 Robert J. T. White (I) C. T. Jordan
Isaac Murphy (I) Calvin C. Bliss (I) J. R. Berry (I) E. D. Ayers no electoral votes
1865 R. S. Gantt
1866 R. H. Deadman William R. Miller (D) L. B. Cunningham 25NP 75NP
1867 Henry Page 25D 56D, 19R
1868 James M.
Johnson
(R)[o]
J. R. Montgomery J. R. Berry (R)
Powell Clayton (R)[p] Alexander McDonald (R) Benjamin F. Rice (R) 3R Grant/
Colfax (R)  Y
1869 21R, 1D, 4? 79R, 1D, 2? 2R, 1D
1870
1871 18R, 8D 44R, 29D, 9LR
Ozra A. Hadley (R)[q] vacant James M. Johnson (R) Powell Clayton (R)
1872 Grant/
Wilson (R)  Y
1873 Elisha Baxter (R)[r][s] Volney V.
Smith
(R)
Thomas D. W. Yonley (R) Stephen Wheeler (R) 20R, 5D 52R, 27D, 3? Stephen W. Dorsey (R) 3R
1874 J. L. Witherspoon R. E. Newton
Year Governor Lieutenant
Governor
Sec. of State Attorney
General
Auditor Treasurer State Senate State House U.S. Senator
(Class II)
U.S. Senator
(Class III)
U.S. House Electoral votes
Executive offices General Assembly United States Congress

1874–1926

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Year Executive offices General Assembly United States Congress Electoral votes
Governor Sec. of
State
Attorney
General
Auditor Treasurer Land
Comm.
State Senate State House U.S. Senator
(Class II)
U.S. Senator
(Class III)
U.S. House
1874 Augustus H. Garland (D) Benton B.
Beavers
(D)
Simon P.
Hughes Jr.
(D)
William R. Miller (D) Thomas J.
Churchill
(D)
J. N. Smithee (D) D majority[t] D majority[t] Powell Clayton (R) Stephen W.
Dorsey
(R)
2R, 1D
1875 29D, 2R 82D, 11R 4D
1876 Tilden/
Hendricks (D)  N
1877 William R. Miller (D) W. F. Henderson John Crawford (D) 29D, 2R 75D, 17R, 1OLW Augustus H.
Garland
(D)
1878
1879 Jacob Frolich (D) D. W. Lear (D) 29D, 1R, 1GL 83D, 6GL, 3R, 1? James D. Walker (D)
1880 Hancock/
English (D)  N
1881 Thomas J. Churchill (D) Charles B. Moore W. E. Woodruff Jr. 30D, 1GL 80D, 10R, 1GL
1882
1883 James H. Berry (D) A. W. Files (D)[2] William P. Campbell (D) 28D, 2GL, 1R 87D, 2GL, 2IR, 1R, 1ID
1884 Paul M. Cobbs (D) Cleveland/
Hendricks (D)  Y
1885 Simon P. Hughes Jr. (D) Elias B. Moore (D) D. W. Jones 31D, 1R 80D, 15R James H.
Berry
(D)
James K.
