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Bennett was succeeded as attorney general in 1961 by [[J. Frank Holt]], who stepped down a year later to join Johnson on the Arkansas Supreme Court.<ref name="attyg"/> In 1966, when Faubus declined to seek a seventh term as governor, Bennett was defeated for re-nomination for attorney general by Joe Purcell.<ref name=ency/> That same year, the post-Faubus Democrats nominated "Justice Jim" Johnson for governor, ten years after his first attempt to gain the post. Johnson defeated his fellow justice, J. Frank Holt, in the primary. However, in the 1966 [[general election]], Johnson lost to [[Moderate Republican]] [[Winthrop Rockefeller]], a supporter of civil rights legislation.​

Bennett was succeeded as attorney general in 1961 by [[J. Frank Holt]], who stepped down a year later to join Johnson on the Arkansas Supreme Court.<ref name="attyg"/> In 1966, when Faubus declined to seek a seventh term as governor, Bennett was defeated for re-nomination for attorney general by Joe Purcell.<ref name=ency/> That same year, the post-Faubus Democrats nominated "Justice Jim" Johnson for governor, ten years after his first attempt to gain the post. Johnson defeated his fellow justice, J. Frank Holt, in the primary. However, in the 1966 [[general election]], Johnson lost to [[Moderate Republican]] [[Winthrop Rockefeller]], a supporter of civil rights legislation.​

In 1966, Joe Purcell succeeded Bennett as attorney general when he defeated a then stronger-than usual-challenge from a Democrat-turned-Republican, Jerry Thomasson of Arkadelphia in Clark County]].<ref>Arkansas Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 8, 1966.</ref>​

In 1966, Joe Purcell succeeded Bennett as attorney general when he defeated a then stronger-than usual-challenge from a Democrat-turned-Republican, Jerry Kreth Thomasson (1931-2007) of Arkadelphia in Clark County.<ref>Arkansas Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 8, 1966.</ref>​

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==One last race==​

==One last race==​

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In 1968, Bennett sought a comeback in the Democratic gubernatorial primary on the theme that Winthrop Rockefeller had become "an expensive luxury which the state of Arkansas can no longer afford," a reference to state financial shortfalls.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' July 19, 1968, p. 1826.</ref> Bennett finished a weak fourth in the primary, with 65,905 votes (15.7 percent).<ref>Arkansas Secretary of State, Primary Election Returns, 1968.</ref> The winner of the gubernatorial nomination, State Representative Marion H. Crank of Foreman in Little River County]], defeated in a heated runoff contest Johnson's wife, Virginia Morris Johnson, the first woman ever to seek the Arkansas governorship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=1167|title=Virginia Lillian Morris Johnson (1928–2007)|publisher=encyclopediaofarkansas.net|accessdate=October 22, 2019}}</ref> Crank went on to lose narrowly to Rockefeller in November general election; then Rockefeller was defeated for a third term in 1970 by [[Dale Bumpers]].​

In 1968, Bennett sought a comeback in the Democratic gubernatorial primary on the theme that Winthrop Rockefeller had become "an expensive luxury which the state of Arkansas can no longer afford," a reference to state financial shortfalls.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' July 19, 1968, p. 1826.</ref> Bennett finished a weak fourth in the primary, with 65,905 votes (15.7 percent).<ref>Arkansas Secretary of State, Primary Election Returns, 1968.</ref> The winner of the gubernatorial nomination, State Representative Marion H. Crank of Foreman in Little River County, defeated in a heated runoff contest Virginia Morris Johnson, Jim Johnson's wife and the first woman ever to seek the Arkansas governorship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=1167|title=Virginia Lillian Morris Johnson (1928–2007)|publisher=encyclopediaofarkansas.net|accessdate=October 22, 2019}}</ref> Crank went on to lose narrowly to Rockefeller in November general election; then Rockefeller was defeated for a third term in 1970 by [[Dale Bumpers]].​

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==Later years==​

==Later years==​