1948 United States presidential election in Arkansas explained

See main article: 1948 United States presidential election.

The 1948 United States presidential election in Arkansas took place on November 2, 1948, as part of the 1948 United States presidential election. State voters chose nine^[2] representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. This would be the last presidential election where Arkansas had nine electoral votes: the Great Migration would see the state lose three congressional districts in the next decade-and-a-half.

Except for the Unionist Ozark counties of Newton and Searcy where Republicans controlled local government, Arkansas since the end of Reconstruction had been a classic one-party Democratic "Solid South" state.^[3] Disfranchisement of effectively all black people and most poor whites had meant that outside those two aberrant counties, the Republican Party was completely moribund and Democratic primaries were the only competitive elections.

However, ever since seeing the potential effect on the United States' image abroad (and ability to win the Cold War against the radically egalitarian rhetoric of Communism)^[4] of the beating and blinding of Isaac Woodard three hours after being discharged from the army, President Truman was attempting to launch a Civil Rights bill, involving desegregation of the military. This produced severe opposition from Southern Democrats, who aimed to have South Carolina Governor James Strom Thurmond listed as Democratic Presidential nominee and Mississippi Governor Fielding Wright as Vice-Presidential nominee.

Unlike Oklahoma, Tennessee, North Carolina or Virginia, Arkansas did not have a major threat from the Republican Party to block local Democratic support for Thurmond,^[5] but it had only half the proportion of blacks found in Mississippi or South Carolina.^[6] At the time when it became clear that a Southern fracture from the national Democratic Party was on the agenda, Arkansas was deeply divided between a Dixiecrat faction headed by outgoing Governor Ben T. Laney and a loyalist faction led by Sidney S. McMath,^[7] who went on to win the 1948 Arkansas gubernatorial election.

McMath was to win the Democratic gubernatorial primary that was in this one-party state tantamount to election, and despite the efforts of Laney and state party chairman Arthur Adams, it was clear from the beginning of the campaign that they held little sway over the Democratic rank and file who were loyal to Truman.^[8] In May 1948 Governor Laney became chairman of the "States' Rights Democrats";^[9] however on July 12 the possibility of Laney himself becoming the nominee ended when he refused to support anyone.^[10] However, as late as the September 22 Democratic Convention the Dixiecrats had hopes of pledging Arkansas' Democratic presidential electors to Thurmond and Wright; however McMath and Congressman Charles Fuller were able to persuade the electors to remain loyal to President Truman.^[11]

With the state's Democratic electors pledged to Truman, the incumbent President and running mate Kentucky Senator Alben W. Barkley easily carried Arkansas with 61.72 percent of the popular vote, against New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey and California Governor Earl Warren's 21.02 percent of the popular vote.^{[12] [13]} Vis-à-vis the 1944 election, Truman picked up Benton County and Searcy County, the latter of which had previously only voted Democratic once since the Civil War.

Thurmond, running as a third-party candidate, was able to capture 16.52 percent of Arkansas' vote. The Dixiecrats ran strongest in the Delta region of the state where Truman's Civil Rights and "Fair Deal" policies were most feared by the powerful Black Belt planters;^[14] Thurmond carried three counties with entirely nonvoting black majorities and was second in twenty-eight others. However, in the hilly northwestern half of the state, Thurmond failed to crack 5 percent of the vote in eighteen counties., this is the last election in which Benton County and Sebastian County voted for a Democratic presidential candidate.^[15] Arkansas was also the only state in the entire country where Norman Thomas beat Henry Wallace.

Campaign

The Republican Party of Arkansas voted to send an uncommitted fourteen member delegation to the Republican National Convention.^[16]

17% of white voters supported Thurmond.

