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{{Officeholder

{{Officeholder

|name=Dale Bumpers

|name=Dale Bumpers

|image=

|image=Dale Bumpers of AR.jpg

|party=[[Democrat]]  

|party=[[Democrat]]  

|spouse=Betty Lou Flanagan

|spouse=Betty Lou Flanagan

|religion=

|religion=[[United Methodist]]

|offices=

|offices=

{{Officeholder/senator

{{Officeholder/senator

|serviceyears=1943-1946

|serviceyears=1943-1946

}}

}}

'''Dale Leon Bumpers''' (August 12, 1925 – January 1, 2016) was a retired [[Democrat]] politician from the U.S. state of [[Arkansas]]. He was governor of his state from 1971 to 1975 and U.S. senator from 1975 until his retirement in 1999.

'''Dale Leon Bumpers''' (August 12, 1925 – January 1, 2016) was a retired [[Democrat]] politician from the U.S. state of [[Arkansas]]. He was governor of his state from 1971 to 1975 and U.S. Senator from 1975 until his retirement in 1999.

A native of Charleston in Franklin County in western Arkansas, Bumpers served in the [[United States Marine Corps]] during [[World War II]]. He graduated from [[Northwestern University]] in Evanston, [[Illinois]], and was a long-time admirer of former Governor [[Adlai Stevenson]]. He served as the Charleston city attorney and briefly as a special justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court.

A native of Charleston in Franklin County in western Arkansas, Bumpers served in the [[United States Marine Corps]] during [[World War II]]. He graduated from [[Northwestern University]] in Evanston, [[Illinois]], and was a long-time admirer of former Governor [[Adlai Stevenson]]. He served as the Charleston city attorney and briefly as a special justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court.

In 1970, the politically unknown Bumpers defeated former Governor [[Orval E. Faubus]] in the Democratic gubernatorial primary runoff election. Then, by a wide margin, he unseated the incumbent [[Republican]] Governor [[Winthrop Rockefeller]]. After four years as governor, he was succeeded by fellow Democrat [[David Pryor]]. In 1974, Bumpers won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate by a wide margin over incumbent [[J. William Fulbright]], known for his opposition to the [[Vietnam War]]. Thereafter, Bumpers was elected to the Senate again in 1980, 1986, when he defeated Republican [[Asa Hutchinson]], and in 1992, when he toppled future Governor [[Mike Huckabee]]. Bumpers stepped down from the Senate in 1999 and was succeeded by the Democrat [[Blanche Lincoln]].

In 1970, the politically unknown Bumpers defeated former Governor [[Orval E. Faubus]] in the Democratic gubernatorial primary runoff election. Then, by a wide margin, he unseated the incumbent [[Republican Party|Republican]] Governor [[Winthrop Rockefeller]]. After four years as governor, he was succeeded by fellow Democrat [[David Pryor]]. In 1974, Bumpers won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate by a wide margin over incumbent [[J. William Fulbright]], known for his opposition to the [[Vietnam War]]. Thereafter, Bumpers was elected to the Senate again in 1980, 1986, when he defeated Republican [[Asa Hutchinson]], and in 1992, when he toppled future Governor [[Mike Huckabee]]. Bumpers stepped down from the Senate in 1999 and was succeeded by the Democrat [[Blanche Lincoln]].

Like Fulbright his predecessor and intraparty rival, Bumpers was a long-time admirer of [[U.S. President]] [[Bill Clinton]]. In 1999, as a former senator, Bumpers delivered an impassioned speech before the Senate in successful opposition to the trial of the [[impeachment]] of Clinton on grounds of [[perjury]] and [[obstruction of justice]].<ref>https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/dalebumpersdefenseofclinton.htm</ref>

Like Fulbright his predecessor and intraparty rival, Bumpers was a long-time admirer of [[U.S. President]] [[Bill Clinton]]. In 1999, as a former senator, Bumpers delivered an impassioned speech before the Senate in successful opposition to the trial of the [[impeachment]] of Clinton on grounds of [[perjury]] and [[obstruction of justice]].<ref>https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/dalebumpersdefenseofclinton.htm</ref>

Bumpers and his wife, the former Betty Flanagan, also a defender of various [[liberal]] causes, are retired in Charleston, Arkansas. In 2012, Bumpers spoke out for the reelection of U.S. President [[Barack H. Obama]].

Bumpers and his wife, the former Betty Flanagan, also a defender of various [[liberal]] causes, are retired in Charleston, Arkansas. In 2012, Bumpers spoke out for the reelection of U.S. President [[Barack H. Obama]].

==References==

==References==

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