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Patrick was born to Dan Ervin Patrick (1912-1971) and the former Audie M. Van Brunt (1916-1997)<ref>[[Social Security Death Index]]</ref> in the unincorporated community of Delaney near Huntsville, the seat of Madison County. [[Orval E. Faubus]], the state's Democratic governor from 1955 to 1967, was also from Madison County. Patrick was personally friendly with both Rockefeller and Faubus, who were political rivals in Arkansas during the 1960s. When Rockefeller was governor, Representative Patrick frequently attended meetings in the governor's offices in both the state capitol in [[Little Rock]] and at WinRock Farms in nearby Morrilton in Conway County. And Patrick recalls having met Faubus many times over the years beginning when Patrick was still a young boy. "I loved him", says Patrick of Faubus.<ref name=statement>Statement of Danny Lee Patrick, June 2007</ref> Patrick supported Republican Governor Frank D. White's decision in 1981 to hire Faubus as the head of the Arkansas Veterans Affairs Department, an appointment that drew the opposition of several former Rockefeller Republicans, such as Leona Troxell of Rose Bud in White County.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette'', August 5, 1981; Troxell, later Leona Troxell Dodd was defeated in her 1974 race for [[Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas|lieutenant governor]] by the Democrat Joe Purcell, who was the acting Arkansas governor for six days in January 1979.</ref>  

Patrick was born to Dan Ervin Patrick (1912-1971) and the former Audie M. Van Brunt (1916-1997)<ref>Social Security Death Index</ref> in the unincorporated community of Delaney near Huntsville, the seat of Madison County. [[Orval E. Faubus]], the state's Democratic governor from 1955 to 1967, was also from Madison County. Patrick was personally friendly with both Rockefeller and Faubus, who were political rivals in Arkansas during the 1960s. When Rockefeller was governor, Representative Patrick frequently attended meetings in the governor's offices in both the state capitol in [[Little Rock]] and at WinRock Farms in nearby Morrilton in Conway County. And Patrick recalls having met Faubus many times over the years beginning when Patrick was still a young boy. "I loved him", says Patrick of Faubus.<ref name=statement>Statement of Danny Lee Patrick, June 2007</ref> Patrick supported Republican Governor Frank D. White's decision in 1981 to hire Faubus as the head of the Arkansas Veterans Affairs Department, an appointment that drew the opposition of several former Rockefeller Republicans, such as Leona Troxell of Rose Bud in White County.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette'', August 5, 1981; Troxell, later Leona Troxell Dodd was defeated in her 1974 race for [[Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas|lieutenant governor]] by the Democrat Joe Purcell, who was the acting Arkansas governor for six days in January 1979.</ref>  

To win his legislative seat, Patrick twice defeated the Democrat (and former "Faubus Republican") F. A. "Pat" Teague 1904-1975), a turkey farmer from [[Berryville, Arkansas|Berryville]] in the newly-formed District 2 (Madison and Carroll counties). Teague was the previous incumbent for Carroll County. He was sixty-two years old in his 1966 race against the 25-year-old Patrick.<ref> and had been an Arkansas to the 1952 [[Republican National Convention]] in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]].<ref>The previous representative from Madison County was Democrat Ralph Buck (1912-1976).</ref> Patrick defeated Teague by only thirty-three votes in 1966 and by some three hundred ballots in 1968. In 1970, when Rockefeller was crushed for a third term, Patrick, then twenty-nine, was unseated by the Democrat Stephen A. Smith (born 1949), who received 54 percent of the vote.<ref>"Election Statistics, 1966, 1968, and 1970'' (Little Rock, Arkansas: Secretary of State)</ref>  

To win his legislative seat, Patrick twice defeated the Democrat (and former "Faubus Republican") F. A. "Pat" Teague 1904-1975), a turkey farmer from Berryville in the newly-formed District 2 (Madison and Carroll counties). Teague was the previous incumbent for Carroll County. He was sixty-two years old in his 1966 race against the 25-year-old Patrick.<ref> and had been an Arkansas to the 1952 [[Republican National Convention]] in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]].<ref>The previous representative from Madison County was Democrat Ralph Buck (1912-1976).</ref> Patrick defeated Teague by only thirty-three votes in 1966 and by some three hundred ballots in 1968. In 1970, when Rockefeller was crushed for a third term, Patrick, then twenty-nine, was unseated by the Democrat Stephen A. Smith (born 1949), who received 54 percent of the vote.<ref>"Election Statistics, 1966, 1968, and 1970'' (Little Rock, Arkansas: Secretary of State)</ref>  

