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For more than a quarter century, Lowe was a pioneer in the attempt to establish a two-party system in the historically [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] state of [[Arkansas]]. Since his death, the state moved primarily into the [[Republican Party|Republican]] column.​

For more than a quarter century, Lowe was a pioneer in the attempt to establish a two-party system in the historically [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] state of [[Arkansas]]. Since his death, the state moved primarily into the [[Republican Party|Republican]] column.​

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​'''Aylmer Lynn Lowe''', known as '''Lynn Lowe''' (March 6, 1936 &ndash; August 14, 2010),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi|title=Social Security Death Index|publisher=ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com|accessdate=January 31, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=12529|title=Our Campaigns: Lowe, Lynn|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=December 27, 2009}}</ref> was an American [[farmer]] and [[politician]] from Garland in Miller County in southwestern [[Arkansas]], who was a leading figure in his state's [[Republican Party]]. He was the  [[governor|gubernatorial]] nominee in 1978 against the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Bill Clinton]], served as state party chairman from 1974 to 1980, and was the GOP candidate in Arkansas's 4th congressional district in 1966, having been defeated by the Democrat [[David Pryor]], then a state representative but a future governor of Arkansas and [[U.S. Senator]].

'''Aylmer Lynn Lowe''', known as '''Lynn Lowe''' (March 6, 1936 &ndash; August 14, 2010),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi|title=Social Security Death Index|publisher=ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com|accessdate=January 31, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=12529|title=Our Campaigns: Lowe, Lynn|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=December 27, 2009}}</ref> was an American [[farmer]] and [[politician]] from Garland in Miller County in southwestern [[Arkansas]], who was a leading figure in his state's [[Republican Party]]. He was the  [[governor|gubernatorial]] nominee in 1978 against the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Bill Clinton]], served as state party chairman from 1974 to 1980, and was the GOP candidate in Arkansas's 4th congressional district in 1966, having been defeated by the Democrat [[David Pryor]], then a state representative but a future governor of Arkansas and [[U.S. Senator]].

==Background==

==Background==

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A lifelong Republican, Lowe served from 1962 to 1964 as the Republican chairman for Arkansas' 4th congressional district. In 1962, he worked in the campaign of the Little Rock [[physician]] Kenneth  to 1966.<ref name=lowe/> In 1966, he ran for the U.S. House seat when the [[incumbent]], Oren Harris of El Dorado  resigned in February to accept appointment from [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] and confirmation by the U.S. Senate as judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, based in [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]. A [[special election]] was held simultaneously with the regular 1966 [[general election]] to fill the few weeks left in Harris' unexpired term. The seat was hence vacant from February to November 1966.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' July 22, 1966, p. 1492.</ref>

A lifelong Republican, Lowe served from 1962 to 1964 as the Republican chairman for Arkansas' 4th congressional district. In 1962, he worked in the campaign of the Little Rock [[physician]] Kenneth  to 1966.<ref name=lowe/> In 1966, he ran for the U.S. House seat when the [[incumbent]], Oren Harris of El Dorado  resigned in February to accept appointment from [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] and confirmation by the U.S. Senate as judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas, based in [[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]. A [[special election]] was held simultaneously with the regular 1966 [[general election]] to fill the few weeks left in Harris' unexpired term. The seat was hence vacant from February to November 1966.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' July 22, 1966, p. 1492.</ref>

 

Pryor first won a hard-fought Democratic primary against the Texarkana [[attorney]] Richard S. Arnold, then a son-in-law of the media owner Walter E. Hussman, Sr. In the general election, Pryor carried all twenty counties, including Lowe's Miller County, which gave the Republican only 46.8 percent though it had supported Republican gubernatorial nominee [[Winthrop Rockefeller]] against the more [[conservative]] Democrat (later Republican) [[James D. Johnson]]. Pryor received 86,887 votes (65 percent) to Lowe's 46,804 (35 percent).<ref>State of Arkansas, Secretary of State, Election returns, November 8, 1966.</ref> Lowe ran as a |conservative and refused to deny or confirm reports that he had formerly belonged to the [[John Birch Society]]. Lowe had told voters that they could repudiate President Johnson in 1966, when Johnson's name was not on the ballot, by supporting the Republican congressional campaign. He urged "local determination of local problems", and David Pryor stressed his record as one of the "Young Turks" of the Arkansas House of Representatives.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' October 7, 1966, p. 2353.</ref>​

