Changes

To make the race against Pryor, the GOP had recruited James E. "Jim" Lindsey (born 1944), an [[insurance]] broker then from Fayetteville and a former [[football]] player for the [[University of Arkansas]] and the [[Minnesota Vikings]]. Lindsay, however, filed as a Democrat and ran as a [[conservative]] against Pryor, under whom there had been a 20 percent increase in violent crime in Arkansas during 1975. After Lindsay declined the Republican offer, the party permitted Griffith to run as an essentially placeholder nominee.<ref>CQWR, May 15, 1976, p. 1220.</ref>

To make the race against Pryor, the GOP had recruited James E. "Jim" Lindsey (born 1944), an [[insurance]] broker then from Fayetteville and a former [[football]] player for the [[University of Arkansas]] and the [[Minnesota Vikings]]. Lindsay, however, filed as a Democrat and ran as a [[conservative]] against Pryor, under whom there had been a 20 percent increase in violent crime in Arkansas during 1975. After Lindsay declined the Republican offer, the party permitted Griffith to run as an essentially placeholder nominee.<ref>CQWR, May 15, 1976, p. 1220.</ref>

Before carrying the Republican banner, however, Griffith first had to defeat maverick Republican Joseph H. Weston of Cave City, the editor of the ''Sharp Citizen'', a mimeographed [[newspaper]] that often criticized local and state officials for alleged political corruption. Weston, whose work had led to a change in Arkansas [[libel]] law,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/11/19/obituaries/joseph-h-weston-publisher-of-an-arkansas-newspaper.html|title=Joseph H. Weston, Publisher of an Arkansas Newspaper|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date= November 19, 1983|accessdate=May 11, 2010 | date=November 19, 1983}}</ref> embarrassed the GOP with his peculiar antics. He told a group of farmers that World War III had begun and that they should lay up provisions.<ref>''CQWR, May 15, 1976, p. 1220; May 29, 1976, p. 1393.</ref> In 1974, Weston had opposed in the primary the Republican gubernatorial nominee, Kenneth L. "Ken" Coon, whom Pryor, as a former [[U.S. Representative]], had handily defeated in the general election that year. Griffith in 1976 polled 15,500 votes (59.5 percent) to Weston's 10,540 (40.5 percent).<ref>State of Arkansas, Secretary of State, Primary election returns, 1976.</ref> The Griffith-Weston race drew more than four times the participation of the Coon-Weston primary two years earlier, a factor attributed to the [[U.S. President|presidential]] [[primary]] between [[Ronald Reagan]] and [[Gerald Ford]].

Before carrying the Republican banner, however, Griffith first had to defeat maverick Republican Joseph H. Weston of Cave City, the editor of the ''Sharp Citizen'', a mimeographed [[newspaper]] that often criticized local and state officials for alleged political corruption. Weston, whose work had led to a change in Arkansas [[libel]] law,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/11/19/obituaries/joseph-h-weston-publisher-of-an-arkansas-newspaper.html|title=Joseph H. Weston, Publisher of an Arkansas Newspaper|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date= November 19, 1983|accessdate=May 11, 2010 | date=November 19, 1983}}</ref> embarrassed the GOP with his peculiar antics. He told a group of farmers that World War III had begun and that they should lay up provisions.<ref>''CQWR, May 15, 1976, p. 1220; May 29, 1976, p. 1393.</ref> In 1974, Weston had opposed in the primary the Republican gubernatorial nominee, [[Ken Coon]], whom Pryor, as a former [[U.S. Representative]], had handily defeated in the general election that year. Griffith in 1976 polled 15,500 votes (59.5 percent) to Weston's 10,540 (40.5 percent).<ref>State of Arkansas, Secretary of State, Primary election returns, 1976.</ref> The Griffith-Weston race drew more than four times the participation of the Coon-Weston primary two years earlier, a factor attributed to the [[U.S. President|presidential]] [[primary]] between [[Ronald Reagan]] and [[Gerald Ford]].

During his campaign, Griffith relocated from Pine Bluff to North Little Rock. He complained about his lack of media coverage and small campaign coffers. At one point, Griffith threatened to withdraw from the race unless he received more funding from the party. He ultimately spent less than $10,000 on the race and depended almost entirely on the then small staff at state headquarters in Little Rock.<ref>CQWR, October 9, 1976, p. 2756.</ref>

During his campaign, Griffith relocated from Pine Bluff to North Little Rock. He complained about his lack of media coverage and small campaign coffers. At one point, Griffith threatened to withdraw from the race unless he received more funding from the party. He ultimately spent less than $10,000 on the race and depended almost entirely on the then small staff at state headquarters in Little Rock.<ref>CQWR, October 9, 1976, p. 2756.</ref>