1960 Arkansas gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1960 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 1960 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1960.

1960 Arkansas gubernatorial election

← 1958 November 8, 1960 1962 →

Nominee Orval Faubus Henry M. Britt Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 292,064 129,921 Percentage 69.21% 30.79%

Governor before election Orval Faubus Democratic Elected Governor Orval Faubus Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Governor Orval Faubus won election to a fourth term, defeating Republican nominee Henry M. Britt with 69.21% of the vote.

That year, Faubus simultaneously ran for president under the white supremacist National States' Rights Party.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on July 26, 1960. By winning over 50% of the vote, Faubus avoided a run-off which would have been held on August 9, 1960.^[1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Bruce Bennett, incumbent Attorney General of Arkansas
• Orval Faubus, incumbent Governor
• Joe C. Hardin, businessman, Farm Bureau President, and former natural gas company executive^[2]
• Hal Millsap, supermarket owner^[3]
• Rev. H. E. Williams, president of Southern Baptist College, Walnut Ridge^[3]

Results

Democratic primary results^[4][5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Orval Faubus (incumbent)	238,997	58.75
	Democratic	Joe C. Hardin	66,499	16.35
	Democratic	Bruce Bennett	58,400	14.36
	Democratic	H. E. Williams	33,374	8.20
	Democratic	Hal Millsap	9,547	2.35
Total votes			406,817	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• Henry M. Britt, attorney

Results

Republican primary results^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Henry M. Britt		unopposed

General election

Candidates

• Orval Faubus, Democratic
• Henry M. Britt, Republican

Results

1960 Arkansas gubernatorial election^[6][7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Orval Faubus (incumbent)	292,064	69.21%	−13.26%
	Republican	Henry M. Britt	129,921	30.79%	+13.26%
Majority			162,143	38.42%
Turnout			421,985	100.00%
	Democratic hold		Swing

References

1. Compiled by the Senate Library under the direction of Felton M. Johnston, Secretary of the Senate (1960). Factual Campaign Information. Washington D.C.: United States Government Printing Office. p. 3. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
2. Kearney, Kevin E. (1961). "The 1960 campaign speaking of Orval E. Faubus". The Southern Speech Journal. 27 (2): 102–109. doi:10.1080/10417946109371633. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
3. Reed, Roy (1997). Faubus: the Life and Times of an American Prodigal. University of Arkansas Press: Fayetteville, Arkansas. p. 285. ISBN 1-55728-457-1.
4. "AR Governor, 1960 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
5. Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 100.
6. "AR Governor, 1960". Our Campaigns. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
7. Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 42.

Bibliography

• Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-396-0.