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Although Fulbright was comfortably re-elected, Bernard, later the Republican state chairman from 1971 to 1973, was his strongest Republican rival, for in all previous contests Fulbright had been returned to office unopposed or without significant opposition.<ref>In 1956, for instance, Fulbright polled 83 percent of the vote against the Republican candidate Ben C. Henley of Harrison in Boone County. Like Bernard, Henley was a state party chairman.</ref> In the primary, Fulbright had handily defeated [[James D. Johnson]] of Conway, a [[segregation]]ist Democrat who had been the 1966 Democratic gubernatorial election to the then [[Governor]] [[Winthrop Rockefeller]], a  [[Mofdderate Republican]] and a younger brother oif later Vice President [[Nelson Rockefeller]]. Fulbright won his final election<ref>[[J. William Fulbright]] was unseated in 1974 in the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[primary]] election by then Governor [[Dale Bumpers]].</ref> with 59.2 percent to Bernard's 40.2 percent. Bernard's ticket mate, Governor Rockefeller, scored a second two-year term by defeating the Democrat Marion H. Crank of Foreman in Little River County in southwestern Arkansas. Crank had earlier defeated Johnson's wife, Virginia Morris Johnson, in the Democratic gubernatorial runoff election.​

Although Fulbright was comfortably re-elected, Bernard, later the Republican state chairman from 1971 to 1973, was his strongest Republican rival, for in all previous contests Fulbright had been returned to office unopposed or without significant opposition.<ref>In 1956, for instance, Fulbright polled 83 percent of the vote against the Republican candidate Ben C. Henley of Harrison in Boone County. Like Bernard, Henley was a state party chairman.</ref> In the primary, Fulbright had handily defeated [[James D. Johnson]] of Conway, a [[segregation]]ist Democrat who had been the 1966 Democratic gubernatorial election to the then [[Governor]] [[Winthrop Rockefeller]], a  [[Mofdderate Republican]] and a younger brother oif later Vice President [[Nelson Rockefeller]]. Fulbright won his final election<ref>[[J. William Fulbright]] was unseated in 1974 in the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[primary]] election by then Governor [[Dale Bumpers]].</ref> with 59.2 percent to Bernard's 40.2 percent. Bernard's ticket mate, Governor Rockefeller, scored a second two-year term by defeating the Democrat Marion H. Crank of Foreman in Little River County in southwestern Arkansas. Crank had earlier defeated Johnson's wife, Virginia Morris Johnson, in the Democratic gubernatorial runoff election.​

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In 1970, Bernard and then Republican State Representative [[George E. Nowotny]] of [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]] both considered running for governor had Rockefeller not sought a third term.​

In 1970, Bernard and then Republican State Representative [[George E. Nowotny, Jr.]], of [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]] both considered running for governor had Rockefeller not sought a third term.​

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Bernard won the state chairmanship to succeed [[Odell Pollard]] of Searcy in White County]] in balloting before the GOP State Committee held in [[Little Rock]] after Rockefeller's defeat for governor in 1970. Bernard defeated Rockefeller's stated choice, William Thomas Kelly, Sr., of Little Rock, the Pulaski County chairman, and Everett Ham, a Rockefeller aide. The vote was 137 for Bernard, 28 for Kelly, and 27 for Ham. Delegates then named Ham as the vice chairman. John L. Ward, a Rockefeller biographer, said that Rockefeller's aides "felt like Bernard and the party had kicked Rockefeller's teeth in."<ref>Cathy Kunzinger Urwin, ''Agenda for Reform: Winthrop Rockefeller as Governor of Arkansas, 1967-71'' (Fayetteville, Arkansas: University of Arkansas Press, 1991), p. 190, {{ISBN|1-55728-200-5}}</ref>   

Bernard won the state chairmanship to succeed [[Odell Pollard]] of Searcy in White County]] in balloting before the GOP State Committee held in [[Little Rock]] after Rockefeller's defeat for governor in 1970. Bernard defeated Rockefeller's stated choice, William Thomas Kelly, Sr., of Little Rock, the Pulaski County chairman, and Everett Ham, a Rockefeller aide. The vote was 137 for Bernard, 28 for Kelly, and 27 for Ham. Delegates then named Ham as the vice chairman. John L. Ward, a Rockefeller biographer, said that Rockefeller's aides "felt like Bernard and the party had kicked Rockefeller's teeth in."<ref>Cathy Kunzinger Urwin, ''Agenda for Reform: Winthrop Rockefeller as Governor of Arkansas, 1967-71'' (Fayetteville, Arkansas: University of Arkansas Press, 1991), p. 190, {{ISBN|1-55728-200-5}}</ref>