Hayes McClerkin
Encyclopedia
Hayes C. McClerkin is a commercial and environmental law attorney in Texarkana
, Arkansas
, who served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
from 1961–1970 and as Speaker
from 1969-1970. He succeeded Speaker Sterling R. Cockrill of Little Rock
, who in 1970 switched parties and ran as the unsuccessful Republican
nominee for lieutenant governor
.
McClerkin did not seek a sixth term in the House in 1970. Instead he ran in the Democratic
gubernatorial primary election
with the goal of challenging the GOP
incumbent
Winthrop Rockefeller
. He finished fourth in the primary with 45,011 votes (10.5 percent). Attorney General Joe Purcell
ran third with 81,566 votes (18.9 percent). The top two candidates, former Governor Orval E. Faubus of Huntsville
in Madison County
and Dale Bumpers
of Charleston
in Franklin County near Fort Smith
led the field with 156,578 (36.4 percent) and 86,156 (20.0 percent), respectively. In the runoff election, Bumpers, using the "Time for a Change" theme, soundly defeated Faubus, 58.7 to 41.3 percent, and then easily unseated Rockefeller in the general election
. Thereafter McClerkin supported Bumpers for governor and also for the United States Senate
, to which Bumpers was initially elected in 1974.
In the gubernatorial campaign, McClerkin challenged Rockefeller's "list" of college and university campus militants in Arkansas, prepared by a security investigator for the governor. McClerkin claimed that the list could be used to discredit persons "who may be guilty of no more than a disagreement with the governor." The American Association of University Professors
also condemned the list, and Rockefeller soon regreted that he had ever revealed its existence. The list drew support from some conservatives who viewed it as a feasible way to halt troublemakers and traveling campus militants. In the 1970 election, Sterling Cockrill switched parties and ran for lieutenant governor
on Rockefeller's losing ticket.
A native of Texarkana, the seat of (Miller County, McClerkin is the only child of Hayes Candour McClerkin (1893–1942) and the former Orlean Malony (1893–1981), daughter of Ed and Jennie Malony of Monticello
in Drew County in southeastern Arkansas. McClerkin is married to the former Lillian Riggs (born 1936), a 1958 graduate of the former women's college, Randolph College
(formerly Randolph-Macon) of Lynchburg
, Virginia. She is the daughter of John Albert Riggs and the former Martha Williamson. Hayes and Lillian McClerkin have three daughters, Martha, Katherine, and Lauren McClerkin.
McClerkin is a boyhood friend of H. Ross Perot, the Texarkana native and Texas
billionaire
who ran for the American presidency in 1992 and 1996.
McClerkin received his Bachelor of Science
degree from Washington and Lee University
in Lexington
, Virginia. He is the 1953 class agent for his alma mater
. In 1959, he received his L.L.B. degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law
at Fayetteville
. He is a member of Delta Theta Phi
and the American and Arkansas bar associations.
McClerkin is a member of the board of directors of Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance. He is also the president of the Miller County Abstract Company. He has remained somewhat politically active and is a donor to his U.S. Representative Mike Ross, a Democrat from Prescott
who is also a native of Texarkana.
In 2004, McClerkin published Shortcuts to Life's Secrets: The Collected Thoughts of Hayes McClerkin, which uses the theme: "Life is like a yo-yo with lots of ups and downs. The important thing is not to let the string break."
Texarkana, Arkansas
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,448 people, 10,384 households, and 7,040 families residing in the city. The population density was 830.5 people per square mile . There were 11,721 housing units at an average density of 368.1 per square mile...
, 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...
, who served as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
Arkansas House of Representatives
The Arkansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the state. Each district has an average population of 26,734...
from 1961–1970 and as Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
from 1969-1970. He succeeded Speaker Sterling R. Cockrill of Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, who in 1970 switched parties and ran as the unsuccessful Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee for lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
.
McClerkin did not seek a sixth term in the House in 1970. Instead he ran in the Democratic
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...
gubernatorial primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
with the goal of challenging the GOP
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop Rockefeller
Winthrop 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:...
