1944 Arkansas gubernatorial election explained

Election Name:	1944 Arkansas gubernatorial election
Country:	Arkansas
Flag Year:	1924
Type:	Presidential
Ongoing:	no
Previous Election:	1942 Arkansas gubernatorial election
Previous Year:	1942
Next Election:	1946 Arkansas gubernatorial election
Next Year:	1946
Election Date:	November 7, 1944
Nominee1:	Benjamin Travis Laney
Party1:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	186,401
Percentage1:	85.96%
Nominee2:	Harley C. Stump
Party2:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	30,442
Percentage2:	14.04%
Map Size:	200px
Governor
Before Election:	Homer Martin Adkins
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	Benjamin Travis Laney
After Party:	Democratic Party (United States)

The 1944 Arkansas gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 1944.

Incumbent Democratic Governor Homer Martin Adkins did not seek a third term, instead running unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate.

Democratic nominee Benjamin Travis Laney defeated Republican nominee Harley C. Stump with 85.96% of the vote.

Democratic primary

The Democratic primary election was held on July 25, 1944, with the Democratic runoff scheduled for August 8, 1944 if no candidate won over 50% of the vote.

Candidates

• Benjamin Travis Laney, businessman and former mayor of Camden^[1]
• J. Bryan Sims, former State Comptroller^{[2] [3]}
• David D. Terry, former U.S. Representative

Results

Sims withdrew from a runoff, and Laney became the Democratic nominee.^{[4] [5]}

General election

Candidates

• Benjamin Travis Laney, Democratic
• Harley C. Stump, Republican, Mayor of Stuttgart^[6] and candidate for Governor in 1940

Results

Bibliography

• Book: Gubernatorial Elections, 1787-1997 . Washington, D.C. . Congressional Quarterly Inc. . 1998 . 1-56802-396-0 . .
• Book: Glashan, Roy R. . American Governors and Gubernatorial Elections, 1775-1978 . Meckler Books . 1979 . 0-930466-17-9 .

Notes and References

1. News: . Smith, Mrs. Caraway seek renomination in primaries today . Evening star . Washington, D.C. . 25 July 1944 . A-5 . 19 November 2020 .
2. Book: Gallagher . Hubert R. . 1943 . The Book of the States, 1943-44 . V . Chicago . Council of State Governments . 426 .
3. Book: Donovan . Timothy P. . Gatewood . Willard B. Jr. . 1981 . The Governors of Arkansas . Fayetteville, Arkansas . The University of Arkansas Press . 196 . 0-938626-00-0.
4. Web site: Benjamin Travis Laney Jr. (1896–1977) . Forgey . Tom . 25 January 2017 . The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture . The Central Arkansas Library System . 19 November 2020 .
5. Web site: Revenue Stabilization Act . Goodner . Wes . 5 October 2018 . The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture . The Central Arkansas Library System . 19 November 2020 .
6. News: . America's 'Prayingest' Town Yonder in Arkansas . The Glengarry News . Alexandria, Ontario . 12 July 1946 . 6 . 19 November 2020 .