Winston Bryant

Bryant served as a legislative assistant to the late U.S. Senator John L. McClellan from 1968 to 1971. Thereafter, he was a prosecuting attorney in his native Hot Spring County and a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1973 to 1977.

Elected Secretary of State in 1976, he vacated the office after one term, describing it as "a glorified janitor's job." He unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas' Fourth District on 1978 which was being vacated by Ray Thornton, who ran for the U.S. Senate. Bryant led the five-man primary, but lost in a runoff to Union County Prosecuting Attorney Beryl Anthony Jr. He was elected lieutenant governor in 1980 and served one term under Republican governor Frank White and four terms under Democrat Bill Clinton before being elected attorney general in 1990. He won 55–45% for the post over future Congressman and governor Asa Hutchinson, and was renominated in the 1994 Democratic primary 58-42% over State Representative (and future U.S. Senator) Mark Pryor. Bryant triumphed in the ordinarily heavily Republican year by a margin of 80–20% over his GOP opponent, Dan Ivy, a controversial attorney and former Democrat.

While serving as attorney general, Bryant waged two separate campaigns for the United States Senate. In 1996, he ran for the seat being vacated by Senator David Pryor. He received the Democratic nomination in a close runoff primary against State Senator and future University of Central Arkansas president Lu Hardin, but lost in a close race to Republican Congressman Tim Hutchinson. When Arkansas's other senator, Dale Bumpers, retired before the 1998 election, Bryant once again ran in the Democratic primary. He placed second in the initial balloting, and lost the run-off to former Representative Blanche Lincoln who went on to defeat Republican state Senator Fay Boozman in the general election. After his defeat by Lincoln, he finished his term as attorney general and retired to his law practice in Malvern.

He is married to the former Susan Hughes and has one son, John Bryant. He enjoyed watching his great nephews play baseball.

Political offices
Preceded by George O. Jernigan Jr.	Secretary of State of Arkansas 1977 - 1979	Succeeded by Paul Riviere
Preceded by Joe Purcell	Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas January 19, 1981 - January 15, 1991	Succeeded by Jim Guy Tucker
Legal offices
Preceded by Steve Clark	Attorney General of Arkansas January 15, 1991 - January 12, 1999	Succeeded by Mark Pryor
Party political offices
Preceded by Joe Purcell	Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986	Succeeded by Jim Guy Tucker
Preceded by Steve Clark	Democratic nominee for Arkansas Attorney General 1990, 1994	Succeeded by Mark Pryor
Preceded by David Pryor	Democratic Party nominee for United States Senator from Arkansas (Class 2) 1996