1974 United States Senate elections
The 1974 United States Senate elections were held on November 5, with the 34 seats of Class 3 contested in regular elections. They occurred in the wake of the Watergate scandal, Richard M. Nixon's resignation from the presidency, and Gerald Ford's subsequent pardon of Nixon. Economic issues, specifically inflation and stagnation, were also a factor that contributed to Republican losses.[2] As an immediate result of the November 1974 elections, Democrats made a net gain of three seats from the Republicans, as they defeated Republican incumbents in Colorado and Kentucky and picked up open seats in Florida and Vermont, while Republicans won the open seat in Nevada. Following the elections, at the beginning of the 94th U.S. Congress, the Democratic caucus controlled 60 seats (as well as one independent), and the Republican caucus controlled 38 seats (as well as one Conservative).
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34 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Results of the elections: Democratic gain Republican gain Democratic hold Republican hold No election | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Democrats gained an additional seat, bringing the net pick-up to four seats, in 1975, when Democrat John A. Durkin won a disputed election in New Hampshire that was unintentionally held after the 1974 election resulted in two recounts and an extended dispute in the Senate. Durkin's Senate term began in September 1975, following his victory in that election. As of 2023[update], this is the most recent election in which a Democrat has been elected Senator from Idaho.
Several other Republican incumbents won very close races; Milton Young of North Dakota won reelection against Democrat William L. Guy by only 186 votes and Henry Bellmon of Oklahoma won reelection against Democrat Ed Edmondson by half a percent of the vote. Bob Dole of Kansas survived the closest election of his career against Democratic Rep. William Roy, a race undoubtedly made close due to Dole's close association with Nixon as chairman of the Republican National Committee. It was the closest the Democrats have come to winning a Senate election in Kansas since George McGill won re-election in 1932.
Results summary
edit| 61 | 1 | 1 | 37 |
| Democratic | I | C | Republican |
| Parties | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | Conservative | Independent | Other | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last elections (1972) | 56 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Before these elections | 57 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Not up | 41 | 23 | 1 | 1 | — | 66 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Up Class 3 (1968→1974) |
20 | 14 | 0 | 0 | — | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Incumbent retired | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Held by same party | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Replaced by other party |  3 Republicans replaced by  3 Democrats[a] 1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican
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— | — | — | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Incumbent ran | 17[d] | 10 | — | — | — | 27 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Won re-election | 15 | 8 | — | — | — | 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost re-election | 2 Republicans replaced by 2 Democrats
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— | — | — | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost renomination, but held by same party |
2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | 19 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total elected | 24 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net gain/loss | 4
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4
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4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationwide vote | 22,544,761 | 16,145,793[b] | 822,584 | 199,108 | 1,098,146 | 40,810,392 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share | 55.24% | 39.56% | 2.02% | 0.49% | 2.69% | 100% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Result | 61 | 37 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: Office of the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives[1]
Gains, losses, and holds
editRetirements
editFour Republicans and three Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.
Defeats
editTwo Republicans and two Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.
| State | Senator | Replaced by |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | J. William Fulbright | Dale Bumpers |
| Colorado | Peter H. Dominick | Gary Hart |
| Kentucky | Marlow Cook | Wendell Ford |
| Ohio | Howard Metzenbaum | John Glenn |
Post-election changes
editOne Republican appointee did not seek to finish the term following the contested election and one Democrat was elected on September 16, 1975.
| State | Senator | Replaced by |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire (Class 3) |
Norris Cotton | John A. Durkin |
Change in composition
editBefore the elections
editAfter the January 4, 1974 appointment in Ohio.
| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 |
| D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 |
| D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 | D28 | D29 | D30 |
| D40 Ark. Ran |
D39 Alaska Ran |
D38 Ala. Ran |
D37 | D36 | D35 | D34 | D33 | D32 | D31 |
| D41 Calif. Ran |
D42 Conn. Ran |
D43 Ga. Ran |
D44 Hawaii Ran |
D45 Idaho Ran |
D46 Ill. Ran |
D47 Ind. Ran |
D48 Iowa Retired |
D49 La. Ran |
D50 Mo. Ran |
| Majority → | D51 Nev. Retired | ||||||||
| R41 Vt. Retired |
C1 | I1 | D57 Wisc. Ran |
D56 Wash. Ran |
D55 S.D. Ran |
D54 S.C. Ran |
D53 Ohio Ran |
D52 N.C. Retired | |
| R40 Utah Retired |
R39 Pa. Ran |
R38 Ore. Ran |
R37 Okla. Ran |
R36 N.D. Ran |
R35 N.Y. Ran |
R34 N.H. Retired |
R33 Md. Ran |
R32 Ky. Ran |
R31 Kan. Ran |
| R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | R26 | R27 | R28 Ariz. Ran |
R29 Colo. Ran |
R30 Fla. Ran |
| R20 | R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 |
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 |
After the general elections
edit| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 |
| D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 |
| D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 | D28 | D29 | D30 |
| D40 Ark. Hold |
D39 Alaska Re-elected |
D38 Ala. Re-elected |
D37 | D36 | D35 | D34 | D33 | D32 | D31 |
| D41 Calif. Re-elected |
D42 Conn. Re-elected |
D43 Ga. Re-elected |
D44 Hawaii Re-elected |
D45 Idaho Re-elected |
D46 Ill. Re-elected |
D47 Ind. Re-elected |
D48 Iowa Hold |
D49 La. Re-elected |
D50 Mo. Re-elected |
