2006 Governors Races

Arkansas CBS NEWS PROJECTS MIKE BEEBEWINNER Democrat Mike Beebe vs. Republican Asa Hutchinson (Open seat) Incumbent Republican Mike Huckabee was term-limited. Beebe is the state attorney general. Hutchinson, who graduated from ultra-conservative Bob Jones University, is a former U.S. representative and Homeland Security undersecretary. He was also a leading figure in the House impeachment trial of President Clinton, a former Arkansas governor and still popular in the state. Beebe is a home-grown politician with strong local roots. "Hutchinson’s plan seems to be to challenge Beebe on the hot-button social issues near and dear to Arkansan’s hearts – like abortion," wrote the Washington Post. "But if Beebe can make a cultural connection with rural voters, he stands to reap major rewards in non-urban counties, and maybe even reclaim the governor’s mansion."