    

    

In 1966, Patrick had been the youngest person ever elected to the Arkansas legislature. Four years later, 21-year Stephen Smith had not only unseated Patrick but taken the "youngest legislator" appellation for himself.<ref name=findgrave>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=241&GScid=380072&GRid=39969340&|title=Danny Lee Patrick|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=May 31, 2012}}</ref> In the campaign, Smith had challenged Patrick for having been "absent or not voting” on 263 recorded roll calls during the past legislative session. Smith later wrote that this issue was "a cheap shot, but an effective one. It was probably about average for all legislators, and most of the votes were on minor amendments or budget bills that had passed without opposition." Smith estimated that Patrick outspent him, with support from Rockefeller funds, by eighty-to-one. Smith later worked in the [[George McGovern]] presidential campaign in Arkansas; in 1979 he became the executive assistant to newly-elected Governor [[Bill Clinton]]. When Clinton was defeated for reelection in 1980, Smith left active politics for a career in college teaching.

In 1966, Patrick had been the youngest person ever elected to the Arkansas legislature. Four years later, 21-year Stephen Smith had not only unseated Patrick but taken the "youngest legislator" appellation for himself.<ref name=findgrave>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=241&GScid=380072&GRid=39969340&|title=Danny Lee Patrick|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=May 31, 2012}}</ref> In the campaign, Smith had challenged Patrick for having been "absent or not voting” on 263 recorded roll calls during the past legislative session. Smith later wrote that this issue was "a cheap shot, but an effective one. It was probably about average for all legislators, and most of the votes were on minor amendments or budget bills that had passed without opposition." Smith estimated that Patrick outspent him, with support from Rockefeller funds, by eighty-to-one. Smith later worked in the [[George McGovern]] presidential campaign in Arkansas; in 1979 he became the executive assistant to newly-elected Governor [[Bill Clinton]]. When Clinton was defeated for reelection in 1980, Smith left active politics for a career in college teaching.

<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acjournal.org/holdings/vol2/Iss1/articles/smith.html|title=Stephen A. Smith, [[University of Arkansas]], ”People, Power, and Realpoliticks in the Provinces”|publisher=acjournal.org|accessdate=May 31, 2012}}</ref>  

<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acjournal.org/holdings/vol2/Iss1/articles/smith.html|title=Stephen A. Smith, [[University of Arkansas]], ”People, Power, and Realpoliticks in the Provinces”|publisher=acjournal.org|accessdate=May 31, 2012}}</ref>  

   

   

Patrick once described himself as "young and country" when he went to the legislature but "learned a great deal quickly". He determined Rockefeller to have been "far more knowledgeable than people gave him credit" and a man motivated by what was best for his adopted state.<ref name=statement/> Patrick was one of only three House Republicans in the first Rockefeller term -- the others were [[George E. Nowotny, Jr.]], of [[Fort Smith]], the seat of Sebastian County in western Arkansas, and [[Jim Sheets]] of Siloam Springs in Benton County. During Patrick's second term, there was also a Republican in the Arkansas State Senate, [[Jim Caldwell (Arkansas politician)|Jim Caldwell]] of Rogers, also in Benton County]] in northwestern Arkansas. Hence the legislature was at least 97 percent Democratic during much of Rockefeller's tenure.

Patrick once described himself as "young and country" when he went to the legislature but "learned a great deal quickly". He determined Rockefeller to have been "far more knowledgeable than people gave him credit" and a man motivated by what was best for his adopted state.<ref name=statement/> Patrick was one of only three House Republicans in the first Rockefeller term -- the others were [[George E. Nowotny, Jr.]], of [[Fort Smith]], the seat of Sebastian County in western Arkansas, and [[Jim Sheets]] of Siloam Springs in Benton County. During Patrick's second term, there was also a Republican in the Arkansas State Senate, [[Jim Caldwell]] of Rogers, also in Benton County]] in northwestern Arkansas. Hence the legislature was at least 97 percent Democratic during much of Rockefeller's tenure.