1932 Arkansas gubernatorial election

Last updated

1932 Arkansas gubernatorial election
Flag of Arkansas (1924-2011).svg
←  1930 November 8, 1932 (1932-11-08) 1934  →
  Junius Marion Futrell.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Junius Marion Futrell James Livesay
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote200,61219,713
Percentage90.4% [1] 8.9% [2]
1932 Arkansas gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Futrell:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     90-100%
Governor before election

Harvey Parnell
Democratic

Elected Governor

Junius Marion Futrell
Democratic

The 1932 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1932, to elect the Governor of Arkansas, concurrently with the election to Arkansas's Class III U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

Contents

Incumbent Democratic Governor Harvey Parnell had won office in 1928, and reelection in 1930. During this period, it was customary for governors to be reelected to a second term, but only one governor, Jeff Davis, had served three terms since Reconstruction. In the Solid South, winning the Democratic primary was tantamount to election, a trend that resulted in Democratic control of the Arkansas Governor's Mansion from 1874 to 1967. Chancery judge Junius Marion Futrell won a seven-candidate primary, and was nominated by the party despite insisting he did not want the position. The Republicans nominated James O. Livesay, a lawyer from Foreman in Little River County, who had also been the gubernatorial nominee against Harvey Parnell in 1930.

Futrell defeated Livesay in a landslide election, and would win reelection in 1934. Though the office remained within the Democratic party, the election represented a realignment in favor of the conservative wing of the party. Futrell was the most conservative governor elected in decades, with 1932 marking the end of the reform era in Arkansas. [3]

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary carried significant weight during the Solid South period, with a primary win essentially tantamount to election. The Republicans selected their candidate in April at their state convention, and many Republicans also voted in the Democrat's open primary. Illustrating the strength of Democratic hegemony, the Fayetteville Daily Democrat published a photo of Futrell after the primary under the headline "Next Governor", three months before the general election. The caption claimed Futrell "possibly will be conceded the office by members of all parties". [4]

Current governor Harvey Parnell had recently completed two terms, and declined to run for reelection. Though Parnell had enjoyed early popularity as a reform governor, he had become deeply unpopular following the start of the Great Depression, and the perceived flaws of the Martineau Road Law, which he was instrumental in passing as Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas. By February 1933, the situation had devolved so far, the Arkansas House of Representatives adopted a resolution describing the Parnell administration as "the most corrupt since the days of reconstruction and the most extravagant and wasteful in the history of the state". Many Arkansans blamed Parnell for their hardships in the Great Depression, and his unpopularity caused candidates to dodge his endorsement throughout the contest. [5]

Candidates

A diverse group of state and local politicians sought the nomination, with as many as ten candidates running in the early months. The broad field began to narrow a month before the August primary, with campaign rhetoric and candidate mudslinging also rising. On primary day, August 9, 1932, there was a seven-man field, with four serious candidates: Dwight H. Blackwood of Osceola, chairman of the powerful Arkansas State Highway Commission, chancery judge Junius Marion Futrell of Paragould, former governor Tom J. Terral, and circuit judge A.B. Priddy of Russellville.

Declared

Blackwood's campaign was managed by Lee Seamster, a prominent judge from Fayetteville. Futrell's campaign was managed by C.E. Johnson, a chancery judge from Texarkana, and Griffin Smith, who would become an associate justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Withdrew

Declined

Results

Public sentiment toward the Parnell administration turned the 1932 election debate toward corruption and good government reforms. One of the main issues was corruption at the Arkansas Highway Department, which is directed by the State Highway Commission, chaired by Blackwood. Public schools were also an issue in the race. [23]

Priddy promised "a brand new deal", borrowing the term from President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. Priddy strongly opposed Blackwood's continued service on the Highway Commission, making a campaign promise to unseat him if elected. Blackwood had "boasted" he could not be removed from the Highway Commission unless indicted. Though Priddy had never supported the Parnell administration, Priddy was known as the governor's favored choice, though he did not give an official endorsement. [24] Priddy also accused former governor Terral of aligning with Blackwood, saying "the difference would be in name only if either should be elected governor". [25] Futrell had previously served on an audit committee tasked with investigating the Highway Commission, but resigned before publishing a report. Priddy used his resignation to tar and feather Futrell, and link him to the Blackwood and Parnell as corrupt.

