1970 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

For related races, see 1970 United States Senate elections.

The 1970 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on November 3, 1970. The incumbent Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy defeated his challengers. This was Kennedy's first election run since the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident. Kennedy won 62.2% of the vote, down from the 74.3% that he won in the previous election in 1964, indicating that Chappaquiddick did affect his popularity.

1970 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

November 3, 1970

Nominee Ted Kennedy Josiah Spaulding Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,202,856 715,978 Percentage 62.16% 37.00%

Kennedy:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Spaulding:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Ted Kennedy Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy Democratic

This was the last election in which Ted Kennedy lost any Massachusetts county. Spaulding carried Barnstable, Dukes, Franklin, and Nantucket Counties.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Josiah Spaulding, businessman
• John J. McCarthy, Commissioner of Administration and Finance

Results

1970 Republican U.S. Senate primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Josiah Spaulding	109,306	57.32%
	Republican	John J. McCarthy	81,356	42.66%
Total votes			190,662	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Ted Kennedy, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1962 (Democratic)
• Lawrence Gilfedder (Socialist Labor)
• Mark R. Shaw, perennial candidate and Prohibition nominee for vice president in 1964 (Prohibition)
• Josiah Spaulding, businessman (Republican)

Results

General election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Edward M. Kennedy (incumbent)	1,202,856	62.16%	12.1
	Republican	Josiah Spaulding	715,978	37.00%	11.58
	Socialist Labor	Lawrence Gilfedder	10,378	0.54%	0.33
	Prohibition	Mark R. Shaw	5,944	0.31%	0.19

See also

• United States Senate elections, 1970

External links

• Race details at ourcampaigns.com