The Wilmington Morning Star (August 9, 1944)
Arkansas Negro vote increased
Little Rock, Arkansas (AP) – (Aug. 8)
Negro voters turned out in greatly increased numbers today for Arkansas’ Democratic primary runoff in which youthful Rep. J. W. Fulbright and 53-year-old Governor Homer M. Adkins engaged in a bitter contest for Hattie W. Caraway’s senatorial seat.
The Negro vote was estimated by Dr. J. M. Robinson, president of the Arkansas Negro Democratic Association, at about 5,000. This turnout compared to only about 900 in the preferential primary two weeks ago in which the new state party rule substituting a party loyalty test for a racial ban was given its first trial.
Reports indicated that the voting was generally only slightly heavier than it was July 25 when approximately 185,000 turned out.
The New Deal and the forthcoming presidential election were not even mentioned during the runoff campaign in which issues were overshadowed by personalities.
Adkins attempted to make an issue of the CIO Political Action Committee, claiming that the CIO was actively supporting his opponent. Fulbright denied the charge.
The 55-word Fulbright Resolution, which brought the handsome freshman Congressman national attention, was criticized by Adkins who declared it “does not in any sense of the word offer any plan.”
Fulbright, who was removed as president of the University of Arkansas in 1941 by a board of trustees named by Adkins (an old political opponent), led a five-candidate field in the first primary in which Senator Caraway, the nation’s only woman Senator, was eliminated. Mrs. Caraway adopted a hand-off policy in the runoff.
Agents for a senatorial committee investigating campaign expenses watched balloting in several counties for possible violations of the Federal Corrupt Practices Act. Chief Investigator George J. Shillito said no complaints of any consequence had been received thus far. There were reports of heavy campaign expenditures in the first primary.
The polls opened at 8:00 a.m. and closed at 6:30 p.m. CT.