Futrell was a reluctant candidate, saying after winning the Democratic primary, "had no ambition to become governor and would prefer to serve out my time as chancellor among the people who know me best". [26] A planter from Paragould in Northeast Arkansas, Futrell had significant state government experience, but retained everyman credentials, nicknamed "the commoner from Paragould". [27] Futrell emphasized retrenchment and good government reforms, including proposal of a constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget. [28] [29] Arkansas was facing a $15 million shortfall in 1933-1934, and the repayment of $146 million of highway bonds under the Martineau Road Law now seemed insurmountable. [30] Futrell planned to modify the funding of highways upon election to ensure a balanced budget.

Democratic primary, 1932 [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Junius Marion Futrell 124,139 44.0
Democratic Tom J. Terral59,06620.9
Democratic A.B. Priddy37,13413.2
Democratic Dwight H. Blackwood33,14711.8
Democratic Howard Reed12,1174.3
Democratic W.P. Wilson7,7092.7
Democratic Other candidates5,1881.8
Democratic Arley Woodrow3,5411.3
Total votes282,041 100.0

The Democratic primary was a dramatic fight played out via accusations in the press, and ultimately widened major rifts in the party. Though Parnell and Blackwood were already political rivals, the battle continued to escalate. Allegations of corruption flew among several of the candidates, positing other candidates as "members of the machine" or colluding as a political "gang". [32] Parnell was initially thought to run for Senate, but declined and decided to retire from politics, but remained active in the 1932 primary. On July 24, reports emerged that Governor Parnell had switched his support from Priddy to Futrell. [33] Parnell issued a statement, saying "his only interest in the present campaign was to defeat Dwight H. Blackwood". [34] Following Futrell's win, Parnell removed Howard Reed from his state comptroller's position, allegedly for refusing to withdraw as a gubernatorial candidate. Parnell appointed Griffin Smith, manager of Futrell's campaign, to replace Reed. Four of Arkansas's constitutional officers condemned the firing in a statement, calling it "untimely to say the least". [35]

Futrell tried to strike a conciliatory tone, saying "in the discharge of my duties as governor, all bitterness of the controversy will be forgotten, and the earnest co-operation of those who opposed me, and those who supported me, is necessary". [36] He also condemned the overheated rhetoric of the campaign, saying "one thing has been definitely established: A campaign of slander and misrepresentation cannot succeed." [37]

The Democratic state convention was held September 8–10 in Hot Springs. Representative of the conservative wing having taken control of the convention, it adopted as first plank of the party platform, "drastic curtailment of government expenditures and other reforms". [38]

Republican convention

Republicans did not hold primaries in Arkansas until the 1960s, instead nominating their candidates at the state convention. The Republican convention was held in Little Rock on April 26, 1932. [39] James O. Livesay, a lawyer and judge from Foreman, and Republican candidate for governor in 1930, was nominated as the Republican gubernatorial candidate.

Third parties

Candidates

Declared

General election

Turnout was expected to be high, mostly due to five constitutional amendments and three initiated acts listed on the November 1932 ballot, all of which were defeated at the polls. It was the longest ballot in Arkansas to date. [42] On election day, turnout broke state records, exceeding even optimistic predictions.