Results

Results by county

County[17]	Harry S. Truman Democratic		Thomas E. Dewey Republican		Strom Thurmond Dixiecrat		Norman Thomas Socialist		Henry A. Wallace Progressive		Margin		Total votes cast
		%		%		%		%		%		%
	Arkansas		1,781		53.07%		737		21.96%		806		24.02%		23		0.69%		9		0.27%		975		29.05%		3,356
	Ashley		1,844		76.58%		197		8.18%		342		14.20%		24		1.00%		1		0.04%		1,502		62.38%		2,408
	Baxter		1,098		62.39%		553		31.42%		54		3.07%		45		2.56%		10		0.57%		545		30.97%		1,760
	Benton		3,281		50.38%		2,911		44.70%		274		4.21%		13		0.20%		34		0.52%		370		5.68%		6,513
	Boone		3,190		63.86%		1,499		30.01%		274		5.49%		11		0.22%		21		0.42%		1,691		33.85%		4,995
	Bradley		1,426		65.20%		213		9.74%		532		24.33%		7		0.32%		9		0.41%		894		40.87%		2,187
	Calhoun		768		83.66%		45		4.90%		104		11.33%		0		0.00%		1		0.11%		664		72.33%		918
	Carroll		2,032		55.10%		1,525		41.35%		98		2.66%		15		0.41%		18		0.49%		507		13.75%		3,688
	Chicot		952		54.03%		203		11.52%		598		33.94%		4		0.23%		5		0.28%		354		20.09%		1,762
	Clark		1,750		69.75%		383		15.27%		363		14.47%		9		0.36%		4		0.16%		1,367		54.48%		2,509
	Clay		2,069		66.94%		878		28.41%		128		4.14%		14		0.45%		2		0.06%		1,191		38.53%		3,091
	Cleburne		1,061		73.32%		312		21.56%		64		4.42%		8		0.55%		2		0.14%		749		51.76%		1,447
	Cleveland		679		67.50%		79		7.85%		245		24.35%		3		0.30%		0		0.00%		434		43.15%		1,006
	Columbia		1,788		59.98%		217		7.28%		962		32.27%		12		0.40%		2		0.07%		826		27.71%		2,981
	Conway		1,771		72.17%		425		17.32%		248		10.11%		5		0.20%		5		0.20%		1,346		54.85%		2,454
	Craighead		3,238		63.37%		759		14.85%		1,054		20.63%		42		0.82%		17		0.33%		2,184		42.74%		5,110
	Crawford		1,730		58.60%		1,002		33.94%		190		6.44%		18		0.61%		12		0.41%		728		24.66%		2,952
	Crittenden		594		24.83%		137		5.73%		1,657		69.27%		2		0.08%		2		0.08%		-1,063		-44.44%		2,392
	Cross		1,100		48.57%		213		9.40%		949		41.90%		2		0.09%		1		0.04%		151		6.67%		2,265
	Dallas		1,174		68.98%		152		8.93%		370		21.74%		4		0.24%		2		0.12%		804		47.24%		1,702
	Desha		2,122		69.96%		233		7.68%		670		22.09%		4		0.13%		4		0.13%		1,452		47.87%		3,033
	Drew		1,204		59.40%		182		8.98%		630		31.08%		5		0.25%		6		0.30%		574		28.32%		2,027
	Faulkner		2,653		73.76%		626		17.40%		304		8.45%		10		0.28%		4		0.11%		2,027		56.36%		3,597
	Franklin		1,591		76.05%		391		18.69%		95		4.54%		6		0.29%		9		0.43%		1,200		57.36%		2,092
	Fulton		850		69.27%		339		27.63%		32		2.61%		2		0.16%		4		0.33%		511		41.64%		1,227
	Garland		3,764		52.61%		2,286		31.95%		994		13.89%		48		0.67%		62		0.87%		1,478		20.66%		7,154
	Grant		883		71.50%		121		9.80%		207		16.76%		19		1.54%		5		0.40%		676		54.74%		1,235
	Greene		2,657		78.38%		502		14.81%		188		5.55%		25		0.74%		18		0.53%		2,155		63.57%		3,390
	Hempstead		1,683		54.84%		386		12.58%		990		32.26%		6		0.20%		4		0.13%		693		22.58%		3,069
	Hot Spring		1,932		69.90%		555		20.08%		261		9.44%		12		0.43%		4		0.14%		1,377		49.82%		2,764
	Howard		1,250		75.67%		199		12.05%		190		11.50%		13		0.79%		0		0.00%		1,051		63.62%		1,652
	Independence		2,340		66.08%		855		24.15%		330		9.32%		4		0.11%		12		0.34%		1,485		41.93%		3,541
	Izard		1,283		81.93%		240		15.33%		36		2.30%		4		0.26%		3		0.19%		1,043		66.60%		1,566
	Jackson		2,696		82.45%		338		10.34%		226		6.91%		8		0.24%		2		0.06%		2,358		72.11%		3,270
	Jefferson		5,086		61.92%		1,176		14.32%		1,879		22.88%		49		0.60%		24		0.29%		3,207		39.04%		8,214
	Johnson		1,565		69.59%		523		23.25%		138		6.14%		11		0.49%		12		0.53%		1,042		46.34%		2,249
	Lafayette		700		49.16%		113		7.94%		578		40.59%		31		2.18%		2		0.14%		122		8.57%		1,424
