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Recruited to run for office by both political parties, he chose the more difficult route in Arkansas: the fledgling Republican Party. It was not even until he ran for lieutenant governor in 1972 that his state party had even won its first presidential election since [[Reconstruction]].

Recruited to run for office by both political parties, he chose the more difficult route in Arkansas: the fledgling Republican Party. It was not even until he ran for lieutenant governor in 1972 that his state party had even won its first presidential election since [[Reconstruction]].

When he announced that he would seek the office of lieutenant governor, Coon was in his third year as a biology instructor at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (then West Ark Community College) in Sebastian County in western Arkansas, the more politically [[conservative]] part of the state. He challenged Democratic incumbent Bob C. Riley(1924-1994), a professor from Ouachita Baptist University, located in Arkadelphia in Clark County in south central Arkansas. [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2458&type=Category&item=Education] Having lost an eye in [[World War II]], Riley wore a trademark black patch. ["Arkansas Gazette", Little Rock, Arkansas, November 5, 1972] He claimed on several occasions not even "to know" Coon when the Republican entered the race against him.<ref>''Pine Bluff Commercial,'' November 4, 1972.</ref>

When he announced that he would seek the office of lieutenant governor, Coon was in his third year as a biology instructor at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (then West Ark Community College) in Sebastian County in western Arkansas, the more politically [[conservative]] part of the state. He challenged Democratic incumbent Bob C. Riley(1924-1994), a professor from Ouachita Baptist University, located in Arkadelphia in Clark County in south central Arkansas. [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2458&type=Category&item=Education] Having lost an eye in [[World War II]], Riley wore a trademark black patch.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette,'' November 5, 1972,</ref> He claimed on several occasions not even "to know" Coon when the Republican entered the race against him.<ref>''The Pine Bluff Commercial,'' November 4, 1972.</ref>

Coon challenged Democratic incumbent Bob C. Riley (1924-1994), a professor at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia in Clark County in south central Arkansas. <ref>[http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2458&type=Category&item=Education]</ref> Having lost an eye in [[World War II, Riley wore a trademark black patch.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette'', Little Rock, Arkansas, November 5, 1972.]</ref> He claimed on several occasions not even "to know" Coon when the Republican entered the race. ["Pine Bluff Commercial", Pine Bluff, Arkansas, November 4, 1972] Coon tried to tie Riley to Democratic presidential nominee [[George McGovern]] after Riley urged Arkansans to cast straight Democratic ballots. "Arkansans just don't believe that being a Democrat is reason enough to vote for McGovern, as my opponent suggests," Coon said.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette,'' November 1, 1972.</ref>  

Coon challenged Democratic incumbent Bob C. Riley (1924-1994), a professor at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia in Clark County in south central Arkansas. <ref>[http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2458&type=Category&item=Education]</ref> Having lost an eye in [[World War II]], Riley wore a trademark black patch.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette'', Little Rock, Arkansas, November 5, 1972.]</ref> He claimed on several occasions not even "to know" Coon when the Republican entered the race.<ref>''The Pine Bluff Commercial,'' November 4, 1972.</ref> Coon tried to tie Riley to Democratic presidential nominee [[George McGovern]] after Riley urged Arkansans to cast straight Democratic ballots. "Arkansans just don't believe that being a Democrat is reason enough to vote for McGovern, as my opponent suggests," Coon said.<ref>''Arkansas Gazette,'' November 1, 1972.</ref>  

The gubernatorial contest featured incumbent Democrat [[Dale Bumpers]], challenged by [[Len Blaylock]] of Perryville in Perry County, who polled barely a fourth of the ballots. Bumpers had unseated [[Winthrop Rockefeller]] two years earlier by a large margin. At this time, Arkansas had two-year gubernatorial terms.

The gubernatorial contest in 1972 featured incumbent Democrat [[Dale Bumpers]], challenged by [[Len Blaylock]] of Perryville in Perry County, who polled barely a fourth of the ballots. Bumpers had unseated [[Winthrop Rockefeller]] two years earlier by a large margin. At this time, Arkansas had two-year gubernatorial terms.

Riley defeated Coon, 392,869 (62.8 percent) to 233,090 (37.2 percent). Coon won only three of the state's seventy-five counties: Pope, Searcy, and his home base of Sebastian. Coon almost won in frequently Republican Crawford County, where he received 49.6 percent of the vote.<ref>Arkansas Election Statistics (Little Rock: Secretary of State), 1972.</ref> In addition to Coon and Blaylock, the other Republican statewide candidates lost in Arkansas that year, including Edwin Ruthvin Bethune of Searc in White County, and [[Jerry Climer]] for secretary of state.

Riley defeated Coon, 392,869 (62.8 percent) to 233,090 (37.2 percent). Coon won only three of the state's seventy-five counties: Pope, Searcy, and his home base of Sebastian. Coon almost won in frequently Republican Crawford County, where he received 49.6 percent of the vote.<ref>Arkansas Election Statistics (Little Rock: Secretary of State), 1972.</ref> In addition to Coon and Blaylock, the other Republican statewide candidates lost in Arkansas that year, including Edwin Ruthvin Bethune of Searc in White County, and [[Jerry Climer]] for secretary of state.

After the race for lieutenant governor, Coon succeeded [[Neal Sox Johnson]] of Nashville in Howard County in southwestern Arkansas, as the party's paid executive director. It was his job to build up a party with little allegiance among the Arkansas electorate.<ref>"Arkansas Outlook", Arkansas Republican Party newsletter, February 1973.</ref>

After the race for lieutenant governor, Coon succeeded [[Neal Sox Johnson]] of Nashville in Howard County in southwestern Arkansas, as the party's paid executive director. It was his job to build up a party with little allegiance among the Arkansas electorate.<ref>"Arkansas Outlook", Arkansas Republican Party newsletter, February 1973.</ref>

 

==Gubernatorial race, 1974==

==Gubernatorial race, 1974==