Jones
(D)
5D
1886
1887 William R. Miller (D) 30D, 2R 73D, 14R, 4I, 3AW, 1G
W. S. Dunlop (D)
1888 Cleveland/
Thurman (D)  N
1889 James Philip Eagle (D) B. B. Chism (D) W. E. Atkinson 69D, 15UL, 11R
1890 C. B. Meyers (D) 4D, 1L
1891 R. B. Morrow 29D, 2UL, 1R 81D, 10R, 4UL 5D
1892 Cleveland/
Stevenson (D)  Y
1893 William M. Fishback (D) H. B. Armistead (D) James P. Clarke (D) C. B. Mills (D) 29D, 2Pop, 1R 85D, 9Pop, 6R 6D
1894
1895 James P. Clarke (D) E. B. Kinsworthy Ransom Gulley J. F. Ritchie (D) 31D, 1R 88D, 9Pop, 3R
1896 5 – Bryan/
Sewall (D)  N
3 – Bryan/
Watson (Pop)  N
1897 Daniel Webster
Jones
(D)
Alexander
C. Hull
(D)
Clay Sloan (D) 30D, 1R, 1Pop 85D, 13Pop, 2R
1898
1899 Jeff Davis (D) T. E. Little J. W. Colquitt (D) 32D 98D, 2R
1900 Bryan/
Stevenson (D)  N
1901 Jeff Davis (D) J. W. Crockett (D) George W. Murphy (D) T. C. Monroe (D) H. C. Tipton 97D, 2R, 1Pop
1902
1903 F. E. Conway (D) 35D 100D James P. Clarke (D) 7D
1904 Parker/
Davis (D)  N
1905 O. C. Ludwig (D) Robert L. Rogers Avery E. Moore (D) 34D, 1R 95D, 5R
1906
1907 Bass Little (D)[u] William F. Kirby (D) James L. Yates Lafayette L. Coffman (D) 96D, 4R Jeff Davis (D)
John Isaac Moore (D)[v]
X. O. Pindall (D)[w]
1908 Bryan/
Kern (D)  N
1909 Jesse M. Martin (D)[x] Hal L. Norwood John R. Jobe (D) 35D 97D, 3R
George W. Donaghey (D)
1910
1911 Earle W. Hodges (D) John Crockett Reuben G. Dye (D) 34D, 1R 95D, 5R
1912 John M. Oathout (D) Wilson/
Marshall (D)  Y
1913 Joe T. Robinson (D)[p] William L. Moose L. L. Coffman (D) 33D, 1R, 1Prog 96D, 4R John N. Heiskell (D)
William M.
Kavanaugh
(D)
William K. Oldham (D)[v] Joe T.
Robinson
(D)
J. Marion Futrell (D)[j]
George W. Hays (D)[y]
1914
1915 Wallace Davis M. F. Dickinson R. G. McDaniel William B. Owen (D) 35D 97D, 3R
1916
1917 Charles H. Brough (D) Tom Terral (D) John D. Arbuckle Hogan Oliver (D) 34D, 1I William F. Kirby (D)
1918
1919 Joe Ferguson 35D 95D, 5R
1920 Cox/
Roosevelt (D)  N
1921 Thomas C. McRae (D) Ira C. Hopper (D) J. S. Utley James Guy Tucker (D) Herbert R. Wilson (D) 96D, 4R Thaddeus H.
Caraway
(D)
1922
1923
1924 Davis/
Bryan (D)  N
1925 Tom Terral (D) Jim B. Higgins (D) W. H. Applegate J. Carrol Cone (D) Sam Sloan 97D, 3R
1926 Dwight Blackwood (D)

1927–present

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Year Executive offices General Assembly United States Congress Electoral votes
Governor Lieutenant
Governor
Sec. of
State
Attorney
General
Auditor Treasurer Land Comm. State Senate State House U.S. Senator
(Class II)
U.S. Senator
(Class III)
U.S. House
1927 John E. Martineau (D)[z] Harvey Parnell (D) Jim B. Higgins (D) W. H. Applegate J. Carrol Cone (D) Ralph Koonce Dwight Blackwood (D) 35D 96D, 4R Joe T. Robinson (D) Thaddeus Caraway (D) 7D
1928 Smith/
Robinson (D)  N
Harvey Parnell (D)[aa] Lee Cazort (D)
1929 Hal L. Norwood J. Oscar Humphrey (D) Belva Martin (D) 98D, 2R
1930
1931 Lawrence E.
Wilson
(D)
