▁a ▁very ▁part isan ▁election ▁for ▁Ark ansas , ▁with ▁nearly ▁ 9 9 % ▁of ▁the ▁elect or ate ▁voting ▁for ▁either ▁the ▁Democratic ▁or ▁Republican ▁parties . ▁The ▁vast ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁count ies ▁voted ▁primarily ▁Republican , ▁including ▁the ▁highly ▁populated ▁center ▁of ▁Pul ask i ▁County . ▁ ▁this ▁stands ▁as ▁the ▁last ▁election ▁in ▁which ▁Pul ask i ▁County ▁and ▁C ritt enden ▁County ▁voted ▁for ▁a ▁Republican ▁president ial ▁candidate . ▁ ▁In ▁typical ▁form ▁for ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁sout he astern ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁state , ▁including ▁count ies ▁such ▁as ▁Des ha ▁and ▁Phill ips ▁continued ▁to ▁turn ▁out ▁primarily ▁Democratic ▁during ▁this ▁election . ▁This ▁region ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁D elta ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁" Black ▁B elt " ▁and ▁is ▁character ised ▁by ▁dark ▁rich ▁so ils ▁and ▁a ▁large , ▁formerly ▁slave ▁African - American ▁population . ▁ ▁Republican ▁victory ▁Bush ▁won ▁the ▁election ▁in ▁Ark ansas ▁with ▁a ▁solid ▁ 1 4 ▁point ▁lands lide . ▁Ark ansas ▁continued ▁on ▁in ▁this ▁election ▁as ▁a ▁component ▁of ▁the ▁conserv ative ▁strong hold ▁of ▁the ▁Deep ▁South . ▁The ▁election ▁results ▁in ▁Ark ansas ▁are ▁reflect ive ▁of ▁a ▁nation wide ▁recon sol id ation ▁of ▁base ▁for ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party , ▁which ▁took ▁place ▁through ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁Through ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁some ▁very ▁controvers ial ▁economic ▁programs , ▁spe ar head ed ▁by ▁then ▁President ▁Ron ald ▁Re agan ▁( called ,