Pryor first won a hard-fought Democratic primary against the Texarkana [[attorney]] Richard S. Arnold, then a son-in-law of the media owner Walter E. Hussman, Sr. In the general election, Pryor carried all twenty counties, including Lowe's Miller County, which gave the Republican only 46.8 percent though it had supported Republican gubernatorial nominee [[Winthrop Rockefeller]] against the more [[conservative]] Democrat (later Republican) [[James D. Johnson]]. Pryor received 86,887 votes (65 percent) to Lowe's 46,804 (35 percent).<ref>State of Arkansas, Secretary of State, Election returns, November 8, 1966.</ref> Lowe ran as a |conservative and refused to deny or confirm reports that he had formerly belonged to the [[John Birch Society]]. Lowe had told voters that they could repudiate President Johnson in 1966, when Johnson's name was not on the ballot, by supporting the Republican congressional campaign. He urged "local determination of local problems", and David Pryor stressed his record as one of the "Young Turks" of the Arkansas House of Representatives.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' October 7, 1966, p. 2353.</ref>​

In 1978, Lowe, midway in his tenure as state party chairman, ran unopposed for the party's gubernatorial nomination. No other prominent figure stepped forward for the task of challenging Bill Clinton, who had been unopposed in the general election of 1976 for the office of state attorney general. Many seemed to have thought that Clinton had won the governorship merely by winning the Democratic nomination. Clinton supported the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]], which was never ratified by the Arkansas legislature or the required number of states. He declared the matter a "dead issue" in Arkansas though ratification]] s still being sought on the national level by the administration of President [[Jimmy Carter]].<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' May 20, 1978, p. 1233.</ref>

In 1978, Lowe, midway in his tenure as state party chairman, ran unopposed for the party's gubernatorial nomination. No other prominent figure stepped forward for the task of challenging Bill Clinton, who had been unopposed in the general election of 1976 for the office of state attorney general. Many seemed to have thought that Clinton had won the governorship merely by winning the Democratic nomination. Clinton supported the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]], which was never ratified by the Arkansas legislature or the required number of states. He declared the matter a "dead issue" in Arkansas though ratification]] s still being sought on the national level by the administration of President [[Jimmy Carter]].<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' May 20, 1978, p. 1233.</ref>

Lowe found few issues on which to challenge Clinton until the Democrat announced his opposition to a [[referendum]] to remove the state [[sales tax]] on groceries and prescription drugs. Clinton determined that the state could not afford to lose the $60 million then procured from the sales tax. Lowe noted a $40 million state surplus and urged repeal of the taxes.<ref name="Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report 1978">''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' October 14, 1978, p. 2804.</ref> Not only did Clinton defeat Lowe, but the removal of the sales taxes failed, 55-45 percent. Arkansans were more in tune with higher taxes than Lowe had judged.<ref>State of Arkansas, Secretary of State, Election returns, November 7, 1978.</ref>​

Lowe found few issues on which to challenge Clinton until the Democrat announced his opposition to a [[referendum]] to remove the state [[sales tax]] on groceries and prescription drugs. Clinton determined that the state could not afford to lose the $60 million then procured from the sales tax. Lowe noted a $40 million state surplus and urged repeal of the taxes.<ref name="Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report 1978">''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' October 14, 1978, p. 2804.</ref> Not only did Clinton defeat Lowe, but the removal of the sales taxes failed, 55-45 percent. Arkansans were more in tune with higher taxes than Lowe had judged.<ref>State of Arkansas, Secretary of State, Election returns, November 7, 1978.</ref>

With his election a foregone conclusion, Clinton called the campaign against Lowe "uneventful except for the press conference on the steps of the Capitol in which his campaign accused me of being a draft dodger."<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=0p3UPxm0lrIC&pg=PA258&lpg=PA258&dq=Lynn+Lowe+of+Arkansas&source=bl&ots=WJmqIZwYzP&sig=hkn5fjQItM14ImlaAHusI_TzE_0&hl=en&ei=vLI3S__TLJGQtgeq88GFCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CB0Q6AEwBjgU#v=onepage&q=Lynn%20Lowe%20of%20Arkansas&f=false|author=[[Bill Clinton]]|title= My Life|page= 258|publisher=[[Google]] Books|accessdate=December 27, 2009 | isbn=978-1-4000-3003-3}}</ref> Lowe's charge would be raised again nearly fourteen years later in the 1992 presidential primary campaign. The ''Arkadelphia Southern Standard'' newspaper in Arkadelphia claimed that Clinton could hardly lose "unless he stumbles badly or is caught molesting a nun in the process of robbing the church widows’ and orphans’ funds."<ref>Quoted from ''Arkadelphia Southern Standard'' in ''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' October 14, 1978, p. 2804.</ref>