| Majority → | D51 N.C. Hold | ||||||||
| D60 Vt. Gain |
D59 Ky. Gain |
D58 Fla. Gain |
D57 Colo. Gain |
D56 Wash. Re-elected |
D55 S.D. Re-elected |
D54 S.C. Re-elected |
D53 Ohio Hold |
D52 N.D. Re-elected | |
| I1 | Vacant N.H. Annulled |
C1 | R37 Nev. Gain |
R36 Wisc. Re-elected |
R35 Utah Hold |
R34 Pa. Re-elected |
R33 Ore. Re-elected |
R32 Okla. Re-elected |
R31 N.Y. Re-elected |
| R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | R26 | R27 | R28 Ariz. Re-elected |
R29 Kan. Re-elected |
R30 Md. Re-elected |
| R20 | R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 |
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 |
Beginning of the next Congress
edit| D1 | D2 | D3 | D4 | D5 | D6 | D7 | D8 | D9 | D10 |
| D20 | D19 | D18 | D17 | D16 | D15 | D14 | D13 | D12 | D11 |
| D21 | D22 | D23 | D24 | D25 | D26 | D27 | D28 | D29 | D30 |
| D40 | D39 | D38 | D37 | D36 | D35 | D34 | D33 | D32 | D31 |
| D41 | D42 | D43 | D44 | D45 | D46 | D47 | D48 | D49 | D50 |
| Majority → | D51 | ||||||||
| D60 | D59 | D58 | D57 | D56 | D55 | D54 | D53 | D52 | |
| D61 N.H. Gain |
I1 | C1 | R37 | R36 | R35 | R34 | R33 | R32 | R31 |
| R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | R26 | R27 | R28 | R29 | R30 |
| R20 | R19 | R18 | R17 | R16 | R15 | R14 | R13 | R12 | R11 |
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 |
| Key |
|
|---|
Race summary
editElections leading to the next Congress
editIn these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1975; ordered by state.
All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.
| State (linked to summaries below) |
Incumbent | Result | Candidates | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senator | Party | Electoral history | |||
| Alabama | James Allen | Democratic | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Alaska | Mike Gravel | Democratic | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Arizona | Barry Goldwater | Republican | 1952 1958 1964 (retired) 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Arkansas | J. William Fulbright | Democratic | 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent lost renomination. Democratic hold. |
|
| California | Alan Cranston | Democratic | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
| Colorado | Peter H. Dominick | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. |
Others
|
| Connecticut | Abraham Ribicoff | Democratic | 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Florida | Edward Gurney | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent retired. Democratic gain. Incumbent resigned December 31, 1974 to give successor preferential seniority. Winner appointed January 1, 1975. |
|
| Georgia | Herman Talmadge | Democratic | 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Hawaii | Daniel Inouye | Democratic | 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Idaho | Frank Church | Democratic | 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Illinois | Adlai Stevenson III | Democratic | 1970 (special) | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Indiana | Birch Bayh | Democratic | 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Iowa | Harold Hughes | Democratic | 1968 | Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
|
| Kansas | Bob Dole | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Kentucky | Marlow Cook | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent lost re-election. Democratic gain. Incumbent resigned December 27, 1974 to give successor preferential seniority. Winner appointed December 28, 1974. |
|
| Louisiana | Russell B. Long | Democratic | 1948 (special) 1950 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Maryland | Charles Mathias | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Missouri | Thomas Eagleton | Democratic | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Nevada | Alan Bible | Democratic | 1954 (special) 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent retired. Republican gain. Incumbent resigned December 17, 1974 to give successor preferential seniority. Winner appointed December 18, 1974. |
|
| New Hampshire | Norris Cotton | Republican | 1954 (special) 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent retired. Republican hold. Incumbent resigned December 31, 1974 and successor was appointed the same day. Election was later contested and voided. |
|
| New York | Jacob Javits | Republican | 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
| North Carolina | Sam Ervin | Democratic | 1954 (special) 1954 (appointed) 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent retired. Democratic hold. |
|
| North Dakota | Milton Young | Republican | 1945 (appointed) 1946 (special) 1950 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Ohio | Howard Metzenbaum | Democratic | 1974 (appointed) | Interim appointee lost nomination. Democratic hold. Incumbent resigned December 23, 1974 to give successor preferential seniority. Winner appointed December 24, 1974. |
|
| Oklahoma | Henry Bellmon | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Oregon | Bob Packwood | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Pennsylvania | Richard Schweiker | Republican | 1968 | Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| South Carolina | Fritz Hollings | Democratic | 1966 (special) 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| South Dakota | George McGovern | Democratic | 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
| Utah | Wallace F. Bennett | Republican | 1950 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent retired. Republican hold. Incumbent resigned December 20, 1974 to give successor preferential seniority. Winner appointed December 21, 1974. |
|
| Vermont | George Aiken | Republican | 1940 (special) 1944 1950 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent retired. Democratic gain. |
|
| Washington | Warren Magnuson | Democratic | 1944 1944 (appointed) 1950 1956 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
Others
|
| Wisconsin | Gaylord Nelson | Democratic | 1962 1968 |
Incumbent re-elected. |
|
Closest races
editIn fourteen races the margin of victory was under 10%.
| State | Party of winner | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | Republican (later overturned) | 0.0009% |
| North Dakota | Republican | 0.07% |
| Nevada | Republican (flip) | 0.37% |
| Oklahoma | Republican | 0.48% |
| Kansas | Republican | 1.70% |
| Vermont | Democratic (flip) | 3.09% |
| Florida | Democratic (flip) | 3.32% |
| Indiana | Democratic | 4.29% |
| Iowa | Democratic | 4.76% |
| Utah | Republican | 5.92% |
| South Dakota | Democratic | 6.08% |
| New York | Republican | 7.09% |
| Pennsylvania | Republican | 7.11% |
| Kentucky | Democratic (flip) | 9.48% |
Illinois was the tipping point state with a margin of 25%.