	Lawrence		2,001		74.89%		497		18.60%		151		5.65%		11		0.41%		12		0.45%		1,504		56.29%		2,672
	Lee		528		35.41%		95		6.37%		866		58.08%		1		0.07%		1		0.07%		-338		-22.67%		1,491
	Lincoln		1,108		65.91%		378		22.49%		188		11.18%		5		0.30%		2		0.12%		730		43.42%		1,681
	Little River		900		59.06%		169		11.09%		447		29.33%		4		0.26%		4		0.26%		453		29.73%		1,524
	Logan		2,130		66.73%		902		28.26%		143		4.48%		9		0.28%		8		0.25%		1,228		38.47%		3,192
	Lonoke		2,065		69.04%		383		12.81%		535		17.89%		3		0.10%		5		0.17%		1,530		51.15%		2,991
	Madison		2,041		47.50%		2,201		51.22%		39		0.91%		10		0.23%		6		0.14%		-160		-3.72%		4,297
	Marion		1,133		72.58%		381		24.41%		31		1.99%		8		0.51%		8		0.51%		752		48.17%		1,561
	Miller		2,850		62.24%		488		10.66%		1,223		26.71%		9		0.20%		9		0.20%		1,627		35.53%		4,579
	Mississippi		3,763		59.40%		771		12.17%		1,769		27.92%		27		0.43%		5		0.08%		1,994		31.48%		6,335
	Monroe		1,431		60.89%		299		12.72%		614		26.13%		1		0.04%		5		0.21%		817		34.76%		2,350
	Montgomery		935		75.22%		236		18.99%		60		4.83%		5		0.40%		7		0.56%		699		56.23%		1,243
	Nevada		1,140		64.33%		202		11.40%		418		23.59%		10		0.56%		2		0.11%		722		40.74%		1,772
	Newton		848		48.51%		879		50.29%		13		0.74%		4		0.23%		4		0.23%		-31		-1.78%		1,748
	Ouachita		3,315		68.80%		476		9.88%		1,023		21.23%		0		0.00%		4		0.08%		2,292		47.57%		4,818
	Perry		731		67.00%		201		18.42%		156		14.30%		0		0.00%		3		0.27%		530		48.58%		1,091
	Phillips		1,018		32.85%		351		11.33%		1,722		55.57%		4		0.13%		4		0.13%		-704		-22.72%		3,099
	Pike		997		73.80%		256		18.95%		89		6.59%		8		0.59%		1		0.07%		741		54.85%		1,351
	Poinsett		2,415		65.24%		435		11.75%		830		22.42%		13		0.35%		9		0.24%		1,585		42.82%		3,702
	Polk		1,417		66.21%		554		25.89%		127		5.93%		28		1.31%		14		0.65%		863		40.32%		2,140
	Pope		2,525		67.95%		764		20.56%		417		11.22%		5		0.13%		5		0.13%		1,761		47.39%		3,716
	Prairie		1,020		60.79%		260		15.49%		379		22.59%		18		1.07%		1		0.06%		641		38.20%		1,678
	Pulaski		13,120		53.25%		5,910		23.99%		5,443		22.09%		51		0.21%		115		0.47%		7,210		29.26%		24,639
	Randolph		2,139		81.24%		377		14.32%		109		4.14%		4		0.15%		4		0.15%		1,762		66.92%		2,633
	St. Francis		1,011		46.91%		178		8.26%		957		44.41%		4		0.19%		5		0.23%		54		2.50%		2,155
	Saline		2,070		72.18%		390		13.60%		341		11.89%		49		1.71%		18		0.63%		1,680		58.58%		2,868
	Scott		1,093		77.63%		260		18.47%		37		2.63%		14		0.99%		4		0.28%		833		59.16%		1,408
	Searcy		1,205		51.81%		1,064		45.74%		44		1.89%		9		0.39%		4		0.17%		141		6.07%		2,326
	Sebastian		5,075		57.36%		2,928		33.09%		777		8.78%		41		0.46%		27		0.31%		2,147		24.27%		8,848
	Sevier		1,314		71.53%		267		14.53%		231		12.57%		21		1.14%		4		0.22%		1,047		57.00%		1,837
	Sharp		1,078		74.19%		295		20.30%		71		4.89%		4		0.28%		5		0.34%		783		53.89%		1,453
	Stone		1,186		61.80%		644		33.56%		76		3.96%		4		0.21%		9		0.47%		542		28.24%		1,919
	Union		5,588		67.01%		1,039		12.46%		1,691		20.28%		11		0.13%		10		0.12%		3,897		46.73%		8,339
	Van Buren		1,324		63.96%		617		29.81%		119		5.75%		4		0.19%		6		0.29%		707		34.15%		2,070
	Washington		3,493		49.38%		2,859		40.42%		581		8.21%		85		1.20%		56		0.79%		634		8.96%		7,074
	White		3,193		69.04%		833		18.01%		563		12.17%		20		0.43%		16		0.35%		2,360		51.03%		4,625
	Woodruff		1,008		55.11%		207		11.32%		593		32.42%		16		0.87%		5		0.27%		415		22.69%		1,829
	Yell		1,866		77.08%		408		16.85%		135		5.58%		0		0.00%		12		0.50%		1,458		60.23%		2,421
Totals	149,659	61.72%	50,959	21.02%	40,068	16.52%	1,037	0.43%	751	0.31%	98,700	40.70%	242,475

