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David Pryor | |
|---|---|
 Pryor in 1974 | |
| Chair of theArkansas Democratic Party | |
| In office September 5, 2008 – January 28, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Gwatney |
| Succeeded by | Todd Turner |
| Secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus | |
| In office January 3, 1989 – January 3, 1995 | |
| Leader | George J. Mitchell |
| Preceded by | Daniel Inouye |
| Succeeded by | Barbara Mikulski |
| Chair of theSenate Aging Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1989 – January 3, 1995 | |
| Preceded by | John Melcher |
| Succeeded by | William Cohen |
| United States Senator fromArkansas | |
| In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Kaneaster Hodges Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Tim Hutchinson |
| 39thGovernor of Arkansas | |
| In office January 14, 1975 – January 3, 1979 | |
| Lieutenant | Joe Purcell |
| Preceded by | Dale Bumpers Bob C. Riley (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Bill Clinton Joe Purcell (acting) |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromArkansas's4th district | |
| In office November 8, 1966 – January 3, 1973 | |
| Preceded by | Oren Harris |
| Succeeded by | Ray Thornton |
| Member of theArkansas House of Representatives from the Ouachita County district | |
| In office January 9, 1961 – November 7, 1966 | |
| Preceded by | William Andrews |
| Succeeded by | Redistricted |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Hampton Pryor (1934-08-29)August 29, 1934 Camden, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | April 20, 2024(2024-04-20) (aged 89) Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Mark Pryor |
| Education | Henderson State University (BA) University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (LLB) |
David Hampton Pryor (August 29, 1934 – April 20, 2024) was an American politician who served as arepresentative forArkansas's 4th congressional district from 1966 until 1973 and as asenator fromArkansas from 1979 until 1997. A member of theDemocratic Party, Pryor also served as the 39thGovernor of Arkansas from 1975 to 1979 and was a member of theArkansas House of Representatives from 1960 to 1966.[1][2][3] He served as the acting chairman of theArkansas Democratic Party from 2008 to 2009, followingBill Gwatney's assassination.
David Hampton Pryor was born inCamden, the seat ofOuachita County in southern Arkansas, to William Edgar Pryor and the former Susan Pryor (née Newton). Both had deep roots in Arkansas; the marriage 'united two of the pioneer families of Arkansas'. William Pryor moved to Camden fromHolly Springs in 1923 and started selling cars. By 1933, he had bought the partners out of the business and become sole owner of Edgar Pryor Inc, a well-knownChevrolet dealership in the area. The family was also involved in the civic, religious, and political life of Camden, with W.E. serving as Ouachita County Sheriff from 1939 to 1942.[4]
Pryor was a third generation Ouachita County resident. He attended public schools in Camden, attendedHenderson State Teacher's College inArkadelphia, and graduated from theUniversity of Arkansas inFayetteville in 1957. Pryor was founder and publisher of theOuachita Citizen from 1957 to 1960. He graduated fromlaw school at theUniversity of Arkansas in 1964 and was admitted to the bar that same year.
Pryor first won elected office representing Ouachita County in theArkansas House of Representatives in 1960. Seated as a member of the63rd Arkansas General Assembly, Pryor would win reelection to the seat in 1962 and 1964.
In 1966, Pryor was elected to Congress following a vacancy that year afterU.S. PresidentLyndon B. Johnson appointed fellow DemocratOren Harris to a federal judgeship. He was not a candidate for reelection in 1972, instead challenging longtime U.S. SenatorJohn L. McLellan in the Democratic Primary. Pryor lost to McLellan in a runoff by less than 20,000 votes.
Pryor entered the 1974 Democratic Gubernatorial Primary when GovernorDale Bumpers declined a third term to successfully challenge SenatorJ. William Fulbright. Pryor narrowly avoided a runoff in the primary, defeating former governorOrval Faubus and Lt. GovernorBob C. Riley, then easily besting Arkansas Republican Party Executive DirectorKen Coon in the General Election. Pryor was reelected in 1976, gaining 66 percent of the vote in the Democratic Primary against former Razorback football greatJim Lindsey, and 86 percent in November against a token Republican. He served as Governor of Arkansas from January 14, 1975 to January 3, 1979. Navigating a difficult economy from the 1974–76 recession, Pryor appointed banker and future governorFrank D. White as his economic development director.
He declined a third term in order to seek McLellan's former seat in 1978 (the senator died in 1977) and faced two congressmen:Jim Guy Tucker andRay Thornton in the Democratic Primary. Pryor advanced to a runoff with Tucker, and defeated the central Arkansas congressman by 12 points. He defeated a Republican and Independent opponents in the General Election with 76 percent of the vote.
In 1984, in spite of theRonald Reagan landslide, Pryor defeated central Arkansas CongressmanEd Bethune in a race dominated by national GOP money backing Bethune. In 1990, Pryor defeated a write-in candidate; no other Democrat or Republican filed. He retired in 1996 and was replaced by Republican congressmanTim Hutchinson.
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Pryor served as chairman of theCommittee on Aging. Pryor was known for his advocacy for the aged and for promoting taxpayer rights. During his tenure, he was secretary of the Democratic Conference, third in the Senate Democratic Leadership.
In 2000 Pryor became Director of the Institute of Politics atHarvard Kennedy School inCambridge, Massachusetts. He served asdean of theClinton School of Public Service inLittle Rock from 2004 to 2006. In June 2006, PresidentGeorge W. Bush nominated Pryor to the board of theCorporation for Public Broadcasting, and in September of that year he was confirmed by the Senate for a six-year term. As he had done occasionally in the past, Pryor taught apolitical science course at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville during the Fall 2008 term.
His son is former United States SenatorMark Pryor, a Democrat who held the same seat from 2003 until 2015.
In 2004, Pryor was one of the five-member board of directors of theClinton Foundation.[5]
Pryor briefly returned to politics, when he served as chairman of theArkansas Democratic Party following the assassination ofBill Gwatney.[6]
In 1957, Pryor married Barbara Jean Lunsford, who at the time was a 19 year old freshman at the University of Arkansas. Unable to tolerate the stresses of public life, she briefly lived away from her family from 1975 to 1977, while her husband was governor. During that time, she took various university courses and had trouble finding a job, and she eventually moved back into the governor's mansion after completing her rest.[7]
Pryor had quadruplebypass surgery performed by Dr. Tamim Antaki atUAMS Medical Center on October 11, 2006. He had suffered a heart attack the previous day. His recovery was satisfactory and he was released from the hospital on October 17, 2006.[8]
On July 13, 2020, Arkansas GovernorAsa Hutchinson announced at a press briefing about theCOVID-19 pandemicin the state that Pryor and his wife Barbara tested positive for thedisease with Pryor hospitalized atUAMS inLittle Rock and his wife under home quarantine.[9]
Pryor died at his home in Little Rock, on April 20, 2024, at the age of 89.[10][11]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromArkansas's 4th congressional district 1966–1973 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forGovernor of Arkansas 1974,1976 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forU.S. Senator from Arkansas (Class 2) 1978,1984,1990 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Secretary of the Senate Democratic Conference 1989–1995 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theArkansas Democratic Party 2008–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Bob C. Riley Acting | Governor of Arkansas 1975–1979 | Succeeded by Joe Purcell Acting |
| U.S. Senate | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Arkansas 1979–1997 Served alongside:Dale Bumpers | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chair of theSenate Aging Committee 1989–1995 | Succeeded by |
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