Alabama
edit | |||||||||||||||||
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 County results Allen: 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% | |||||||||||||||||
Democratic United States senator James Allen won re-election to a second term, faced no Republican opponent in the general election, defeating Prohibition Party nominee Alvin Abercrombie.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Allen (Incumbent) | 501,541 | 95.84 | |
| Prohibition | Alvin Abercrombie | 21,749 | 4.16 | |
| Majority | 479,792 | 91.68 | ||
| Turnout | 523,290 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Alaska
edit | |||||||||||||||||
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  Results by borough and census area Gravel: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Lewis: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Mike Gravel won re-election to a second term over Republican State Senator Clyde "C.R." Lewis.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Mike Gravel (Incumbent) | 54,361 | 58.28 | |
| Republican | C. R. Lewis | 38,914 | 41.72 | |
| Majority | 15,447 | 16.56 | ||
| Turnout | 93,275 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Arizona
edit | |||||||||||||||||
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 County results Goldwater: 50–60% 60–70% Marshall: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Barry Goldwater decided to run for reelection to a fourth term, after returning to the U.S. Senate in 1968 following his failed Presidential run in 1964 against Lyndon B. Johnson. Goldwater defeated Democratic Party nominee philanthropist Jonathan Marshall in the general election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 'Jonathan Marshall', philanthropist | 79,225 | 53.55 | |
| Democratic | George Oglesby, attorney | 36,262 | 24.51 | |
| Democratic | William Mathews Feighan | 32,449 | 21.93 | |
| Total votes | 147,936 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Barry Goldwater (Incumbent) | 320,396 | 58.26 | |
| Democratic | Jonathan Marshall | 229,523 | 41.74 | |
| Majority | 90,873 | 16.52 | ||
| Turnout | 549,919 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Arkansas
edit | |||||||||||||||||
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 County Results Bumpers: 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat J. William Fulbright lost renomination to Governor of Arkansas Dale Bumpers. Bumpers then won the general election easily.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dale Bumpers | 380,748 | 65.04 | |
| Democratic | J. William Fulbright (Incumbent) | 204,630 | 34.96 | |
| Turnout | 30.44 | |||
| Total votes | 543,082 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dale Bumpers | 461,056 | 84.90 | 25.75
| |
| Republican | John H. Jones | 82,026 | 15.10 | 25.75
| |
| Majority | 379,030 | 69.80 | |||
| Total votes | 93,275 | 100.00 | |||
| Turnout | 543,082 | 28.24 | |||
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
California
edit | |||||||||||||||||
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 County results Cranston: 40-50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Richardson: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Alan Cranston won re-election to a second term over Republican H. L. Richardson, California State Senator.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Alan Cranston (Incumbent) | 3,639,334 | 60.54 | |
| Republican | H. L. Richardson | 2,176,315 | 36.20 | |
| American Independent | Jack McCoy | 100,111 | 1.67 | |
| Peace and Freedom | Gayle M. Justice | 95,394 | 1.59 | |
| Majority | 1,463,019 | 24.34 | ||
| Turnout | 6,011,154 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Colorado
edit | |||||||||||||||||
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 County results Hart: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Peter H. Dominick ran for re-election to a third term, but was defeated by Democratic challenger Gary Hart, the campaign manager for George McGovern in 1972.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Gary Hart | 471,688 | 57.23 | |
| Republican | Peter H. Dominick (Incumbent) | 325,526 | 39.50 | |
| Independent | John M. King | 16,131 | 1.96 | |
| Prohibition | Joseph Fred Hyskell | 8,404 | 1.02 | |
| American | Henry John Olshaw | 2,394 | 0.29 | |
| None | Write-Ins | 28 | 0.00 | |
| Majority | 146,162 | 7.73 | ||
| Turnout | 824,171 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
Connecticut
edit | |||||||||||||||||
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Ribicoff: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Brannen: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Abraham Ribicoff won re-election to a third term over Republican challenger James Brannen III.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Abraham A. Ribicoff (Incumbent) | 690,820 | 63.67 | |
| Republican | James H. Brannen III | 372,055 | 34.29 | |
| George Wallace Party | Arthur F. Capozzi Jr. | 19,184 | 1.77 | |
| American | Norman L. Rochon | 2,682 | 0.25 | |
| None | Write-Ins | 177 | 0.02 | |
| Majority | 318,765 | 29.38 | ||
| Turnout | 1,084,918 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Florida
edit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 County results Stone: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Eckerd: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Grady: 40–50% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Edward Gurney declined to seek a second term after being indicted for taking bribes in return for his influence with the Federal Housing Administration.
