Changes

===1958 House race===

===1958 House race===

Alford was narrowly elected to Congress as an "[[Independent voters|Independent]] Democrat" and write-in candidate in the [[1958 Midterm Elections|1958 midterms]].<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=126042 AR District 5 Race - Nov 04, 1958]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved October 14, 2021.</ref> The next successful write-in candidate elected to the House was the [[conservative]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Joe Skeen]], who won in [[New Mexico]] in 1980. Alford jumped into the election against [[incumbent]] U.S. Representative [[Brooks Hays]], who did not support the segregation of Little Rock public education.

In 1958, Alford jumped into the election against [[incumbent]] U.S. Representative [[Brooks Hays]], who did not openly support the segregation of Little Rock public education. His campaign was headed by Claude Carpenter, Jr., an aide to Governor Faubus.<ref name=encyclopediaofarkansas/>

Alford ran almost entirely on opposition towards Hays' racial moderation, and his supporters printed thousands of stickers with his name on them and handed them out at polling places.<ref name=encyclopediaofarkansas/> Hays maintained a lead during the counting until an extra twenty boxes arrived bearing ballots with Alford stickers. Ultimately, Alford prevailed,<ref>November 6, 1958. [https://www.nytimes.com/1958/11/06/archives/integration-foe-wins-in-arkansas-dr-dale-alford-a-writein-candidate.html INTEGRATION FOE WINS IN ARKANSAS; Dr. Dale Alford, a Write-In Candidate, Defeats Hays -- Scores Moderation]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved October 14, 2021.</ref> 30,739 (51 percent) to Hays' 29,483 (49 percent).<ref>Billy Hathorn, ''The Republican Party in Arkansas, 1920-1982'' ([[College Station, Texas|College Station]], [[Texas]], Texas A&M University history dissertation, 1983), pp. 168-170.</ref>

Alford was narrowly elected to Congress as an "[[Independent voters|Independent]] Democrat" and write-in candidate in the [[1958 Midterm Elections|1958 midterms]].<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=126042 AR District 5 Race - Nov 04, 1958]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved October 14, 2021.</ref> The next successful write-in candidate elected to the House was the [[conservative]] [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Joe Skeen]], who won in [[New Mexico]] in 1980. He ran almost entirely on opposition towards Hays' racial moderation, and his supporters printed thousands of stickers with his name on them and handed them out at polling places.<ref name=encyclopediaofarkansas/> Hays maintained a lead during the counting until an extra twenty boxes arrived bearing ballots with Alford stickers. Ultimately, Alford prevailed,<ref>November 6, 1958. [https://www.nytimes.com/1958/11/06/archives/integration-foe-wins-in-arkansas-dr-dale-alford-a-writein-candidate.html INTEGRATION FOE WINS IN ARKANSAS; Dr. Dale Alford, a Write-In Candidate, Defeats Hays -- Scores Moderation]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved October 14, 2021.</ref> 30,739 (51 percent) to Hays' 29,483 (49 percent).<ref>Billy Hathorn, ''The Republican Party in Arkansas, 1920-1982'' ([[College Station, Texas|College Station]], [[Texas]], Texas A&M University history dissertation, 1983), pp. 168-170.</ref>

The U.S. House in 1959 conducted an investigation of the election, which Alford denounced and described as "politically inspired."<ref>Trussell, C. P. (February 12, 1959). [https://www.nytimes.com/1959/02/12/archives/alford-condemns-his-investigators-says-u-s-inquiry-into-his.html ALFORD CONDEMNS HIS INVESTIGATORS; Says U. S. Inquiry Into His Election Is Persecution -Charges Are Denied]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved October 14, 2021.</ref>

The U.S. House in 1959 conducted an investigation of the election, which Alford denounced and described as "politically inspired."<ref>Trussell, C. P. (February 12, 1959). [https://www.nytimes.com/1959/02/12/archives/alford-condemns-his-investigators-says-u-s-inquiry-into-his.html ALFORD CONDEMNS HIS INVESTIGATORS; Says U. S. Inquiry Into His Election Is Persecution -Charges Are Denied]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved October 14, 2021.</ref>