Ed F. McDonald (D) Roy V. Leonard 99D, 1R
1932 Hattie Caraway (D) Roosevelt/
Garner (D)  Y
1933 J. Marion Futrell (D) Lee Cazort (D) George W. Neal (D) 100D
1934 Walter L. Pope
1935 Carl E. Bailey (D) Charles E. Parker (D) Earl Page (D)
1936
1937 Carl E. Bailey (D) Robert L. Bailey (D) Crip Hall (D) Jack Holt (D) J. Oscar Humphrey (D) Otis Page (D) 98D, 2R
vacant
1938 John E. Miller (D)
1939
1940 Roosevelt/
Wallace (D)  Y
1941 Homer M. Adkins (D) Lloyd Spencer (D)
1942
1943 James L. Shaver (D) Guy E. Williams (D) Bish Bentley (D) John L. McClellan (D)[e]
1944 Claude Rankin (D) Roosevelt/
Truman (D)  Y
1945 Ben Laney (D) Vance Clayton (D) J. William Fulbright (D)
1946
1947 Nathan G.
Gordon
(D)
96D, 3R, 1I
1948 Truman/
Barkley (D)  Y
1949 Sid McMath (D) Ike Murray (D) 98D, 2R
1950
1951
1952 Stevenson/
Sparkman (D)  N
1953 Francis Cherry (D) Tom Gentry (D) 97D, 3R 6D
1954
1955 Orval Faubus (D) James H. Jones (D)
1956 F. Nolan Humphrey (D) Stevenson/
Kefauver (D)  N
1957 Bruce Bennett (D) James H. Jones (D)[ab] Sam Jones (D) 98D, 2R
1958
1959 100D
1960 Kennedy/
Johnson (D)  Y
1961 Nancy Hall (D) J. Frank Holt (D) Lee A. Clayton (D) 99D, 1R
1962 Jack Holt Jr. (D)
1963 Kelly Bryant (D)[e] Bruce Bennett (D) Nancy Hall (D) 99D, 1I 4D
1964 Johnson/
Humphrey (D)  Y
1965 99D, 1R
1966
1967 Winthrop Rockefeller (R) Maurice Britt (R) Joe Purcell (D) 97D, 3R 3D, 1R
1968 Wallace/
LeMay (AI)  N
1969 34D, 1R 96D, 4R
1970
1971 Dale Bumpers (D)[p] Bob C. Riley (D) Ray Thornton (D) 98D, 2R
1972 Nixon/
Agnew (R)  Y
1973 Jim Guy Tucker (D) 99D, 1R
1974
1975 Bob C. Riley (D)[ac] vacant 97D, 3R Dale Bumpers (D)
David Pryor (D)[p] Joe Purcell (D) George Jernigan (D)
1976 Carter/
Mondale (D)  Y
1977 Winston Bryant (D) Bill Clinton (D)[ad] 96D, 4R
1978 Kaneaster Hodges (D)
1979 Joe Purcell (D)[ac] vacant Paul Riviere (D) Steve Clark (D) 35D 94D, 6R David Pryor (D) 2D, 2R
Bill Clinton (D) Joe Purcell (D) Jimmie Lou Fisher (D)[ab]
1980 Reagan/
Bush (R)  Y
1981 Frank D. White (R) Winston Bryant (D) Julia Hughes Jones (D) Jimmie Lou Fisher (D) Bill McCuen (D) 34D, 1R 93D, 7R
1982
1983 Bill Clinton (D)[ae][af] 32D, 3R
1984
1985 Bill McCuen (D) Charlie Daniels (D) 91D, 9R 3D, 1R
1986
1987 31D, 4R
1988 Bush/
Quayle (R)  Y
1989 88D, 12R
2D, 2R
1990
Ron Fields (D)
1991 Jim Guy Tucker (D) Mary Stallcup (D) 91D, 9R 3D, 1R
Winston Bryant (D)
1992 Jim Guy Tucker (D)[aa][ag] Mike Huckabee (R) Clinton/
Gore (D)  Y
1993 Gus Wingfield (D) 89D, 11R 2D, 2R
1994
1995 Sharon Priest (D) 30D, 5R 88D, 12R
1996
Mike Huckabee (R)[aa] Win
Rockefeller
(R)[ah]
1997 87D, 13R Tim Hutchinson (R)
1998
1999 Mark Pryor (D) 76D, 24R Blanche Lincoln (D)
2000 Bush/
Cheney (R)  Y
2001 27D, 8R 72D, 28R 3D, 1R
2002
2003 Charlie Daniels (D) Mike Beebe (D) Jim Wood (D) Gus Wingfield (D) Mark Wilcox (D) 70D, 30R Mark Pryor (D)
2004
2005 72D, 28R
2006
2007 Mike Beebe (D) Bill Halter (D) Dustin McDaniel (D) Martha Shoffner (D)
2008 McCain/
Palin (R)  N
2009 71D, 28R, 1G
2010 72D, 28R[ai]
2011 Mark Darr (R)[aj] Mark Martin (R) Charlie Daniels (D) John Thurston (R) 20D, 15R 54D, 46R John Boozman (R) 3R, 1D
2012 Romney/
Ryan (R)  N
2013 21R, 14D 51R, 48D, 1G 4R
Charles Robinson (D)[4]
2014 vacant 22R, 13D
