The 1968 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 5, when incumbent Republican Winthrop Rockefeller defeated former Speaker[1] of the Arkansas House of RepresentativesMarion Crank by a small margin. Rockefeller was firstly elected in 1966, becoming the first Republican governor of the state since the end of Reconstruction. As of 2022, this is the last time St. Francis County voted for the Republican candidate.
Probably due to the crowded Democratic primary and allegations of nepotism cast upon Crank,[2] aided by the recent full enfranchisement of African Americans who supported Rockefeller and his liberal reforms Rockefeller prevailed with a clear, though reduced, compared to 1966 margin.
Virginia Johnson was the wife of former Arkansas Supreme Court Justice James D. Johnson who, concurrently with her candidacy, unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination against J. William Fulbright in the .
Democratic primary[]
Candidates:
Marion H. Crank, State Representative, former House Speaker, and President of Foreman Cement Company
Virginia Johnson, Legal Secretary and wife of James D. "Justice Jim" Johnson, Democratic Nominee for Governor in 1966