The primary for the Republican nomination pitted Eckerd drug store owner Jack Eckerd against Florida Public Service Commissioner Paula Hawkins. Eckerd won handily, receiving approximately 67.5% of the vote.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jack Eckerd | 186,897 | 67.49 | |
| Republican | Paula Hawkins | 90,049 | 32.52 | |
| Total votes | 276,946 | 100.00 | ||
The Democratic primary, however, was a crowded field with eleven candidates vying for the nomination. Because no candidate received a majority of the votes, U.S. Representative Bill Gunter and Secretary of State of Florida Richard Stone advanced to a run-off election. Stone won by a small margin of 1.68%.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Richard Stone | 236,185 | 29.80 | |
| Democratic | Bill Gunter | 157,301 | 19.85 | |
| Democratic | Richard A. Pettigrew | 146,728 | 18.51 | |
| Democratic | Mallory Horne | 90,684 | 11.44 | |
| Democratic | Glenn W. Turner | 51,326 | 6.48 | |
| Democratic | George Balmer | 24,408 | 3.08 | |
| Democratic | Burton Young | 23,199 | 2.93 | |
| Democratic | Bob Brewster | 19,913 | 2.51 | |
| Democratic | David B. Higginbottom | 17,401 | 1.64 | |
| Democratic | Duaine E. Macon | 14,961 | 1.89 | |
| Total votes | 782,106 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Richard Stone | 321,683 | 50.84 | |
| Democratic | Bill Gunter | 311,044 | 49.16 | |
| Total votes | 632,727 | 100.00 | ||
Thus, Eckerd and Stone faced off in the general election. John Grady, a family physician and member of George Wallace's American Independent Party, performed exceptionally well for a third party candidate. Grady may have split the conservative vote, allowing for Stone to win. On election day, Stone received 43.38% of the vote, Eckerd garnered 40.91% of the vote, and Grady acquired 15.7% of the vote.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Richard Stone | 781,031 | 43.38% | |
| Republican | Jack Eckerd | 736,674 | 40.91 | |
| American Independent | John Grady | 282,659 | 15.70 | |
| Independent | Jim Fair | 117 | 0.01 | |
| Independent | Henry J. Matthew | 35 | <0.01 | |
| Independent | Hortense L. Arvan | 13 | <0.01 | |
| Independent | Timothy L. "Tim" Adams | 10 | <0.01 | |
| Majority | 44,357 | 3.32 | ||
| Turnout | 1,800,539 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
Georgia
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 County results Talmadge: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Herman Talmadge won re-election to a fourth term over Republican challenger Jerry Johnson.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Herman Talmadge (Incumbent) | 627,376 | 71.74 | |
| Republican | Jerry Johnson | 246,866 | 28.23 | |
| Write-in | Write-Ins | 313 | 0.04 | |
| Majority | 380,510 | 43.51 | ||
| Turnout | 874,555 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Hawaii
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 County results Inouye: 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Daniel Inouye won re-election to a third term over Populist challenger James D. Kimmel.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Daniel Inouye (Incumbent) | 207,454 | 82.91 | |
| People's | James D. Kimmel | 42,767 | 17.09 | |
| Majority | 164,687 | 65.82 | ||
| Turnout | 250,221 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Idaho
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 County results Church: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Smith: 50-60% 60-70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Frank Church won re-election to a fourth term in office, defeating Republican Bob Smith.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Frank Church (Incumbent) | 145,140 | 56.07 | |
| Republican | Robert L. Smith | 109,072 | 42.14 | |
| American | Jean Stoddard | 4,635 | 1.79 | |
| Majority | 36,068 | 13.93 | ||
| Turnout | 258,847 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Illinois
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| Turnout | 49.35% | ||||||||||||||||
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 County Results Stevenson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Burditt: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Adlai Stevenson III, who was first elected in a special election in 1970, was re-elected to a second term in office, defeating Republican George Burditt by a large margin of nearly 800,000 votes.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Adlai Stevenson III (Incumbent) | 1,811,496 | 62.15 | |
| Republican | George M. Burditt | 1,084,884 | 37.22 | |
| Socialist Workers | Edward Thomas Heisler | 12,413 | 0.43 | |
| Communist | Ishmael Flory | 5,873 | 0.20 | |
| Majority | 726,612 | 24.93 | ||
| Turnout | 2,914,666 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Indiana
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 Results by county Bayh: 40-50% 50–60% 60–70% Lugar: 40–50% 50–60% 60-70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Birch Bayh was re-elected to a third consecutive term in office, defeating Mayor of Indianapolis Richard Lugar.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Birch Bayh (Incumbent) | 889,269 | 50.73 | |
| Republican | Richard Lugar | 814,117 | 46.44 | |
| American | Don L. Lee | 49,592 | 2.83 | |
| Majority | 75,152 | 4.29 | ||
| Turnout | 1,752,978 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Iowa
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 County results Culver: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Stanley: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Harold E. Hughes retired instead of seeking a second term. This open seat was won by five-term U.S. Representative John C. Culver, defeating Republican State Representative David M. Stanley. Culver defeated Stanley by a margin of nearly five points.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Culver | 462,947 | 52.04 | |
| Republican | David M. Stanley | 420,546 | 47.28 | |
| American | Lorin E. Oxley | 6,028 | 0.68 | |
| Write-ins | 40 | 0.00 | ||
| Majority | 42,401 | 4.76 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Kansas
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 County results Dole: 50–60% 60–70% Roy: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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U.S. Senator Bob Dole was first elected in 1968 after Frank Carlson retired by a margin of 60-39% over his Democratic opponent. However, in 1974 he faced a closer challenge as he sought a second term. Dole was closely associated with Richard Nixon as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1971-1972. Dole himself even admitted he was "prepared to lose" the election to William R. Roy, a Topeka physician and two-term Representative from Kansas's 2nd Congressional District. Roy's advertisements contrasted Dole, "who put loyalty to Nixon and his party ahead of loyalty to his state," with Roy, a moderate and former Republican whom they described as "a respected voice for Kansas." Roy's campaign to be the first Democratic Senator from Kansas in decades received an enthusiastic response, and he led in polling for months. "I could go to any event and feel like Caesar coming back to Rome," Roy said. Still, Dole's campaign capitalized on the issue of abortion rights, which was fresh on voters minds in the wake of the Roe v. Wade decision. Roy himself had performed abortions as a physician, and Dole used this to build momentum and overtake Roy in polling.[10]
