Arkansas Governor and Senator David Pryor Dies at 89

David Pryor, a prominent figure in Arkansas politics and a former governor and U.S. senator, passed away on April 20 at the age of 89. Pryor was known for his work on behalf of senior citizens and his contributions to creating the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. The news of his death was confirmed by his friend Ernie Dumas, a former chief political reporter for the Arkansas Gazette.

Pryor dedicated his entire career to public service, with the exception of a brief period as a small-town newspaper publisher and editor. Serving as governor from 1975 to 1979, he played a key role in steering the state away from its segregationist past, working alongside fellow Democratic reformers Dale Bumpers and Bill Clinton. Angie Maxwell, director of the Diane D. Blair Center of Southern Politics and Society, credits Pryor as a major reason why Democrats maintained influence in Arkansas for an extended period.

Pryor's political journey began in 1960 when he served in the Arkansas House for six years before winning a special election for the U.S. House. In Washington, he gained national recognition in 1970 for bringing attention to the inadequate treatment of the elderly in nursing homes. His efforts led to the creation of the House Select Committee on Aging in 1975. Throughout his career, Pryor remained dedicated to addressing the concerns of senior citizens, controlling prescription drug prices, and combating waste, fraud, and abuse in government contracting.

A champion of taxpayer rights, Pryor sponsored the 1988 Taxpayer Bill of Rights, a legislation aimed at providing rights to taxpayers involved in disputes with the IRS. His work on this bill played a significant role in the national taxpayer rights movement.

Pryor's contributions to Arkansas extended beyond the political sphere. He prioritized gender and racial equality by appointing minorities and women to important positions in state government, including the first Black and female judges on the Arkansas Supreme Court. After serving three successful terms in the Senate, Pryor faced health challenges, including a heart attack and subsequent bypass surgery. He decided not to seek reelection in 1996, allowing Tim Hutchinson to become the first Republican to win a U.S. Senate seat in Arkansas since Reconstruction.

Born on August 29, 1934, in Camden, Arkansas, Pryor hailed from a family with a tradition of public service. His father and grandfather both served as county sheriffs, while his mother sought elective office in the state in 1926. Pryor displayed his passion for politics early on, working as a U.S. House page and delivering mail on Capitol Hill. He later graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in political science and went on to obtain a law degree in 1964.

Despite personal challenges, including his wife temporarily moving out of the Governor's Mansion in 1975, Pryor continued to serve the public diligently. He is survived by his wife Barbara and their three sons, David Pryor Jr., Mark Pryor (a former U.S. senator), and Scott Pryor, as well as four grandchildren and a great-grandson.

Pryor's legacy will be remembered through several initiatives he established, such as the Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History at the University of Arkansas. He also served as the director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and as the inaugural dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

Throughout his political career, David Pryor cultivated a reputation for being personable and accessible to his constituents. His down-to-earth demeanor endeared him to the people of Arkansas. In one memorable anecdote, while working alone in his office, Pryor answered a phone call demanding to speak with someone "no lower than the governor himself." In response, he humorously quipped, "Ma'am, there is no one lower than the governor himself."

Pryor's passing marks the end of an era in Arkansas politics, but his contributions to the state and his legacy as a dedicated public servant will be remembered for years to come.