ELECTORAL VOTES 6

2008 ELECTION Leaning McCain

ABOUT
ARKANSAS

Arkansas joined the Union as the 25th state in June 1836. The state seceded during the Civil War and did not participate in the 1864 election. The state’s electoral votes were rejected in 1872 due to irregularities. Arkansas voted Democratic over a span of 23 consecutive elections from Reconstruction until 1964. Like many southern states, this changed with opposition to civil rights legislation. In 1968, the state sided with third-party candidate George Wallace. Since then, it has gone Republican in six of nine elections, voting Democratic twice for fellow Arkansan Bill Clinton and once for Jimmy Carter. In 2004, George Bush overcame John Kerry by a 54% to 44% margin. While Arkansas continues to lean Republican for presidential contests, both U.S. senators and the governor are Democrats. This fact, coupled with recent history, suggests that the state could be “in play” if the right Democratic candidate is nominated.