Democratic Party of Arkansas
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Party of Arkansas is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party
in the state of Arkansas
. It is responsible for promoting the ideologies and core values of the national Democratic Party in Arkansas.
.. The founder of this party was James Conway, who was inspired by the death of his older brother, Henry Conway.. Henry Conway was killed in a duel, that took place on October 27th,1827, by Robert Crittenden, former friend, that soon became his political opposition . In an act to avenge his brother's death, he formed the first political party of Arkansas, "The Dynasty" . Many of the members in this group were relate by either blood or marriage, and thus how it received the name, "The Family". This group was closely allied with former President Andrew Jackson
. Arkansas began its statehood with a strong Democratic dominance in politics. The Democratic Party won every election for governor until 1966, when Republican Winthrop Rockefeller won Governorship. Although the Democratic Party of Arkansas is not as dominant as it once was, it still has a strong presence in the state. Arkansas has traditionally had a two-party government, with the opponents of The Family being the Whigs, and the current opposition to the Democratic Party being the Republican Party.
The early Democratic Party has ideologies that are more closely relatable to the modern day Republican Party.
State Legislature
L. J. Bryant was the Democratic Party of Arkansas' nominee for Land Commissioner in 2010. He is thought to be the youngest nominee at 23 of a major political party for a statewide office in Arkansas and maybe the country.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in the state of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. It is responsible for promoting the ideologies and core values of the national Democratic Party in Arkansas.
History
Before Arkansas became a state on June 15, 1836, its politics was dominated by a small group commonly called "The Family" or "The Dynasty" until the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.. The founder of this party was James Conway, who was inspired by the death of his older brother, Henry Conway.. Henry Conway was killed in a duel, that took place on October 27th,1827, by Robert Crittenden, former friend, that soon became his political opposition . In an act to avenge his brother's death, he formed the first political party of Arkansas, "The Dynasty" . Many of the members in this group were relate by either blood or marriage, and thus how it received the name, "The Family". This group was closely allied with former President Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
. Arkansas began its statehood with a strong Democratic dominance in politics. The Democratic Party won every election for governor until 1966, when Republican Winthrop Rockefeller won Governorship. Although the Democratic Party of Arkansas is not as dominant as it once was, it still has a strong presence in the state. Arkansas has traditionally had a two-party government, with the opponents of The Family being the Whigs, and the current opposition to the Democratic Party being the Republican Party.
The early Democratic Party has ideologies that are more closely relatable to the modern day Republican Party.
Past Governors
This list shows the trends of the State of Arkansas in Governor Elections since 1941.- Homer Martin AdkinsHomer Martin AdkinsHomer Martin Adkins was the 32nd Governor of Arkansas. He was born near Jacksonville in Pulaski County, Arkansas. In 1908, he attended Draughon's Business College and graduated from the Little Rock College of Pharmacy in 1911 as a licensed pharmacist.Adkins served in the United States Army during...
Democrat 1941-1945 - Benjamin Travis LaneyBenjamin Travis LaneyBenjamin Travis Laney, Jr. , was the 33rd Governor of Arkansas, having served from 1945-1949.Laney was born in Camden, where he attended Ouachita County public schools but never graduated from high school. He was, however, admitted in 1915 to Hendrix College, a liberal arts institution in...
Democrat 1945-1949 - Sidney Sanders McMath Democrat 1949-1953
- Francis CherryFrancis CherryFrancis Adams Cherry was the 35th Governor of Arkansas, elected as a Democrat for a single two-year term from 1953 to 1955. He was only the second governor in Arkansas history to have been denied a second term—the first was Tom Jefferson Terral, who was defeated in 1926. After the...
Democrat 1953-1955 - Orval Eugene Faubus Democrat 1955-1967
- Winthrop RockefellerWinthrop RockefellerWinthrop Rockefeller was a politician and philanthropist who served as the first Republican Governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction. He was a third-generation member of the Rockefeller family.-Early life:...
Republican 1967-1971 - Dale BumpersDale BumpersDale Leon Bumpers is an American politician who served as the 38th Governor of Arkansas from 1971 to 1975; and then in the United States Senate from 1975 until his retirement in January 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Senator Bumpers is currently counsel at the Washington, D.C...
