Bill Gwatney (August 26, 1959[1] – August 13, 2008) was an American politician. He served as the State Chair of the Democratic Party of Arkansas.[2] Prior to being State Chair, he was a State Senator for ten years. He had also been the financial chair for Mike Beebe's run for Governor of Arkansas in 2006. He owned three car dealerships in Pulaski County.[1][3] Gwatney was selected as a superdelegate at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, but was assassinated before the convention. He was replaced by his widow Rebecca Rankin.
On August 13, 2008, Gwatney was assassinated by Timothy Dale Johnson,[4][5] who entered Democratic Party headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas. Johnson shot Gwatney three times.[6] Gwatney was taken to a hospital, but was dead on arrival later that day.[7]