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Dixiecrat

• • • Crittenden Lee Phillips

See also

• United States presidential elections in Arkansas

Works cited

• Book: Black . Earl . Earl Black (political scientist) . Black . Merle . Merle Black . The Vital South: How Presidents Are Elected . . 1992 . 0674941306.

Notes and References

1. Web site: United States Presidential election of 1948 — Encyclopædia Britannica. October 25, 2017.
2. Web site: 1948 Election for the Forty-First Term (1949-53). October 25, 2017.
3. See Book: Urwin, Cathy Kunzinger. Agenda for Reform: Winthrop Rockefeller as Governor of Arkansas, 1967-71. January 1991 . 32. University of Arkansas Press . 1557282005.
4. Book: Geselbracht. Raymond H.. The Civil Rights Legacy of Harry S. Truman. 2007 . 53. Truman State University Press . 978-1931112673.
5. Book: [[Valdimer Orlando Key|Key]], Valdimer Orlando. Southern Politics in State and Nation. 336. Alfred A. Knopf. 1949.
6. Key. Southern Politics, p. 254
7. Book: Williams. Nancy A.. Whayne. Jeannie M.. Arkansas Biography: A Collection of Notable Lives. January 2000 . 166. University of Arkansas Press . 1557285888.
8. Book: Frederickson, Kari. The Dixiecrat Revolt and the End of the Solid South, 1932-1968. 2001 . 117. Univ of North Carolina Press . 0807849103.
9. Book: Donovan. Timothy Paul. Gatewood. Willard B.. Whayne. Jeannie M.. The Governors of Arkansas: Essays in Political Biography. 1988 . 208. University of Arkansas Press . 9781557280411.
10. Book: McMath, Sid. Promises Kept: a Memoir. 2003 . 198–199. University of Arkansas Press . 1610753291.
11. McMath. Promises Kept, p. 203
12. Web site: 1948 Presidential General Election Results — Arkansas. October 25, 2017.
13. Web site: The American Presidency Project — Election of 1948. October 25, 2017.
14. Key. Southern Politics, p. 343
15. Sullivan. Robert David. How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century. America Magazine. The National Catholic Review. June 29, 2016.
16. News: May 12, 1948 . Uncommitted Delegation . 2 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240119044406/https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune/139069798/ . January 19, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
17. Web site: AR US President Race, November 02, 1948. Our Campaigns.