Joe Purcell

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 by	David Pryor as Governor
Succeeded by	Bill Clinton as Governor
13th Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas
In office January 14, 1975 – January 19, 1981
Governor	David Pryor Bill Clinton
Preceded by	Bob C. Riley
Succeeded by	Winston Bryant
45th Attorney General of Arkansas
In office January 10, 1967 – January 12, 1971
Governor	Winthrop Rockefeller
Preceded by	Bruce Bennett
Succeeded by	Ray 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.
Died	March 5, 1987 (aged 63) Benton, Arkansas, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Helen Hale Purcell
Children	2
Profession	Attorney

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.

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.