Results

Arkansas gubernatorial election, 1932 [43]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Junius Marion Futrell 200,612 90.4
Republican James O. Livesay19,7138.9
Liberty Clay Faulks9110.4
Socialist Clay Faulks4610.2
Communist H.C. Coney1740.0
Total votes221,817 100.0
Democratic hold

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homer Martin Adkins</span> 32nd Governor of Arkansas (1890–1964)

Homer Martin Adkins was an American businessman and Democratic politician who served as the 32nd Governor of Arkansas. Adkins is remembered as a skilled retail politician and a strong states' rights proponent and social conservative who served as governor during a period when Arkansas departed from several national economic and societal trends. The Adkins administration fought federal influence in Arkansas during the post-New Deal era; successfully courting federal wartime production investment, during World War II, while battling the federal resettlement of Japanese-Americans in the state and Supreme Court civil rights decisions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvey Parnell</span> 29th Governor of Arkansas

Harvey Parnell was an American farmer and politician from Southeast Arkansas. Parnell served in the Arkansas General Assembly for eight years, first in the Arkansas House of Representatives, and later serving a term in the Arkansas Senate. Following the re-establishment of the lieutenant governor position, Parnell won the statewide election and served under Governor John Martineau. When Martineau resigned to take a federal judgeship in March 1928, Parnell was elevated to become the state's 29th governor, a position he would hold until 1933. Early in his time as governor, Parnell was responsible for Progressive reforms popular with rural voters, including expansion and modernization of the highway system and public school reform. But as the Dust Bowl and Great Depression ravaged the Arkansas economy, Parnell's programs were blamed for bankrupting the state, and his popularity plummeted. He left politics after his second full gubernatorial term ended in January 1933.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Terral</span> 27th governor of Arkansas

Thomas Jefferson Terral was an American attorney and the 27th governor of Arkansas, serving one term from 1925 to 1927.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Democratic Party of Arkansas</span> Political organization in Arkansas, U.S.

The Democratic Party of Arkansas is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the state of Arkansas. The current party chair is Grant Tennille. Former U.S. president Bill Clinton was born in Arkansas, and served as state governor from 1979 to 1981 and 1983 to 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Cazort</span> American lawyer and politician

William Lee Cazort, Sr. was a lawyer and Democratic politician from Johnson County in the Arkansas River Valley. Winning a seat in the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1915, Cazort became a rising star in Arkansas politics for the next eight years. He was defeated in the 1924 Democratic gubernatorial primary, but served as the fifth and seventh Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 1929 to 1931 under Governor Harvey Parnell and from 1933 to 1937 under Governor Junius Marion Futrell. Cazort also sought the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1930 and 1936, but failed to gain necessary statewide support and withdrew before the primary both times.

Lawrence Elery Wilson was an American businessman and politician from South Arkansas. He served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1927 to 1931. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, serving under Governor Harvey Parnell until he was defeated by Lee Cazort in the Democratic primary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Seamster</span> American judge and politician (1888–1960)

Lee A. Seamster was a lawyer and politician from Northwest Arkansas. Passing the bar in 1913, Seamster practiced law in Bentonville, and represented the area in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1919 to 1920, and served as mayor of Bentonville from 1921 to 1922, until he resigned to move to Fayetteville to open a law practice. Over the next two decades, Seamster practiced law and served as Chancery Judge of the 13th District for eighteen years before representing the Fayetteville area in the Arkansas House from 1947 to 1948. He was appointed to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas from 1955 to 1956 by Governor Orval Faubus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roberta Fulbright</span> American Buisnesswoman

Roberta Fulbright (1874–1953) was an American businesswoman who consolidated her husband's business enterprises and became an influential newspaper publisher, editor, and journalist. She used her paper to push civic responsibility and women's rights. Fulbright was the 1946 Arkansas Mother of the Year, a co-founder of the Arkansas Newspaper Women, and was posthumously inducted into the Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame in its inaugural group of honorees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1937 United States Senate special election in Arkansas</span>

