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==Later political activities==

==Later political activities==

In 1976, Coon favored the nomination of former Governor as the GOP standard-bearer, rather than the unelected incumbent President Ford, the choice of most of the Arkansas Rockefeller Republicans. The Arkansas delegation to the national convention in Kansas City was led by the 1974 (and later 1984 as well) congressional candidate Judy C. Petty, the former Winthrop Rockefeller staffer pledged to Reagan in 1976. Petty claimed that the old Rockefeller coalition in Arkansas could not be revived because of the strength of Bumpers and Pryor. She therefore proposed a conservative coalition of Republicans and dissident Democrats, many of whom had been backers of . [ "Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report", August 14, 1976, pp. 2187-2188] In the general election in Arkansas, Ford barely polled a third of the ballots against the Democrat . ["Arkansas Election Statistics, 1976] Coon similarly supported Reagan in 1980 and 1984.

In 1976, Coon favored the nomination of former Governor as the GOP standard-bearer, rather than the unelected incumbent President Ford, the choice of most of the Arkansas Rockefeller Republicans. The Arkansas delegation to the national convention in Kansas City was led by the 1974 (and later 1984 as well) congressional candidate Judy C. Petty, the former Winthrop Rockefeller staffer pledged to Reagan in 1976. Petty claimed that the old Rockefeller coalition in Arkansas could not be revived because of the strength of Bumpers and Pryor. She therefore proposed a conservative coalition of Republicans and dissident Democrats, many of whom had been backers of Orval Faubus.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' August 14, 1976, pp. 2187-2188.</ref> In the general election in Arkansas, Ford barely polled a third of the ballots against the successful Democrat [[Jimmy Carter]].<ref>Arkansas Election Statistics, 1976.</ref> Coon similarly supported Reagan in 1980 and 1984.

Coon resurfaced politically in 1981, not as a candidate, but as the appointee of newly-elected Republican Governor to head the Arkansas Employment Security Division in Little Rock. He served until White was unseated after a single term in 1982 by . Mrs. Troxell, his former ticket-mate, had held the same position for a time in the Rockefeller administration. ["Arkansas Outlook", December 1980]

 

Coon's chairmanship of the Arkansas party, which was considered quite successful overall, coincided with a heated 1990 Republican gubernatorial primary between then U.S. Representative , a controversial former Democratic known for shoot-at-the-hip remarks, and the more conventional , also a former Democrat and the favorite of the business establishment. The Robinson-Nelson contest was believed to have so divided the minority GOP that once again it could not compete effectively, with Nelson as the nominee, against Governor Clinton. [http://www.thevanguard.org/thevanguard/columns/rpa_1990.shtml] The primary even split many Republican families. Coon himself insists that he has never told anyone how he personally voted in the Robinson-Nelson contest.

Coon resurfaced politically in 1981, not as a candidate, but as the appointee of newly-elected Republican Governor [[Frank White]] to head the Arkansas Employment Security Division in Little Rock. He served until White was unseated after a single term in 1982 by former Governor [[Bill Clinton]]. Mrs. Troxell, his former ticket-mate, had held the same position for a time in the Rockefeller administration.<ref>''Arkansas Outlook,'' December 1980.</ref>

In 1996, Coon ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary for the Little Rock-based open Second Congressional District seat, which was ultimately won by the liberal Democrat Victor F. Snyder. Later GOP efforts to topple Snyder failed. [http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/states/AR/CQ.preview.shtml; "Arkansas Times", July 5, 1996]

In retrospect, Coon appears to have been something of a Republican transitional figure between the governorships of (1967-1971) and the later (1994-2007).

Coon's chairmanship of the Arkansas party, which was considered quite successful overall, coincided with a heated 1990 Republican gubernatorial primary between then U.S. Representative Tommy Robinson, a controversial former Democratic [[sheriff]] known for shoot-at-the-hip remarks, and the more conventional Sheffield Nelson, also a former Democrat and the favorite of the business establishment. The Robinson-Nelson contest was believed to have so divided the minority GOP that once again it could not compete effectively, with Nelson as the nominee in 1990 against Governor Clinton, who appeared on an Arkansas ballot for the last time as a candidate for governor.<ref> [http://www.thevanguard.org/thevanguard/columns/rpa_1990.shtml].</ref> The primary even split many Republican families. Coon himself insists that he has never told anyone how he personally voted in the Robinson-Nelson contest.

Whitewater, David Hale, and Ken Coon

 

Coon was a tangential figure in the Arkansas of the 1990s. Judge David Hale made Coon an officer of the National Savings Life Insurance Company, a burial insurance firm. In 1998, Hale was scheduled to be tried in Arkansas state court for fraud in connection with the company, but his medical needs — a heart condition — halted the proceedings. In 1995, , the ethics counsel to Whitewater special prosecutor informed Mark Stodola of the Pulaski County (Little Rock) prosecutor's office, that Stodola, a Democrat, could be prosecuted for if he proceeded with charges against Hale. Dash told Stodola that Hale was cooperating in a federal investigation. Starr said that he would like to handle the insurance fraud matter at Hale's federal sentencing, but Stodola filed state charges against Hale. [http://www.netmagic.net/~franklin/MA1.html]  

In 1996, Coon ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary for the Little Rock-based open 2nd congressional district seat, which was ultimately won by the liberal Democrat Victor F. Snyder. Later GOP efforts to topple Snyder failed.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1996/states/AR/CQ.preview.shtml]; "Arkansas Times", July 5, 1996.</ref>

No charges were brought against Coon, who in 1974 had declared that he was "so honest that I might appear to be naive." ["Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report", October 12, 1974, p. 2719]

In retrospect, Coon appears to have been something of a Republican transitional figure between the governorships of Winthrop Rockefeller (1967-1971) and the later [[Mike Huckabee]] (1994-2007).

References

 

==Whitewater, David Hale, and Ken Coon==

 

Coon was a tangential figure in the Arkansas of the 1990s. Judge David Hale made Coon an officer of the National Savings Life Insurance Company, a burial insurance firm. In 1998, Hale was scheduled to be tried in Arkansas state court for fraud in connection with the company, but his medical needs — a heart condition — halted the proceedings. In 1995, Samuel Dash, the ethics counselor to Whitewater special prosecutor [[Kenneth Starr]], informed Mark Stodola, a Democrat with the Pulaski County prosecutor's office, that Stodola could face [[obstruction of justice]] if he proceeded with charges against Hale. Dash told Stodola that Hale was cooperating in a federal investigation. Starr said that he would like to handle the insurance fraud matter at Hale's federal sentencing, but Stodola filed state charges against Hale.<ref>[http://www.netmagic.net/~franklin/MA1.html].</ref>

No charges were brought against Coon, who in 1974 had declared that he was "so honest that I might appear to be naive."<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' October 12, 1974, p. 2719.</ref>

 

==References==

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