1980 United States Senate election in Arkansas

1980 United States Senate election in Arkansas
	County results Bumpers: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% ; Clark: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80%
U.S. senator before election; Dale Bumpers; Democratic	Elected U.S. Senator ; Dale Bumpers; Democratic

The 1980 United States Senate election in Arkansas was held on November 4, 1980. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers won re-election to a second term. This election was Bumpers's closest election in his senatorial career.

Background

Elected in 1974, Dale Bumpers was a very popular Senator and was widely seen as the favorite in his 1980 re-election bid. During his time in the Senate, Bumpers was known for "bucking the conservative winds blowing across his state.". The "bucking" was most evident in 1978 when Senator Bumpers voted for the Panama Canal treaties. Bumpers had considered this issue to be the "hottest of his career" as many of his constituents opposed these treaties.^[1] During this time, Bumpers had started getting a reputation of having a liberal voting record. Many observed that Bumpers's was much more liberal than his constituents. Despite this, Bumpers still had a high approval rating. The reason for this was that many Arkansans liked his personality and didn't mind his political positions. Bumpers was viewed as a potential presidential candidate in 1976 but decided against running. Many people believed that Bumpers's key vote in killing labor law reform in 1978, a vote that angered organized labor and had not been forgotten by labor leaders, discouraged him from running.^[2] Between 1974 and 1980, Bumpers was not a member of any Senate committees and opposed all constitutional amendments proposed during this time. Bumpers's first term helped establish his identity as a fiscally responsible, socially liberal constitutionalist.

Major candidates

Democratic

Dale Bumpers, incumbent U.S. Senator and former Governor

Republican

Only one Republican filed to run, William P. "Bill" Clark. Clark filed for the Senate race only one hour prior to the deadline.

William Clark, real estate broker

General election

Bumpers's opponent, William P. "Bill" Clark, had previously ran for office but was unsuccessful. Clark ran for the Democratic nomination for Arkansas's 2nd congressional district but lost to Jim Guy Tucker. In the start of the campaign, Clark accused Bumpers of being "fuzzy on the issues" and challenged Bumpers's support for gasoline rationing during the energy crisis.^[3] Clark criticized Bumpers for having voted against defense appropriations twenty-three times between 1975 and 1978 and noted, "Only this year [when seeking reelection] he has voted for a couple of defense items."^[4] Clark questioned Bumpers's opposition to school prayer and support for the Panama Canal Treaties of 1978. Clark further claimed that Bumpers had derided citizens of Newton County, a frequent Republican stronghold in Arkansas, as "stupid hill people".^[5] During the campaign, Clark constantly asked voters, "If Dale Bumpers doesn't vote for you, why should you vote for him?"^[6]

Results

Despite Ronald Reagan winning the state in the concurring presidential election and incumbent Governor Bill Clinton losing his re-election bid, Dale Bumpers was re-elected to a second term. Bumpers lost his home county of Franklin. This is the only time Bumpers lost his home county.

Arkansas Senate election 1980^[7]
	Candidate	Votes	%
Democratic	Dale Bumpers (Incumbent)	477,905	59.09%
Republican	Bill Clark	360,576	40.87%
Independent	Walter McCarty	331	0.04%
Democratic hold

References

^ Michael H. Brown (January 2, 2016). "Dale Bumpers, Arkansas politician and barbed wit of the Senate, dies at 90". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
^ Barone, Michael, and Ujifusa, Grant (1985), The Almanac of American Politics 1986, National Journal Inc., pp 66
^ Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, October 11, 1980, p. 2990
^ Arkansas Gazette, November 1, 1980
^ Arkansas Gazette, November 2, 1980
^ Arkansas Outlook, Republican Party newsletter, August 1980
^ "Our Campaigns - AR US Senate Race - Nov 04, 1980".

[1] Michael H. Brown (January 2, 2016). "Dale Bumpers, Arkansas politician and barbed wit of the Senate, dies at 90". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.

[2] Barone, Michael, and Ujifusa, Grant (1985), The Almanac of American Politics 1986, National Journal Inc., pp 66

[3] Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, October 11, 1980, p. 2990

[4] Arkansas Gazette, November 1, 1980

[5] Arkansas Gazette, November 2, 1980

[6] Arkansas Outlook, Republican Party newsletter, August 1980

[7] "Our Campaigns - AR US Senate Race - Nov 04, 1980".

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v t e Elections in Arkansas
General	1844 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1900 1902 1903 1904 1906 1907 1908 1910 1912 1913 1914 1916 1917 1918 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1926 1927 1928 1930 1932 1933 1934 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1942 1943 1944 1946 1949 1950 1952 1953 1954 1956 1958 1959 1960 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1972 1973 1974 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Governor	1836 1840 1844 1848 1849 S 1852 1856 1860 1862 1864 U 1868 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1913 S 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
U.S. President	1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
U.S. Senate	Class 2: 1833 1839–40 1848 S 1853 1859 1868 S 1870 1876 1883 1885 S 1889 1895 1901 1907 1913 S 1913 1918 1924 1930 1936 1937 S 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 2014 2020 Class 3: 1837 1843 1845 S 1849 1855 1861 1867 1873 1879 1881 S 1885 1891 1897 1903 1909 1914 1916 S 1920 1926 1932 S 1932 1938 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 1974 1980 1986 1992 1998 2004 2010 2016 2022
U.S. House	1837 1838 1840 1842 1844 1846 1848 1851 1853 1854 1856 1858 1860 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 (4th S) 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 (6th S) 1962 1964 1966 (4th S) 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
'S,' denotes special election; 'U,' denotes election under Federal (Union) military occupation See also: Political party strength in Arkansas

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