2014 Arkansas gubernatorial election

The 2014 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor of Arkansas, concurrently with the election to Arkansas's Class II U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. This was the last time the Arkansas Governor’s changed partisan control.

Incumbent Democratic Governor Mike Beebe was ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits established by the Arkansas Constitution. Arkansas is one of eight states that limits its Governors to two terms for life. Democrats nominated former U.S. Representative Mike Ross and Republicans nominated former DEA Administrator, former U.S. Representative and 2006 Arkansas gubernatorial nominee Asa Hutchinson.

Hutchinson won the general election by the largest margin recorded for a Republican in an open-seat gubernatorial race since Reconstruction. The race was called for Hutchinson roughly half an hour after the polls closed, his victory gave Republicans complete control of state government for the first time since 1874.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Mike Ross, former U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

• Lynette "Doc" Bryant, activist

Withdrew

• Bill Halter, former Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010 (endorsed Ross)
• Dustin McDaniel, Arkansas Attorney General

Declined

• Shane Broadway, interim director of the Department of Higher Education and former state senator
• John Burkhalter, former State Highway Commissioner (running for Lieutenant Governor)
• Conner Eldridge, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas
• G. David Gearhart, chancellor of the University of Arkansas
• Pat Hays, former mayor of North Little Rock (running for U.S. House)
• Keith Ingram, state senator (endorsed Ross)
• Bruce Maloch, state senator
• Michael Malone, president and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council
• Vic Snyder, former U.S. Representative
• Paul Suskie, former chairman of the Arkansas Public Service Commission and candidate for Attorney General of Arkansas in 2006
• Chris Thomason, Chancellor of the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope and former state representative
• Robert F. Thompson, state senator (endorsed Ross)
• Darrin Williams, state representative, former Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives

Endorsements

Polling

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Asa Hutchinson, former Administrator of the DEA, former U.S. Representative and nominee for governor in 2006

Eliminated in primary

• Curtis Coleman, founder of a food safety company and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010

Withdrew

• Debra Hobbs, state representative (running for Lieutenant Governor)

Declined

• Davy Carter, Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives
• Tom Cotton, U.S. Representative for Arkansas's 4th congressional district (2013–2015) (running for the U.S. Senate)
• Rick Crawford, U.S. Representative for Arkansas's 1st congressional district (2011–present)
• Mark Darr, former Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
• G. David Gearhart, Chancellor of the University of Arkansas
• Tim Griffin, U.S. Representative for Arkansas's 2nd congressional district (2011-2015) (running for Lieutenant Governor)
• Missy Irvin, state senator
• Jim Keet, former state senator and nominee for governor in 2010
• Johnny Key, state senator
• Mark Martin, Secretary of State of Arkansas (running for re-election)
• Sheffield Nelson, businessman and nominee for governor in 1990 and 1994
• Steve Womack, U.S. Representative Arkansas's 3rd congressional district (2011–present)

Endorsements

Polling

Results

Third parties

Candidates

Declared

• Josh Drake (Green), attorney and nominee for Arkansas's 4th congressional district in 2008, 2010 and 2012
• Frank Gilbert (Libertarian), DeKalb Township Constable, former mayor of Tull and nominee for the state senate in 2012

Declined

• Sheffield Nelson (Independent), businessman and Republican nominee for governor in 1990 and 1994

General election

Debates

• Complete video of debate, September 19, 2014 - C-SPAN
• Complete video of debate, October 7, 2014 - C-SPAN

Predictions

Polling

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

References

External links

• Arkansas gubernatorial election, 2014 at Ballotpedia

Official campaign websites (archived)

• Mike Ross (D) for Governor
• Asa Hutchinson (R) for Governor
• Frank Gilbert (L) for Governor
• Josh Drake (G) for Governor