In the end, Dole narrowly prevailed over Roy by 15,533 votes in the closest election of his 35-year Congressional career.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bob Dole (Incumbent) | 403,983 | 50.85 | |
| Democratic | William R. Roy | 390,451 | 49.15 | |
| None | Write-Ins | 3 | 0.00 | |
| Majority | 13,532 | 1.70 | ||
| Turnout | 794,437 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Kentucky
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 County results Ford: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Cook: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Marlow Cook ran for a second term in office but was defeated by Democratic Governor of Kentucky Wendell Ford.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Wendell Ford | 398,887 | 53.56 | |
| Republican | Marlow Cook (Incumbent) | 328,260 | 44.08 | |
| American | William E. Parker | 17,551 | 2.36 | |
| Majority | 70,627 | 9.48 | ||
| Turnout | 744,698 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
Louisiana
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 Parish results Long: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democratic Senator Russell B. Long was unopposed for re-election to a sixth term in office.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Russell Long (Incumbent) | 520,606 | 74.75 | |
| Democratic | Sherman A. Bernard | 131,540 | 18.89 | |
| Democratic | Annie Smart | 44,341 | 6.37 | |
| Total votes | 696,487 | 100.00 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Russell B. Long (Incumbent) | 434,643 | 100.00 | |
| Democratic hold | ||||
Maryland
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 County results Mathias: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Mikulski: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Charles Mathias won re-election to a second term. As a Republican representing heavily-Democratic Maryland, Mathias faced a potentially difficult re-election bid for the 1974 election. State Democrats nominated Barbara Mikulski, then a Baltimore City Councilwoman who was well-known to residents in her city as a social activist, but with limited name recognition in the rest of the state.[12] Mathias was renominated by Republicans, fending off a primary election challenge from conservative doctor Ross Pierpont. Pierpont was never a substantial threat to Mathias, whose lack of competition was due in part to fallout from the Watergate scandal.[13][14]
As an advocate for campaign finance reform, Mathias refused to accept any contribution over $100 to "avoid the curse of big money that has led to so much trouble in the last year".[15] However, he still managed to raise over $250,000, nearly five times Mikulski's total. Ideologically, Mikulski and Mathias agreed on many issues, such as closing tax loopholes and easing taxes on the middle class. On two issues, however, Mathias argued to reform Congress and the U.S. tax system to address inflation and corporate price fixing, contrary to Mikulski.[12] In retrospect, The Washington Post felt the election was "an intelligent discussion of state, national, and foreign affairs by two smart, well-informed people".[16]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles Mathias (Incumbent) | 503,223 | 57.3 | |
| Democratic | Barbara A. Mikulski | 374,663 | 42.7 | |
| Total votes | 877,886 | 100.00 | ||
| Majority | 129,560 | 14.6 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Missouri
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 County Results Eagleton: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Curtis: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Thomas Eagleton was first elected in 1968, defeating incumbent U.S. senator Edward V. Long in an upset three-way primary victory. He then defeated Republican Representative Thomas B. Curtis by just over two percentage points. Eagleton served as the initial vice presidential nominee for George McGovern's campaign against incumbent Richard Nixon in 1972. However, Eagleton resigned from the ticket and was replaced by Sargent Shriver after reports surfaced that Eagleton had received electroshock therapy for clinical depression. McGovern, who was trailing Nixon badly in the polls, requested Eagleton's resignation.[18]
Despite negative publicity from his vice presidential nomination withdrawal, Eagleton cruised to re-election in a rematch over Curtis, taking over 60% of the vote. This would be Eagleton's largest victory margin for U.S. Senate. In 1980, he faced a close re-election battle against Gene McNary, winning by only about 5 percentage points.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Thomas Eagleton (Incumbent) | 735,433 | 60.07 | |
| Republican | Thomas B. Curtis | 480,900 | 39.28 | |
| Independent | Cliff Talmage | 7,970 | 0.65 | |
| Majority | 254,533 | 20.79 | ||
| Turnout | 1,224,303 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Nevada
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 County results Laxalt: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Reid: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Alan Bible decided to retire instead of seeking a fifth term. Republican nominee Paul Laxalt won the open seat.
Former Governor Paul Laxalt won by less than 700 votes, becoming one of the few bright spots in a bad year for Republicans. He beat Lieutenant Governor Harry Reid. Reid would succeed Laxalt twelve years later.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Paul Laxalt | 79,605 | 46.97 | +1.73% | ||
| Democratic | Harry Reid | 78,981 | 46.60 | −8.16% | ||
| Independent American Party (Nevada) | Jack C. Doyle | 10,887 | 6.42 | |||
| Majority | 624 | 0.37 | −9.15% | |||
| Turnout | 169,473 | |||||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||||
New Hampshire
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Wyman: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Durkin: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 90-100% No Data/Vote: | |||||||||||||||||
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The New Hampshire election resulted in the longest contested election for the U.S. Congress in United States history.
