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 County results Clinton: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% White: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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The1982 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1982. FormerDemocratic governorBill Clinton regained the position after having narrowly been defeated byRepublican candidateFrank D. White at the previous election. Clinton held the position from January 1983 until he resigned after beingelected president in 1992. As of 2025, this is the last time that an incumbent governor of Arkansas lost re-election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Clinton | 236,961 | 41.8 | |
| Democratic | Joe Purcell | 166,066 | 29.3 | |
| Democratic | Jim Guy Tucker | 129,362 | 22.8 | |
| Total votes | 566,974[a] | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Frank D. White (incumbent) | 11,111 | 83.2 | |
| Republican | Marshal Chrisman | 1,410 | 10.6 | |
| Republican | Connie Vol | 826 | 6.2 | |
| Total votes | 13,347 | 100.00 | ||
Clinton, one of the youngest ex-governors in the nation at the age of 36,[citation needed] was aiming to regain the governorship, having lost the1980 Arkansas gubernatorial election. Frank White, who had won that election, easily won renomination from the Republican party.
White was hurt politically due to several unpopular decisions that he made, and Clinton ran an aggressive campaign.[2]
Clinton won the election, and was elected again in 1984, 1986, and 1990. He resigned as governor following hispresidential victory in November 1992.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Clinton | 431,855 | 54.71% | +6.64% | |
| Republican | Frank D. White (incumbent) | 357,496 | 45.29% | −6.64% | |
| Total votes | 789,351 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
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