Changes

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.​

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.​

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>   

Years later, Robert Faulkner, Rockefeller's executive secretary in 1970, said that Bernard's victory for the chairmanship showed that many pre-Rockefeller Republicans in Arkansas "couldn't wait to throw out the Rockefeller influence and pick their own, more conservative, traditional Republican."<ref>Urwin, ''Agenda for Reform'', p. 190.</ref> However, Bernard's obituary indicates that he like Rockefeller was a strong defender of [[civil rights]]. During his chairmanship, Governor [[Ronald W. Reagan]] of [[California]] visited Bernard while Reagan was in Arkansas to campaign for various Republican candidates.<ref name=obit/>​

Years later, Robert Faulkner, Rockefeller's executive secretary in 1970, said that Bernard's victory for the chairmanship showed that many pre-Rockefeller Republicans in Arkansas "couldn't wait to throw out the Rockefeller influence and pick their own, more conservative, traditional Republican."<ref>Urwin, ''Agenda for Reform'', p. 190.</ref> However, Bernard's obituary indicates that he like Rockefeller was a strong defender of [[civil rights]]. During his chairmanship, Governor [[Ronald W. Reagan]] of [[California]] visited Bernard while Reagan was in Arkansas to campaign for various Republican candidates.<ref name=obit/>​