Joe Edward Purcell (July 29, 1923 – March 5, 1987) was an American politician and attorney who served as Acting Governor of Arkansas for six days in 1979. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 45th Attorney General of Arkansas from 1967 to 1971 and the 13th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas from 1975 to 1981.

Joe Purcell
Acting Governor of Arkansas
In office
January 3, 1979 – January 9, 1979
Preceded byDavid Pryor
as Governor
Succeeded byBill Clinton
as Governor
13th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
In office
January 14, 1975 – January 19, 1981
GovernorDavid Pryor
Bill Clinton
Preceded byBob C. Riley
Succeeded byWinston Bryant
45th Attorney General of Arkansas
In office
January 10, 1967 – January 12, 1971
GovernorWinthrop Rockefeller
Preceded byBruce Bennett
Succeeded byRay Thornton
Chair of the Arkansas Democratic Party
In office
January 5, 1971 – January 12, 1975
Personal details
Born
Joe Edward Purcell

(1923-07-29)July 29, 1923
Warren, Arkansas, U.S.
DiedMarch 5, 1987 (aged 63)
Benton, Arkansas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseHelen Hale Purcell
Children2
ProfessionAttorney

In 1974, Purcell was elected to the lieutenant governorship; he handily defeated Republican Leona Troxell of Rose Bud in White County, a former associate of the late Governor Winthrop Rockefeller. He was reelected as Arkansas Lieutenant Governor in 1976 and 1978 under David Pryor and Bill Clinton. He served as Acting Arkansas Governor for six days in 1979, having filled the unexpired term of Pryor, who had been elected to the United States Senate.[1]

Purcell was twice a candidate for the governorship. In 1970, he was considered the leading challenger to former governor Orval Faubus and ran second to Faubus throughout the primary race, but was edged out of a runoff berth by less than 500 votes by Charleston attorney Dale Bumpers, who went on to defeat Faubus and then Republican Governor Winthrop Rockefeller in the general election. Purcell was Bumpers' choice to chair the Arkansas Democratic Party, a position which he held from 1970 to 1973. His chief task as party chair was to purge followers of presidential candidate George Wallace of Alabama and former gubernatorial nominee James D. Johnson from the party ranks and to limit the influence of the Faubus-era "Old Guard" faction. He entered the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1982 and surprisingly edged out former congressman Jim Guy Tucker for a runoff berth with former governor Bill Clinton. Purcell lost the Democratic nomination to Clinton in a runoff, 46 to 54 percent.[2]

Notes and references

edit
  1. ^ "State of Arkansas: Governors". theus50.com. July 2011. Retrieved June 26, 2010.
  2. ^ "Dewitt Era-Enterprise - Google News Archive Search".
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
1974, 1976, 1978
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by
David Pryor
Governor
Governor of Arkansas
Acting

January 1979
Succeeded by
Bill Clinton
Governor
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
1975–1981
Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Attorney General of Arkansas
1967–1971
Succeeded by