In 1973, then-incumbent senator Norris Cotton announced he would not seek re-election. Republican strategists admitted that it would be tough for their party to hold on to the seat.[19]
The campaign of 1974 pitted Democrat John A. Durkin, who had served as New Hampshire's Insurance Commissioner and as Attorney General, against Republican Louis C. Wyman, a conservative, widely known member of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire's 1st congressional district. As Wyman was the more experienced politician, he was predicted by many to win handily.[20]
On election day, Wyman won with a margin of just 355 votes.[citation needed] Durkin immediately demanded a recount, which, completed November 27, 1974, declared Durkin the winner by a margin of 10 votes. Republican Governor Meldrim Thomson Jr. awarded Durkin a provisional certificate of election. However, Wyman demanded another recount in which he prevailed by two votes.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Louis Wyman | 110,926 | 49.6618 | |
| Democratic | John A. Durkin | 110,924 | 49.6609 | |
| American Independent | Carmen C. Chimento | 1,513 | 0.68 | |
| Plurality | 2 | 0.0009 | ||
| Turnout | 223,363 | |||
Wyman promptly appealed to the New Hampshire State Ballot Law Commission. Durkin tried to defeat the appeal in the New Hampshire courts. The state ballot commission conducted its own partial recount and announced on December 24, 1974, that Wyman had won by just two votes. Governor Thomson rescinded Durkin’s certificate, and awarded a new credential to Wyman.
Senator Cotton resigned on December 31, 1974, and Governor Thomson appointed Wyman to fill the remainder of the term, which would expire January 3, 1975.
The election contest was not settled, however, and eventually a new election would be called in 1975.
New York
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 County results Javits: 40–50% 50–60% Clark: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Jacob Javits won against Democratic challenger Ramsey Clark in a three way election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jacob Javits (Incumbent) | 2,340,188 | 45.32 | |
| Democratic | Ramsey Clark | 1,973,781 | 38.23 | |
| Conservative | Barbara A. Keating | 822,584 | 15.93 | |
| Socialist Workers | Rebecca Finch | 7,727 | 0.15 | |
| Courage | William F Dowling Jr. | 7,459 | 0.14 | |
| Socialist Labor | Robert E. Massi | 4,037 | 0.08 | |
| Communist | Mildred Edelman | 3,876 | 0.08 | |
| U.S. Labor | Elijah C. Boyd Jr. | 3,798 | 0.07 | |
| Majority | 366,407 | 7.09 | ||
| Turnout | 5,163,450 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
North Carolina
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 County results Morgan: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Stevens: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Sam Ervin chose to retire. The general election was fought between the Democratic nominee Robert Morgan and the Republican nominee William Stevens.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert Morgan | 294,986 | 50.40 | |
| Democratic | Nick Galifianakis | 189,815 | 32.43 | |
| Democratic | Henry Wilson | 67,247 | 11.49 | |
| Democratic | James Johnson | 6,138 | 1.05 | |
| Democratic | Others | 27,140 | 4.64 | |
| Turnout | 585,326 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William Stevens | 62,419 | 65.12 | |
| Republican | Wood Hall Young | 26,918 | 28.08 | |
| Republican | B. E. Sweatt | 6,520 | 6.80 | |
| Turnout | 95,857 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert Morgan | 633,647 | 61.56 | +1.00% | |
| Republican | William Stevens | 386,720 | 37.57 | −1.87% | |
| Independent | 8,974 | 0.87 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 1,029,341 | ||||
| Majority | 246,927 | 23.99 | |||
| Democratic hold | Swing | ||||
North Dakota
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 County results Young: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Guy: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Milton Young was re-elected to his sixth term, defeating North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party candidate William L. Guy, a former Governor of North Dakota.[1]
Only Young filed as a Republican, and the endorsed Democratic candidate was William L. Guy of Bismarck, North Dakota, who had served as Governor of the state from 1961 to 1973; and had presumably left the office to seek the senate seat. Young and Guy won the primary elections for their respective parties. Guy, who was very popular as governor throughout the state, and Young, who had a high approval rating as senator for the state, created the closest ever election for one of North Dakota's senate seats. Young won the election by only 177 votes, and Guy retired from politics.