The 1937 Arkansas special senatorial election was held on October 19, 1937, following the death of longtime Democratic senator Joe T. Robinson. Robinson was a powerful senator, staunch Democrat, and strong supporter of United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and was instrumental in passing many New Deal programs through the Senate. Arkansas was essentially a one-party state during the Solid South period; the Democratic Party controlled all aspects of state and local office. Recently elected Democratic Governor of Arkansas Carl E. Bailey initially considered appointing himself to finish Robinson's term, but later acceded to a nomination process by the Democratic Central Committee, avoiding a public primary but breaking a campaign process. Avoiding the primary so angered the public and establishment Democrats, leading them to coalesce behind longtime Democrat John E. Miller as an independent, forcing a general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1932 Arkansas elections</span>

Arkansas held a general election on November 8, 1932. At the top of the ticket, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the state handily in his successful bid to become the 32nd President of the United States. Arkansans elected Hattie Caraway to the United States Senate, the first woman elected to a full term in history. For the United States House of Representatives, Bill Cravens, a former Representative from 1907 to 1913, returned to politics and defeated a wide field in the Arkansas 4th. Tilman Parks defeated several challengers to retain the Arkansas 7th. All of Arkansas's statewide constitutional offices were up for reelection, including governor. Incumbent Harvey Parnell declined to run for reelection, and was supplanted by Junius Marion Futrell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">48th Arkansas General Assembly</span>

The Forty-Eighth Arkansas General Assembly was the legislative body of the state of Arkansas in 1931 and 1932. In this General Assembly, the Arkansas Senate and Arkansas House of Representatives were both controlled by the Democrats. In the Senate, all 35 senators were Democrats, and in the House, 99 representatives were Democrats, with one Republican. It was the first General Assembly to use redistricted legislative districts from the 1930 United States Census.

William U. McCabe was an attorney and politician from Mountain Home, Arkansas. He served in the Arkansas Senate from 1921 to 1924, and the Arkansas House of Representatives from January 1931 until his assassination on May 6, 1931. McCabe worked to reform the Arkansas Constitution and state highway funding system during a period of good government reforms in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1930 Arkansas gubernatorial election</span>

The 1930 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 1930, to elect the Governor of Arkansas, concurrently with the election to Arkansas's Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

J. Oscar Humphrey was a politician from Southwest Arkansas. He served as the Arkansas State Auditor from 1929 to 1935 and 1937–1956, despite having both arms amputated above the elbow due to a sawmill accident as a child.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1940 Arkansas gubernatorial election</span>

The 1940 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1940.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1926 Arkansas gubernatorial election</span>

The 1926 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on October 5, 1926.

Vada Sheid was a politician from Mountain Home, Arkansas, who served in the Arkansas General Assembly for 20 years; in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1967 to 1977, the Arkansas Senate from 1977 to 1985, and returning to the House during the 79th Arkansas General Assembly. She is the first woman to serve in both houses of the General Assembly, and the first non-widow's succession woman to serve in the Arkansas Senate. Known by constituents as "Miss Vada", she worked on behalf of Ozark Mountain residents with a focus on education and infrastructure projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1936 Arkansas elections</span>

Arkansas held a general election on November 3, 1936. At the top of the ticket, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the state handily in his reelection bid. Arkansans reelected Joe T. Robinson to the United States Senate for a fifth term. For the United States House of Representatives, the six Representatives seeking reelection were unopposed in the general election. In the Arkansas 7th, Wade Kitchens replaced a retiring Tilman B. Parks.