Democrat 1971-1975 - David PryorDavid PryorDavid Hampton Pryor is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senator from the State of Arkansas. Pryor also served as 39th Governor of Arkansas from 1975 to 1979 and was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1960 to 1966...
Democrat 1975- 1979 - Joe PurcellJoe PurcellJoseph Gregory Purcell -References:...
Democrat 1979-1979 - Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
Democrat 1979-1981 - Frank WhiteFrank WhiteFrank White, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball player, and coach for the Kansas City Royals and their AA affiliate, the Wichita Wranglers. He currently is a color commentator for Royals telecasts....
Republican 1981-1983 - Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
Democrat 1983-1992 - Jim Guy TuckerJim Guy TuckerJames "Jim" Guy Tucker, Jr. is an Arkansas political figure. He served as the 43rd Governor of Arkansas, the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, Arkansas Attorney General, and U.S. Representative...
Democrat 1992-1996 - Mike HuckabeeMike HuckabeeMichael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
Republican 1996-2007 - Mike Beebe Democrat 2007- incumbent
U.S. House of Representatives
- Mike Ross, 4th districtArkansas's 4th congressional districtArkansas's 4th congressional district is a congressional district located in the southern half of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Notable towns in the district include Camden, Hope, Hot Springs, Magnolia, Pine Bluff, and Texarkana....
Statewide offices
- Governor: Mike Beebe
- Attorney GeneralArkansas Attorney GeneralThe Arkansas Attorney General is an executive position and constitutional officer within the Arkansas government. The Attorney General is the chief law enforcement/legal officer and lawyer for Arkansas. The position is elected every four years, e.g...
: Dustin McDanielDustin McDanielDustin McDaniel is the current Attorney General of Arkansas. A member of the Democratic Party, he assumed office on January 9, 2007, succeeding Mike Beebe, who became Governor of Arkansas.- Background :... - State AuditorArkansas State AuditorArkansas State Auditor is an executive position and constitutional officer within the Arkansas government...
: Charlie DanielsCharlie Daniels (politician)Charlie Daniels is an American Democratic Party politician from Arkansas. He is currently Auditor for the state of Arkansas and previously served as Arkansas’s Secretary of State and Commissioner of State Lands.-Early Life and Career:... - State TreasurerArkansas State TreasurerThe Arkansas State Treasurer acts as the head banker for the State of Arkansas, handling deposits, withdrawals, redemptions of state warrants, and investments of state funds. The position was created in 1819 when Arkansas became a territory...
: Martha ShoffnerMartha ShoffnerMartha Shoffner is the current state treasurer of Arkansas. A Democrat, she was first elected in 2006, taking office in January 2007. She was re-elected in 2010....
State LegislatureArkansas General AssemblyThe Arkansas General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house Arkansas Senate with 35 members, and the lower Arkansas House of Representatives with 100 members. All 135 representatives and state senators...
- President Pro Tem of the Senate: Paul Bookout
- Speaker of the House: Robert S. Moore
Party platform
The Democratic Party of Arkansas has a platform standing on the following principles: law and order with justice, every citizen, regardless of religion or race, is entitled to an equal voice in government. Also, it advocates equal opportunity, fairness and justice, and progressiveness. It not only promotes these standards, but also takes action to achieve them. With these principles comes a list of 52 rules. The platform is filled with values such as ethics, education, economic development and opportunity, agriculture, transportation and infrastructure, environment and energy, health care, social security/medicaid/medicare, taxes, military/veterans and nation's security, criminal justice, civil rights and civil liberties, and public service. Its position on these topics mirrors closely that of the national Democratic Party.See also
- Political party strength in ArkansasPolitical party strength in ArkansasThe following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Arkansas:*Governor*Lieutenant Governor*Secretary of State*Attorney General*State Auditor*State Treasurer*State Land Commissioner...
L. J. Bryant was the Democratic Party of Arkansas' nominee for Land Commissioner in 2010. He is thought to be the youngest nominee at 23 of a major political party for a statewide office in Arkansas and maybe the country.
External links
- Party Website: Democratic Party of Arkansas
- Young Democrats of Arkansas