Two independent candidates, James R. Jungroth and Kenneth C. Gardner, also filed before the deadline. Jungroth's platform was based on his opposition to strip mining the state's coal reserves.[22] Gardner would later run for the state's other seat in 1988 against then incumbent Quentin Burdick.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Milton R. Young (Incumbent) | 114,852 | 48.45 | |
| Democratic | William L. Guy | 114,675 | 48.37 | |
| Independent | James R. Jungroth | 6,679 | 2.82 | |
| Independent | Kenneth C. Gardiner | 853 | 0.36 | |
| Majority | 177 | 0.07 | ||
| Turnout | 237,059 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Ohio
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 County results Glenn: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Howard Metzenbaum was running for election to a full term after he was appointed in 1974 by Ohio governor John J. Gilligan to fill out the Senate term of William B. Saxbe, who had resigned to become United States Attorney General. Metzenbaum lost the primary election to retired astronaut John Glenn, who went on to win the general election and win every county in the state over Republican Ralph Perk, Mayor of Cleveland.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | John Glenn | 1,930,670 | 64.6 | |
| Republican | Ralph Perk | 918,133 | 30.7 | |
| Independent | Kathleen G. Harroff | 76,882 | 2.6 | |
| Independent | Richard B. Kay | 61,921 | 2.1 | |
| Independent | John O'Neill | 257 | 0.0 | |
| Independent | Ronald E. Girkins | 88 | 0.0 | |
| Majority | 1,012,357 | 33.9 | ||
| Turnout | 2,987,606 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Oklahoma
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 County results Bellmon: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Edmondson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Henry Bellmon narrowly won re-election to a second term, beating Representative Ed Edmondson by nearly 4,000 votes.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Henry Bellmon (Incumbent) | 390,997 | 49.4 | |
| Democratic | Ed Edmondson | 387,162 | 48.9 | |
| Independent | Paul E. Trent | 13,650 | 1.7 | |
| Majority | 3,835 | 0.5 | ||
| Turnout | 791,809 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Oregon
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 County results Packwood: 50-60% 60-70% Roberts: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Bob Packwood won re-election to a second term. Betty Roberts was chosen to replace former U.S. senator Wayne Morse, who won the Democratic primary but died before the general election.[25][26]
The Democratic primaries were held on May 28, 1974. Incumbent senator Bob Packwood was running for re-election after his upset victory against popular incumbent Democrat Wayne Morse in 1968 made him the youngest member of the Senate.[27]
In the Democratic primary, former senator Morse, trying to win back the seat he had for 24 years before losing to Packwood six years earlier, faced Oregon State Senate President Jason Boe and several other candidates for a chance to take back his Senate seat.[28] Boe, who was 45, made Morse's age, 73, an issue in the race while Morse said his experience in the Senate made him a stronger candidate.[29] Boe called for a series of debates around the state, but Morse refused. He went on to defeat Boe 49% to 39%, and planned to use the same strategy in the general election against Packwood, whose narrow victory over Morse 6 years earlier was attributed to Packwood's superior performance at a debate in Portland late in the campaign.[25]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Wayne Morse | 155,729 | 48.98 | |
| Democratic | Jason Boe | 125,055 | 39.33 | |
| Democratic | Robert T. Daly | 21,881 | 6.88 | |
| Democratic | Robert E. O'Connor | 14,984 | 4.71 | |
| Democratic | (Scattering) | 319 | 0.10 | |
| Total votes | 396,204 | 100.00 | ||
In July, Morse was hospitalized in Portland with what was originally described as a serious urinary tract infection. His condition deteriorated and he died on July 22.[26] The death was originally reported to have been caused by kidney failure, but it was later revealed that Morse died of leukemia; Boe apparently knew of the diagnosis during the campaign but did not make it a campaign issue.[31]
The Oregon Democratic State Central Committee met on August 11, two days after Richard Nixon resigned the Presidency. They chose State senator Betty Roberts over Boe to replace Morse as the Democratic nominee.[32] Roberts, an Oregon State Senator, had run for the Democratic nomination for Governor that year, but lost in the May primary to eventual general election winner Robert W. Straub.[32]
Outgoing Oregon governor Tom McCall, who had decided not to run in 1968, had pledged to Packwood a year earlier that he would not challenge him in 1974.[33] But as his term as governor ended, McCall began reconsidering his decision, believing he would bring more integrity to the job. In March 1974, at a dinner party held at Packwood's Washington D.C. home in McCall's honor, McCall informed Packwood that he would challenge him.[33] The news of McCall's change of plans soon reached the media. Eventually, McCall decided that he had little chance against Packwood, who had similar positions to his own and had a reputation for ruthless campaigning that McCall did not share.[33][34] McCall did not run, and Packwood was unopposed in the Republican primary.[28]
Strong Democratic gains were predicted, giving Roberts a good chance at an upset. In addition, the Senate had no female members and Roberts was one of three women (along with Barbara Mikulski in Maryland and Gwenyfred Bush in South Carolina) seeking a Senate seat.[35] But on the issues, Packwood and Roberts shared many positions, such as on abortion, military spending, and the environment.[36] Moreover, Packwood had distanced himself from Watergate, calling for Nixon's impeachment and denouncing Gerald Ford's pardon of Nixon.[36][37] Roberts was also at a financial disadvantage, having entered the race late and facing debt from her failed gubernatorial run; Packwood was able to use money he had raised for a primary challenge that never materialized, and led in most polls by a double-digit margin.[36]
Roberts lost the election to Packwood 54% to 44%.[38] Packwood was the only Oregon Republican up for re-election to keep his seat: Democrats won every other available seat. In the Governor's race, Bob Straub, who beat Roberts in the Democratic primary, defeated Vic Atiyeh to become the first elected Democratic governor since 1956; in the U. S. House of Representatives races, Les AuCoin won an open seat in the 1st district and in the 4th district, Jim Weaver upset incumbent John Dellenback.[39]
After the election, Roberts, whose criticism of Packwood's ethics was a theme in her campaign, considered filing a lawsuit against Packwood for misrepresenting her positions on gun control, abortion, and Social Security in campaign advertisements, but later dropped the idea.[40]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Bob Packwood (Incumbent) | 420,984 | 54.93 | |
| Democratic | Betty Roberts | 338,591 | 44.18 | |
| Write-In | Jason Boe | 5,072 | 0.66 | |
| Write-In | Misc. | 1,767 | 0.23 | |
| Total votes | 766,414 | 100.00 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
Pennsylvania
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 County results
Schweiker: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Flaherty: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican Richard Schweiker won re-election, defeating Democratic nominee Peter F. Flaherty, Mayor of Pittsburgh.
