The 2006 Arkansas gubernatorial election took place on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. Incumbent Republican governor Mike Huckabee was barred from seeking candidacy due to term limits set by the State Constitution in 1998, stating that the governor may only serve two terms in their lifetime. Democratic State Attorney General Mike Beebe defeated Republican former U.S. representative Asa Hutchinson by a wide margin. This was the first open seat election since 1978. Hutchinson later served as Arkansas’ Governor from 2015 to 2023.
Democratic primary
Nominee
Mike Beebe, Arkansas Attorney General
Republican primary
Candidates Asa Hutchinson, former administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, former U.S. representative from Arkansas's 3rd congressional district (1997–2001)
Withdrew Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, Lieutenant Governor (withdrew July 20, 2005 following blood cancer diagnosis; died July 16, 2006)
Independents
Declared Rod Bryan, bass player for Ho-Hum and owner of Anthro-Pop Records
General election Debates + 2006 Arkansas gubernatorial election debates Date Host Moderator Link Republican DemocraticKey: Participant Absent Not invited Invited Withdrawn Asa Hutchinson Mike Beebe1 Oct. 4, 2006 KEZAKHBSKHOGMorning News of Northwest Arkansas Craig Cannon C-SPAN 2 Oct. 17, 2006 KARK-TVWilliam J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum Bob Clausen C-SPAN
Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Inside Elections November 2, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 6, 2006
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror Asa MikeBeebe (D) Other UndecidedSurveyUSASurveyUSA November 3–5, 2006 549 ± 4.3% 42% 51% 4% 3%SurveyUSASurveyUSA October 22–24, 2006 572 ± 4.1% 38% 58% 3% 1%SurveyUSASurveyUSA September 25–26, 2006 493 ± 4.5% 40% 55% 3% 2%SurveyUSASurveyUSA August 27–29, 2006 538 ± 4.3% 38% 51% 0% 7%SurveyUSASurveyUSA July 14–16, 2006 509 ± 4.4% 38% 48% — 13%SurveyUSASurveyUSA January 22–23, 2006 506 ± 4.4% 45% 46% 4% 5%SurveyUSASurveyUSA December 3–5, 2005 684 ± 3.8% 44% 49% 4% 3%
Endorsements
Results
By county CountyMike BeebeDemocraticAsa HutchinsonRepublicanRod BryanIndependentVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal#%#%#%#%#%Arkansas3,89868.04%1,63928.61%1131.97%791.38%2,25939.43%5,729Ashley3,55063.80%1,73731.22%1652.97%1122.01%1,81332.58%5,564Baxter6,24846.75%6,44048.19%2962.21%3812.85%−192−1.44%13,365Benton18,81138.66%28,60858.79%6711.38%5691.17%−9,797−20.13%48,659Boone4,36240.96%5,78454.31%2632.47%2402.25%−1,422−13.35%10,649Bradley1,77664.30%86231.21%421.52%822.97%91433.09%2,762Calhoun1,00157.07%63536.20%673.82%512.91%36620.87%1,754Carroll3,88147.08%3,97848.26%1341.63%2503.03%−97−1.18%8,243Chicot2,57074.71%79122.99%511.48%280.81%1,77951.72%3,440Clark4,16264.57%2,02431.40%1191.85%1412.19%2,13833.17%6,446Clay3,01068.77%1,13725.98%1423.24%882.01%1,87342.79%4,377Cleburne4,88150.75%4,37045.44%2172.26%1501.56%5115.31%9,618Cleveland1,45056.49%98238.25%762.96%592.30%46818.23%2,567Columbia3,37955.93%2,54942.20%681.13%450.74%83013.74%6,041Conway4,12562.18%2,26834.19%1301.96%1111.67%1,85727.99%6,634Craighead12,75361.09%7,69636.87%2671.28%1600.77%5,05724.22%20,876Crawford7,24945.33%8,13950.89%3442.15%2601.63%−890−5.57%15,992Crittenden13,24671.23%5,02327.01%1480.80%1800.97%8,22344.22%18,597Cross3,33161.74%1,81933.72%1382.56%1071.98%1,51228.03%5,395Dallas1,77462.89%97534.56%361.28%361.28%79928.32%2,821Desha2,51675.76%70321.17%581.75%441.32%1,81354.59%3,321Drew2,55661.89%1,44735.04%721.74%551.33%1,10926.85%4,130Faulkner12,41949.91%11,50646.24%4931.98%4651.87%9133.67%24,883Franklin2,90852.62%2,45244.37%991.79%671.21%4568.25%5,526Fulton2,00259.49%1,19935.63%1053.12%591.75%80323.86%3,365Garland15,48252.34%12,53042.36%8372.83%7332.48%2,9529.98%29,582Grant2,79853.98%2,18642.18%1342.59%651.25%61211.81%5,183Greene5,72462.20%3,28335.67%1171.27%790.86%2,44126.52%9,203Hempstead3,21265.60%1,56631.99%651.33%531.08%1,64633.62%4,896Hot