2015 Asa Hutchinson (R) Tim Griffin (R) Leslie Rutledge (R) Andrea Lea (R) Dennis Milligan (R) 24R, 11D 64R, 36D Tom Cotton (R)
2016 64R, 35D, 1I[ak] Trump/
Pence (R)  Y
2017 26R, 9D 76R, 24D[al]
2018
2019 John Thurston (R) Tommy Land (R)
2020 Trump/
Pence (R)  N
2021 28R, 7D 77R, 23D
2022
2023 Sarah Huckabee
Sanders
(R)
Leslie Rutledge (R) Tim Griffin (R) Dennis Milligan (R) Mark Lowery (R)[e] 29R, 6D 82R, 18D
Larry Walther (R)
2024 Trump/
Vance (R)  Y
Key to party colors and abbreviations for members of the U.S. Congress and other politicians or officials
Alaskan Independence (AKIP)
Know Nothing (KN)
American Labor (AL)
Anti-Jacksonian (Anti-J)
National Republican (NR)
Anti-Administration (AA)
Anti-Masonic (Anti-M)
Conservative (Con)
Covenant (Cov)
Democratic (D)
Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL)
Democratic–NPL (D-NPL)
Dixiecrat (Dix),
States' Rights (SR)
Democratic-Republican (DR)
Farmer–Labor (FL)
Federalist (F)
Pro-Administration (PA)
Free Soil (FS)
Fusion (Fus)
Greenback (GB)
Independence (IPM)
Independent Democrat (ID)
Independent Republican (IR)
Jacksonian (J)
Liberal (Lib)
Libertarian (L)
National Union (NU)
Nonpartisan League (NPL)
Nullifier (N)
Opposition Northern (O)
Opposition Southern (O)
Populist (Pop)
Progressive (Prog)
Prohibition (Proh)
Readjuster (Rea)
Republican (R)
Silver (Sv)
Silver Republican (SvR)
Socialist (Soc)
Union (U)
Unconditional Union (UU)
Vermont Progressive (VP)
Whig (W)
Independent (I)
Nonpartisan (NP)
  1. ^ Acting territorial governor. As secretary of Arkansas Territory from 1819 to 1829, Crittenden served as acting governor whenever the appointed governor was not in the state. This meant he was in fact the first person to be governor of the territory, since James Miller did not arrive in the territory until nine months after his appointment.
  2. ^ President James Monroe appointed Miller territorial governor on March 3, 1819, the same date the bill organizing Arkansaw Territory was signed. However, to avoid the hot southern summer, he delayed his departure from New Hampshire until September and took a non-direct route, finally arriving in the territory on December 26, 1819.
  3. ^ Resigned citing poor health. At the time of his resignation, he had been absent from the territory for 18 months.
  4. ^ Territorial Governor George Izard did not arrive in Arkansas Territory until May 31, 1825; Crittenden, Secretary of the territory, acted as governor in his stead, though Crittenden himself was out of the territory when Izard arrived.
  5. ^ a b c d Died in office.
  6. ^ The office was vacant from November 22, 1828, until March 9, 1829. By the time notice of Izard's death reached Washington, D.C., Andrew Jackson had been elected president, and the U.S. Senate refused to approve Adams' choice for governor, preferring to wait until Jackson took office.
  7. ^ Resigned to run for the United States House of Representatives, winning the election.
  8. ^ As president of the Senate, acted as governor for unexpired term.
  9. ^ Resigned due to the low salary he received as governor.
  10. ^ a b As president of the state Senate, acted as governor until special election.