With his election a foregone conclusion, Clinton called the campaign against Lowe "uneventful except for the press conference on the steps of the Capitol in which his campaign accused me of being a draft dodger."<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=0p3UPxm0lrIC&pg=PA258&lpg=PA258&dq=Lynn+Lowe+of+Arkansas&source=bl&ots=WJmqIZwYzP&sig=hkn5fjQItM14ImlaAHusI_TzE_0&hl=en&ei=vLI3S__TLJGQtgeq88GFCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CB0Q6AEwBjgU#v=onepage&q=Lynn%20Lowe%20of%20Arkansas&f=false|author=[[Bill Clinton]]|title= My Life|page= 258|publisher=[[Google]] Books|accessdate=December 27, 2009 | isbn=978-1-4000-3003-3}}</ref> Lowe's charge would be raised again nearly fourteen years later in the 1992 presidential primary campaign. The ''Arkadelphia Southern Standard'' newspaper in Arkadelphia claimed that Clinton could hardly lose "unless he stumbles badly or is caught molesting a nun in the process of robbing the church widows’ and orphans’ funds."<ref>Quoted from ''Arkadelphia Southern Standard'' in ''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' October 14, 1978, p. 2804.</ref>

Lowe received 195,550 votes (36.6 percent) and won six counties: Sebastian ([[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]), with 62.5 percent),Crawford (adjoining Sebastian),  with 55 percent, Boone (Harrison), with 54.9 percent), Polk, with 54.4 percent, Van Buren, with 54.1 percent, and his own Miller, 53.6 percent. He won 49.8 percent in Franklin County,  also near Fort Smith and the home base of then U.S. Senator [[Dale Bumpers]]. Clinton prevailed with 338,684 votees (63.4 percent) and won the remaining sixty-nine counties. It was the best showing by a GOP nominee for governor since [[Winthrop Rockefeller]]'s 1970 loss to Bumpers. While Lowe lost to Clinton, Lowe's former congressional rival, outgoing Governor David Pryor, won all seventy-five counties in the U.S. Senate race over the Little Rock [[Moderate Republican]] William Thomas "Tom" Kelly, Jr. (1942-2011).<ref>Arkansas election returns, 1978.</ref>​

Lowe received 195,550 votes (36.6 percent) and won six counties: Sebastian ([[Fort Smith, Arkansas|Fort Smith]]), with 62.5 percent),Crawford (adjoining Sebastian),  with 55 percent, Boone (Harrison), with 54.9 percent), Polk, with 54.4 percent, Van Buren, with 54.1 percent, and his own Miller, 53.6 percent. He won 49.8 percent in Franklin County,  also near Fort Smith and the home base of then U.S. Senator [[Dale Bumpers]]. Clinton prevailed with 338,684 votees (63.4 percent) and won the remaining sixty-nine counties. It was the best showing by a GOP nominee for governor since [[Winthrop Rockefeller]]'s 1970 loss to Bumpers. While Lowe lost to Clinton, Lowe's former congressional rival, outgoing Governor David Pryor, won all seventy-five counties in the U.S. Senate race over the Little Rock [[Moderate Republican]] William Thomas "Tom" Kelly, Jr. (1942-2011).<ref>Arkansas election returns, 1978.</ref>​

 

U.S. Representative [[John Paul Hammerschmidt]], the first Arkansas Republican congressman since [[Reconstruction]], was instrumental in helping his friend Lowe to win in Boone County. Hammerschmidt had also been party chairman for a time before and again after his congressional service.<ref name="Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report 1978"/> He also preceded Lowe as the party's national committeeman. Lowe was a Hammerschmidt donor from 1982 to 1988. He also contributed $1,000 to the Arkansas party organization after he left as chairman.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://watchdog.net/contrib/75502/a_lynn_lowe|title=A. Lynn Lowe from Zip Code 75502|publisher=watchdog.net|accessdate=December 27, 2009}}</ref>​

U.S. Representative [[John Paul Hammerschmidt]], the first Arkansas Republican congressman since [[Reconstruction]], was instrumental in helping his friend Lowe to win in Boone County. Hammerschmidt had also been party chairman for a time before and again after his congressional service.<ref name="Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report 1978"/> He also preceded Lowe as the party's national committeeman. Lowe was a Hammerschmidt donor from 1982 to 1988. He also contributed $1,000 to the Arkansas party organization after he left as chairman.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://watchdog.net/contrib/75502/a_lynn_lowe|title=A. Lynn Lowe from Zip Code 75502|publisher=watchdog.net|accessdate=December 27, 2009}}</ref>​