One-term Democratic governor and future president Bill Clinton was narrowly defeated by Republican Frank D. White.

Clinton ran again two years later and regained the governorship, continuing to serve until he was elected to the presidency in 1992.

He was also hurt by President Jimmy Carter's decision to send thousands of Cuban refugees, some unruly, to a detention camp at Fort Chaffee, outside Fort Smith in Sebastian County in western Arkansas.

[5] After Clinton was defeated, he was offered the chance to lead the Democratic National Committee, instead of seeking reelection as Governor of Arkansas.

[clarification needed] When he campaigned for election in 1982 against White, he said that he had learned the importance of adaptability and compromise from his defeat two years beforehand.