Spring5,31261.42%3,01234.83%1842.13%1401.62%2,30026.60%8,648Howard2,09064.21%1,05732.47%652.00%431.32%1,03331.74%3,255Independence5,60856.07%3,93439.33%2712.71%1891.89%1,67416.74%10,002Izard2,41258.05%1,53436.92%1132.72%962.31%87821.13%4,155Jackson3,18970.09%1,03622.77%2094.59%1162.55%2,15347.32%4,550Jefferson14,65972.46%4,95524.49%3061.51%3111.54%9,70447.97%20,231Johnson3,37254.97%2,41039.29%2464.01%1061.73%96215.68%6,134Lafayette1,68466.61%74129.31%692.73%341.34%94337.30%2,528Lawrence3,22766.73%1,40028.95%1392.87%701.45%1,82737.78%4,836Lee2,23376.13%62121.17%290.99%501.70%1,61254.96%2,933Lincoln1,96069.83%75726.97%521.85%381.35%1,20342.86%2,807Little River2,55267.57%1,01226.79%1193.15%942.49%1,54040.77%3,777Logan3,52553.90%2,79442.72%1312.00%901.38%73111.18%6,540Lonoke7,76848.35%7,79248.50%2821.76%2231.39%−24−0.15%16,065Madison2,58747.88%2,65049.05%1001.85%661.22%−63−1.17%5,403Marion2,81046.45%2,85847.25%2183.60%1632.69%−48−0.79%6,049Miller5,46656.06%3,93340.33%2592.66%930.95%1,53315.72%9,751Mississippi7,11969.96%2,67726.31%1541.51%2262.22%4,44243.65%10,176Monroe1,91469.42%77628.15%361.31%311.12%1,13841.28%2,757Montgomery1,52652.84%1,20741.79%742.56%812.80%31911.05%2,888Nevada1,69464.63%81130.94%672.56%491.87%88333.69%2,621Newton1,51943.30%1,80451.43%882.51%972.77%−285−8.12%3,508Ouachita4,66562.30%2,64735.35%901.20%861.15%2,01826.95%7,488Perry1,91852.63%1,45639.96%1453.98%1253.43%46212.68%3,644Phillips4,93471.34%1,56322.60%1602.31%2593.74%3,37148.74%6,916Pike1,77055.61%1,31741.38%491.54%471.48%45314.23%3,183Poinsett4,34669.45%1,79328.65%711.13%480.77%2,55340.80%6,258Polk2,46544.03%2,83150.56%1642.93%1392.48%−366−6.54%5,599Pope6,84744.67%7,77850.74%3482.27%3552.32%−931−6.07%15,328Prairie1,90166.03%80427.93%1053.65%692.40%1,09738.10%2,879Pulaski66,82160.79%38,65335.16%2,5212.29%1,9331.76%28,16825.62%109,928Randolph2,89462.65%1,40330.37%2134.61%1092.36%1,49132.28%4,619Saline14,75446.17%15,93149.86%6772.12%5921.85%−1,177−3.68%31,954Scott1,40750.72%1,23044.34%802.88%572.05%1776.38%2,774Searcy1,29641.50%1,62952.16%1073.43%912.91%−333−10.66%3,123Sebastian14,97147.11%16,14250.80%3771.19%2880.91%−1,171−3.68%31,778Sevier1,95964.82%95631.63%571.89%501.65%1,00333.19%3,022Sharp3,15956.55%2,02136.18%3215.75%851.52%1,13820.37%5,586St. Francis4,93971.53%1,76925.62%1101.59%871.26%3,17045.91%6,905Stone2,27050.87%1,95643.84%1302.91%1062.38%3147.04%4,462Union6,05752.95%5,22245.65%960.84%640.56%8357.30%11,439Van Buren3,00754.45%2,20239.87%1582.86%1562.82%80514.58%5,523Washington22,83650.70%20,93046.47%5381.19%7331.63%1,9064.23%45,037White11,67055.59%8,65341.22%3651.74%3051.45%3,01714.37%20,993Woodruff1,90776.40%47318.95%401.60%763.04%1,43457.45%2,496Yell2,67259.19%1,58235.05%1673.70%932.06%1,09024.15%4,514TOTALS430,76555.61%315,04040.67%15,7672.04%13,1081.69%115,72514.94%774,680 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Arkansas (Largest city: Stuttgart) Calhoun (Largest city: Hampton) Cleburne (Largest city: Heber Springs) Cleveland (Largest city: Rison) Columbia (Largest city: Magnolia) Franklin (Largest city: Ozark) Garland (Largest city: Hot Springs) Grant (Largest city: Sheridan) Howard (Largest city: Nashville) Independence (Largest city: Batesville) Johnson (Largest city: Clarksville) Logan (Largest city: Booneville) Miller (Largest city: Texarkana) Montgomery (Largest city: Mount Ida) Perry (Largest city: Perryville) Pike (Largest city: Glenwood) Prairie (Largest city: Des Arc) Scott (Largest city: Waldron) Sharp (Largest city: Cherokee Village) Stone (Largest city: Mountain View) Union (Largest city: El Dorado) Van Buren (Largest city: Clinton) Washington (Largest city: Fayetteville) White (Largest city: Searcy) Yell (Largest city: Dardanelle) Cross (Largest city: Wynne) Faulkner (Largest city: Conway) Drew (Largest city: Monticello)
External links Official campaign website (Archived) Mike Beebe for Governor (D) Asa Hutchinson for Governor (R) Rod Bryan for Governor (I)
References