Electoral history of Bill Clinton

When addressing these gatherings, he often attacked Richard Nixon, the incumbent Republican president, for his policies on Vietnam, and his alleged involvement in the Watergate scandal.

[4] After marrying Hillary Rodham in October 1975, Clinton decided to run in the Democratic primaries for the office of attorney general of Arkansas.

[17] The incumbent attorney general Jim Guy Tucker was not running in the re-election; he ran instead for United States Congress.

Just two months after assuming the office, the Arkansas Junior Chamber of Commerce named him the "Outstanding Young Man of the Year".

[17] In 1978, David Pryor, the incumbent governor of Arkansas, announced that he would not seek a third term, and instead run for the United States Senate.

As the state manager of Carter's successful 1976 presidential run, Clinton gained popularity among national Democratic leaders.

[29] The Arkansas Gazette endorsed Clinton and wrote that "He has extraordinary credentials, an unusual intellect and a dazzling personality to bring to bear upon the problems and opportunities that will confront the next governor.

[35] During the final weeks of the campaign, Billy G. Geren, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, accused Clinton of dodging the draft during the Vietnam War.

–"[because] His wife didn't have his name" During his governorship, Clinton worked on educational reform and directed the maintenance of Arkansas's roads.

Many citizens were angry over the escape of Cuban refugees (from the Mariel boatlift) detained at Fort Chaffee (AR) in 1980.

[49] White accused him of being out of touch with ordinary voters and claimed his policies had raised the tax burden on the middle class.

[50] When David S. Broder, a journalist for The Washington Post was asked to name two young people who would most likely be the president in the future, he said "I would choose Bill Clinton, the 34-year-old Governor of Arkansas for Democrats, and Jack Kemp, 45, Republican Congressman from Erie County, New York.

"[51] In mid-October, Clinton told the press that "I have never felt more comfortable and at ease before an election",[52] confidently anticipating a victory; however White narrowly defeated him by a margin of just 3.9%.

"[64] While campaigning for the 1982 election, Clinton began appearing at town hall meetings, a relatively new format that helped him to maintain his popularity and get in touch with voters.

[67][68] The rift was such that Purcell's campaign manager, Joe McCarty, headed a group called "Democrats for White" in the general election.

[70] He proposed his plan for utility reform in Arkansas and supported the direct election of members of the Public Service Commission by a popular vote.

After Roger was arrested, Clinton held a press conference and said: "drugs are a curse which has reached epidemic proportion and has plagued the lives of millions of families in our nation, including many in our state".

In the general election, Woody Freeman, a utility contractor and former Higher Education Commission chair, who won the Republican nomination, challenged Clinton.

[83] Clinton raised almost $100,000 (equivalent to $293,274 in 2023) to push a constitutional amendment on the 1984 ballot, increasing the length of the governor's tenure from to two to four years after the 1986 election.

[85] Despite a Republican landslide in the general election with Ronald Reagan winning 49 of the 50 states, Clinton won reelection, defeating Freeman by almost 25% of the popular vote.

"[98] Clinton featured in a series of statewide television and newspaper ads, and a pamphlet campaign called "Make a Difference Arkansas", promoting state products.

[105][92] He was invited to deliver an address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention, where he endorsed Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis for the presidency.

"[108] He promised to generate high-paying jobs by recruiting better-paying employers, and opposed efforts to repeal tax programs that draw business to Arkansas.

[92] While campaigning, he promised to serve a full term as the governor; however, in the aftermath of Dukakis's defeat, Clinton was one of the front-runners for the 1992 Democratic presidential nomination.

[122] Bill and Hillary Clinton denied the sexual misconduct allegations in an interview with Steve Kroft on an episode of 60 Minutes airing after Super Bowl XXVI.

He appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show on Wednesday, June 3, 1992, the day after he secured the Democratic Party nomination and played "Heartbreak Hotel" on the saxophone.

[133] In the general election, Clinton challenged the incumbent, President Bush, and businessman Ross Perot, who by early October had re-entered the race.

[134] The Bush campaign used various attack ads against Clinton, criticizing him over tax increases during his governorship, and his inconsistency on major issues like term limits and defense.

[135] Clinton's political advisor, James Carville, coined the phrase "It's the economy, stupid", which was often used to attack the Bush campaign.

[146] To accept the nomination, Clinton campaigned on a train named "21st Century Express", traveling through West Virginia, Ohio, and Michigan on the way to Illinois, three crucial states for his re-election.