References

  1. ↑ "Elections" (1950), pp. 25–26.
  2. ↑ "Elections" (1950), pp. 25–26.
  3. ↑ "Arkansas" (2002) , p. 321.
  4. ↑ Staff of the Fayetteville Daily Democrat (August 10, 1932). "Next Governor". Fayetteville Daily Democrat. Vol. 37, no. 222. Fayetteville: Fayetteville Democrat Publishing Company. p. 1. OCLC   18126013 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  5. ↑ "Denying" (1932) , p. 1.
  6. ↑ "Seeking" (1932) , p. 1.
  7. ↑ "Caudle" (1932) , p. 7.
  8. ↑ "Caudle" (1932) , p. 7.
  9. ↑ "Caudle" (1932) , p. 7.
  10. ↑ "Caudle" (1932) , p. 7.
  11. ↑ "Caudle" (1932) , p. 9.
  12. ↑ "Caudle" (1932) , p. 9.
  13. ↑ "Seeking" (1932) , p. 1.
  14. ↑ "Caudle" (1932) , p. 9.
  15. ↑ "Seeking" (1932) , p. 1.
  16. ↑ Staff of the Fayetteville Daily Democrat (June 3, 1932). "Gubernatorial Candidate to Speak Sat'day". Fayetteville Daily Democrat. Vol. 37, no. 165. Fayetteville: Fayetteville Democrat Publishing Company. p. 6. OCLC   18126013 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  17. ↑ "Seeking" (1932) , p. 1.
  18. ↑ "Seeking" (1932) , p. 1.
  19. ↑ "Seeking" (1932) , p. 1.
  20. ↑ Staff of the Fayetteville Daily Democrat (February 12, 1932). "Seamster Now in Little Rock". Fayetteville Daily Democrat . Vol. 38, no. 69. Fayetteville: Fayetteville Democrat Publishing Company. p. 1. OCLC   18126013 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  21. ↑ Staff of the Fayetteville Daily Democrat (February 8, 1932). "Lee Seamster May Run for Governorship". Fayetteville Daily Democrat. Vol. 38, no. 65. Fayetteville: Fayetteville Democrat Publishing Company. p. 1. OCLC   18126013 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  22. ↑ Staff of the United Press (July 11, 1932). "Lee Seamster to Guide Blackwood's Campaign". Blytheville Courier News . Vol. 29, no. 98. Blytheville: The Courier News Company. p. 1 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  23. ↑ Staff of the Hope Star (April 11, 1932). "Five Now in Race for Governorship". Hope Star . Vol. 33, no. 142. Hope: Star Publishing Company. pp. 1, 3. OCLC   23187909 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  24. ↑ "Denying" (1932) , p. 1.
  25. ↑ "Capacity" (1932) , p. 1.
  26. ↑ "Personal" (1932) , p. 1.
  27. ↑ "Priddy" (1932) , p. 13.
  28. ↑ "Personal" (1932) , p. 1.
  29. ↑ "Arkansas" (2002) , p. 321.
  30. ↑ "Governors" (1995) , p. 185.
  31. ↑ "Elections" (1950), p. 25.
  32. ↑ "Priddy" (1932) , p. 13.
  33. ↑ "Denying" (1932) , p. 1.
  34. ↑ "Denying" (1932) , p. 1.
  35. ↑ Staff of the Fayetteville Daily Democrat (August 17, 1932). "Many Against Parnell Move". Fayetteville Daily Democrat. Vol. 37, no. 228. Fayetteville: Fayetteville Democrat Publishing Company. p. 1. OCLC   18126013 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  36. ↑ "Personal" (1932) , p. 1.
  37. ↑ "Personal" (1932) , p. 1.
  38. ↑ Staff of the Fayetteville Daily Democrat (September 10, 1932). "Futrell Not to Urge Any Solon Choice". Fayetteville Daily Democrat. Vol. 37, no. 249. Fayetteville: Fayetteville Democrat Publishing Company. p. 1. OCLC   18126013 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  39. ↑ Staff of the Fayetteville Daily Democrat (April 27, 1932). "'Bone Dry' Plank G.O.P. State Move". Fayetteville Daily Democrat. Vol. 38, no. 133. Fayetteville: Fayetteville Democrat Publishing Company. p. 5. OCLC   18126013 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  40. ↑ "Ballot" (1932) , p. 1.
  41. ↑ "Ballot" (1932) , p. 1.
  42. ↑ Staff of the Fayetteville Daily Democrat (November 7, 1932). "State Voters Ready to Poll to New Record". Fayetteville Daily Democrat. Vol. 37, no. 298. Fayetteville: Fayetteville Democrat Publishing Company. p. 1. OCLC   18126013 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.
  43. ↑ "Elections" (1950), pp. 25–26.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.