The 1974 United States Senate election in Arkansas took place on November 5, 1974. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright ran for re-election to a sixth term in office, but was defeated in the Democratic primary by Governor of Arkansas Dale Bumpers. Bumpers won the general election easily.
Jones accused Bumpers of excessive spending as governor, citing the construction of a $186 million state office complex. Bumpers not only ignored Jones but instead campaigned mostly for the young Democrat Bill Clinton, who failed to unseat Republican U.S. Representative John Paul Hammerschmidt in Arkansas's 3rd congressional district.[citation needed]