2006 Arkansas gubernatorial election

The 2006 Arkansas gubernatorial election took place on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. Incumbent Republican Governor Mike Huckabee was barred from seeking candidacy due to term limits set by the State Constitution in 1998, stating that the Governor may only serve two terms in their lifetime. Democratic State Attorney General Mike Beebe, defeated Republican former U.S. Representative Asa Hutchinson by a wide margin. This was the first open seat election since 1978. Hutchinson later won the governorship in 2014 when Beebe was term limited.

Nominee

 * Mike Beebe, Arkansas Attorney General

Nominee

 * Asa Hutchinson, former Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, former U.S. Representative from Arkansas's 3rd congressional district (1997–2001)

Withdrew

 * Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, Lieutenant Governor

Declared

 * Rod Bryan, bass player for Ho-Hum and owner of Anthro-Pop Records

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

 * Arkansas (Largest city: Stuttgart)
 * Calhoun (Largest city: Hampton)
 * Cleburne (Largest city: Heber Springs)
 * Cleveland (Largest city: Rison)
 * Columbia (Largest city: Magnolia)
 * Franklin (Largest city: Ozark)
 * Garland (Largest city: Hot Springs)
 * Grant (Largest city: Sheridan)
 * Howard (Largest city: Nashville)
 * Independence (Largest city: Batesville)
 * Johnson (Largest city: Clarksville)
 * Logan (Largest city: Booneville)
 * Miller (Largest city: Texarkana)
 * Montgomery (Largest city: Mount Ida)
 * Perry (Largest city: Perryville)
 * Pike (Largest city: Glenwood)
 * Prairie (Largest city: Des Arc)
 * Scott (Largest city: Waldron)
 * Sharp (Largest city: Cherokee Village)
 * Stone (Largest city: Mountain View)
 * Union (Largest city: El Dorado)
 * Van Buren (Largest city: Clinton)
 * Washington (Largest city: Fayetteville)
 * White (Largest city: Searcy)
 * Yell (Largest city: Dardanelle)
 * Cross (Largest city: Wynne)
 * Faulkner (Largest city: Conway)
 * Drew (Largest city: Monticello)