  11. ^ Elected in a special election to fill unexpired term.
  12. ^ The 1861 constitution was enacted during Rector's term; while term lengths remained at four years, a new election schedule was created, calling for elections in 1862, two years into his term.
  13. ^ Flanagin fled Little Rock as it fell to Union forces on September 10, 1863, leading a largely inept government in exile in Washington, Arkansas, until 1865. Isaac Murphy was elected provisional governor by a loyalist government set up after Union control of the state was established, taking office on April 18, 1864, causing a slight overlap in terms, though due to the collapse of the Confederate effort in Arkansas, Flanagin had no authority over the state.
  14. ^ The 1864 constitution was enacted during Flanagin's term; however, it was drafted by the Union occupation and had no effect on his government. While term lengths remained at four years, a new election schedule was created, calling for elections in 1864.
  15. ^ Resigned to take office as state secretary of state.
  16. ^ a b c d Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
  17. ^ As president pro tempore of the state Senate, acted as governor for unexpired term; the office of lieutenant governor at the time was vacant.
  18. ^ Removed from office for a short time due to the Brooks–Baxter War.
  19. ^ The 1874 state constitution, enacted during Baxter's term, shortened his tenure to two years as new elections were scheduled.
  20. ^ a b More than a dozen Republicans resigned to take jobs in the Baxter administration. Democrats won a majority in the special elections that followed.
  21. ^ Resigned after suffering a nervous breakdown soon after taking office.
  22. ^ a b As president of the state Senate, acted as governor until the legislature adjourned.
  23. ^ As the new president pro tempore of the state Senate, became acting governor until his senate term expired.
  24. ^ As the new president pro tempore of the state Senate, became acting governor for three days until the next elected governor took office.
  25. ^ Elected in special election to fill unexpired term.
  26. ^ Resigned to become a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
  27. ^ a b c As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term and was subsequently elected in his own right.
  28. ^ a b Appointed by governor to fill vacancy.
  29. ^ a b As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
  30. ^ Resigned after being elected governor in 1978.
  31. ^ Gubernatorial terms changed from two years to four years during Clinton's term; he was elected for two-year terms in 1982 and 1984, and for four-year terms in 1986 and 1990.
  32. ^ Resigned to become president of the United States.
  33. ^ Resigned after being convicted of mail fraud in the Whitewater scandal.
  34. ^ First elected in special election following Huckabee's elevation to governorship.
  35. ^ Richard Carroll switched parties from Green to Democratic.
  36. ^ Resigned February 1, 2014 after being fined for ethics violations.[3]
  37. ^ Rep. Nate Bell left the Republican Party to sit as an Independent in June 2015.[5] Mike Holcomb (District 10) changed parties from Democratic to Republican in August 2015.[6]
  38. ^ Reps. Joe Jett, Jeff Wardlaw, and David Hillman all switched parties from Democratic to Republican before the 2017 legislative session.[7]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Rolfe, Maro O. (1904). "Chapter 3: Arkansas in Ante-Bellum Days". In Jones, Daniel Webster (ed.). The Province and the States. Vol. III. Madison, Wisconsin: Western Historical Association. p. 317. William Adams was state treasurer January 2, 1849, to January 10, 1849
  2. ^ "Former State Auditor Dead". The Prescott daily news. Prescott, Ark. March 24, 1913. p. 1. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  3. ^ Staff, Arkansas Times (2014-02-06). "It was a bad week for Mark Darr (again)". Arkansas Times. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  4. ^ Waldon, George (2013-05-29). "Mike Beebe Names Charles Robinson State Treasurer". Arkansas Business. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
  5. ^ Lyon, John (2015-06-03). "Nate Bell Drops GOP Affiliation; Now Independent". Arkansas News Bureau. Archived from the original on 2015-07-08 – via Times Record.
  6. ^ "Rep. Mike Holcomb Switches Parties". Talk Business & Politics. 2015-08-20. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  7. ^ "Rep. Jett switches to GOP; Arkansas Democrats lose lone committee majority". Talk Business & Politics. KATV. 2016-12-09. Retrieved 2021-06-20.