. He finished fourth in the primary with 45,011 votes (10.5 percent). Attorney General Joe Purcell
Joe Purcell
Joseph Gregory Purcell -References:...
ran third with 81,566 votes (18.9 percent). The top two candidates, former Governor Orval E. Faubus of Huntsville
Huntsville, Arkansas
Huntsville is a city in mountainous Madison County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,046 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Madison County. During the American Civil War it was the site of what became known as the Huntsville Massacre...
in Madison County
Madison County, Arkansas
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 15,717. The county seat is Huntsville. The county was formed on September 30, 1836, and named for James Madison, President of the United States...
and Dale Bumpers
Dale Bumpers
Dale 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...
of Charleston
Charleston, Arkansas
Charleston is a city in Franklin County, Arkansas, United States, and one of the two county seats of Franklin County. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in Franklin County near Fort Smith
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
led the field with 156,578 (36.4 percent) and 86,156 (20.0 percent), respectively. In the runoff election, Bumpers, using the "Time for a Change" theme, soundly defeated Faubus, 58.7 to 41.3 percent, and then easily unseated Rockefeller in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
. Thereafter McClerkin supported Bumpers for governor and also for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, to which Bumpers was initially elected in 1974.
In the gubernatorial campaign, McClerkin challenged Rockefeller's "list" of college and university campus militants in Arkansas, prepared by a security investigator for the governor. McClerkin claimed that the list could be used to discredit persons "who may be guilty of no more than a disagreement with the governor." The American Association of University Professors
American Association of University Professors
The American Association of University Professors is an organization of professors and other academics in the United States. AAUP membership is about 47,000, with over 500 local campus chapters and 39 state organizations...
also condemned the list, and Rockefeller soon regreted that he had ever revealed its existence. The list drew support from some conservatives who viewed it as a feasible way to halt troublemakers and traveling campus militants. In the 1970 election, Sterling Cockrill switched parties and ran for lieutenant governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
on Rockefeller's losing ticket.
A native of Texarkana, the seat of (Miller County, McClerkin is the only child of Hayes Candour McClerkin (1893–1942) and the former Orlean Malony (1893–1981), daughter of Ed and Jennie Malony of Monticello
Monticello, Arkansas
Monticello is a city in Drew County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 9,327. The city is the county seat of Drew County. It is the home of the University of Arkansas at Monticello.-History:...
in Drew County in southeastern Arkansas. McClerkin is married to the former Lillian Riggs (born 1936), a 1958 graduate of the former women's college, Randolph College
Randolph College
Randolph College is a private liberal arts and sciences college located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Founded in 1891 as Randolph-Macon Woman's College, it was renamed on July 1, 2007, when it became coeducational....
(formerly Randolph-Macon) of Lynchburg
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
, Virginia. She is the daughter of John Albert Riggs and the former Martha Williamson. Hayes and Lillian McClerkin have three daughters, Martha, Katherine, and Lauren McClerkin.
McClerkin is a boyhood friend of H. Ross Perot, the Texarkana native and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
billionaire
Billionaire
A billionaire, in countries that use the short scale number naming system, is a person who has a net worth of at least one billion units of a given currency, usually the United States dollar, Euro, or Pound sterling. Forbes magazine updates a complete list of U.S. dollar billionaires around the...
who ran for the American presidency in 1992 and 1996.
McClerkin received his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
in Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
, Virginia. He is the 1953 class agent for his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
. In 1959, he received his L.L.B. degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law
University of Arkansas School of Law
The University of Arkansas School of Law is the law school of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a state university. It has around 445 students enrolled in its Juris Doctor and Master of Law programs and is home to the federally-funded National Agricultural Law Center and the...
at Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
. He is a member of Delta Theta Phi
Delta Theta Phi
Delta Theta Phi is a professional law fraternity and a member of the Professional Fraternity Association. The smallest of the three internationally recognized law fraternities , Delta Theta Phi is the only one of the three major law fraternities to charter chapters in the United States at...
and the American and Arkansas bar associations.
McClerkin is a member of the board of directors of Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance. He is also the president of the Miller County Abstract Company. He has remained somewhat politically active and is a donor to his U.S. Representative Mike Ross, a Democrat from Prescott
Prescott, Arkansas
Prescott is a city and the county seat of Nevada County, Arkansas. The community had a population of 3,868 at the 2000 census. Prescott is part of the Hope Micropolitan Statistical Area....
who is also a native of Texarkana.
In 2004, McClerkin published Shortcuts to Life's Secrets: The Collected Thoughts of Hayes McClerkin, which uses the theme: "Life is like a yo-yo with lots of ups and downs. The important thing is not to let the string break."