 A primary issue during the election was the construction of a dam on the Red River . Cook opposed the dam , but Ford supported it and allocated some of the state 's budget surplus to its construction . In the election , Ford defeated Cook by a vote of 399 @,@ 406 to 328 @,@ 982 , completing his revitalization of the state 's Democratic party by personally ousting the last Republican from major office . Cook resigned his seat in December so that Ford would have a higher standing in seniority in the Senate . Ford resigned as governor to accept the seat , leaving the governorship to Carroll , who dropped state support for the project , killing it . 