In the general election campaign, Schweiker faced popular Pittsburgh mayor Peter Flaherty. Both candidates, as highlighted by a New York Times article, "[took] firm stands against inflation, recession, big spending by the Federal Government and abortion on demand."[42] Schweiker, who was endorsed by the AFL–CIO, distanced himself from the Richard Nixon administration, specifically the Watergate scandal, by emphasizing his early calls for Nixon's resignation and the fact that he was on Nixon's "enemies list."[42]
In the end, Schweiker won re-election with 53% of the popular vote, with Flaherty winning 45.9%. Schweiker carried 53 of Pennsylvania's counties, a decrease from the 59 counties he carried in the 1968 election. Flaherty had a strong showing in Allegheny County, which contains his home town of Pittsburgh, which Schweiker had won in 1968. The final election results represented a political divide between the eastern and western portions of the state, Schweiker in the east and Flaherty in the west, with the exception of Flaherty's slim 4,491 vote victory in Philadelphia.[42]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Republican | Richard Schweiker (Incumbent) | 1,843,317 | 53.00 | |
| Democratic | Peter F. Flaherty | 1,596,121 | 45.89 | |
| Constitution | George W. Shankey | 38,004 | 1.09 | |
| Write-in | Other | 370 | 0.01 | |
| Majority | 247,196 | 7.11 | ||
| Turnout | 3,477,812 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
South Carolina
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 County results Hollings: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 1974 South Carolina United States Senate election was held on November 5, 1974 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina. Incumbent Democratic senator Fritz Hollings easily defeated Republican challenger Gwen Bush to win his third term. Both Hollings and Bush faced no opposition in their party's primaries which allowed both candidates to concentrate solely on the general election. The Watergate scandal caused the Republicans to perform poorly nationwide in 1974 and Gwen Bush was little more than a sacrificial lamb. The main focus of the voters in South Carolina was on the competitive gubernatorial contest and Hollings easily cruised to a comfortable re-election.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Fritz Hollings (Incumbent) | 355,107 | 69.4 | +7.5% | |
| Republican | Gwen Bush | 146,649 | 28.7 | −9.4% | |
| Independent | Harold Hough | 9,624 | 1.9 | +1.9% | |
| Majority | 208,458 | 40.7 | +16.9% | ||
| Turnout | 511,380 | 51.3 | −25.2% | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
South Dakota
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 County results McGovern: 50–60% 60–70% Thorsness: 50–60% 60-70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | George McGovern (Incumbent) | 147,929 | 53.04 | |
| Republican | Leo K. Thorsness | 130,955 | 46.96 | |
| Majority | 16,974 | 6.08 | ||
| Turnout | 278,884 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Utah
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 County results Garn: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Owens: 40–50% 50–60% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Wallace F. Bennett did not run for re-election to a fifth term, but retired. Salt Lake City mayor Jake Garn won the Republican nomination, while U.S. representative Wayne Owens won the Democratic nomination. Garn defeated Owens, 50% to 44%, with third-party candidate Bruce Bangerter winning 6% of the vote.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jake Garn | 210,299 | 49.99 | |
| Democratic | Wayne Owens | 185,377 | 44.07 | |
| American | Bruce Bangerter | 24,966 | 5.94 | |
| Majority | 24,922 | 5.92 | ||
| Turnout | 420,642 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
Vermont
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Leahy: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Mallary: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Republican George Aiken did not run for re-election to another term in the United States Senate. Democratic candidate, attorney and prosecutor Patrick Leahy defeated the Republican candidate, congressman Richard W. Mallary to succeed him. Leahy was the first Democrat ever elected to the senate from Vermont.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard W. Mallary | 27,221 | 59.1 | |
| Republican | Charles R. Ross | 16,479 | 35.8 | |
| Republican | T. Serse Ambrosini | 2,265 | 4.9 | |
| Republican | Other | 61 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 46,026 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Patrick Leahy | 19,801 | 83.9 | |
| Democratic | Nathaniel Frothingham | 3,703 | 15.7 | |
| Democratic | Other | 97 | 0.4 | |
| Total votes | 23,601 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Patrick Leahy | 70,629 | 49.47 | ||
| Republican | Richard W. Mallary | 66,223 | 46.38 | ||
| Liberty Union | Bernie Sanders | 5,901 | 4.13 | ||
| Write-in | Other | 19 | 0.0 | ||
| Total votes | 142,772 | 100.0 | |||
| Majority | 4,406 | 3.09 | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | ||||
Washington
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 County results Magnuson: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Metcalf: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Warren Magnuson (Incumbent) | 611,811 | 60.70 | |
| Republican | Jack Metcalf | 363,626 | 36.08 | |
| American Independent | Gene Goosman | 19,871 | 1.97 | |
| Socialist Workers | Clare Fraenzl | 8,176 | 0.81 | |
| U.S. Labor | Pat Ruckert | 4,363 | 0.43 | |
| Majority | 248,185 | 24.62 | ||
| Turnout | 1,007,847 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Wisconsin
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 County results Nelson: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Petri: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Democrat Gaylord Nelson won re-election to a third term over Tom Petri, State senator since 1973.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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| Democratic | Gaylord Nelson (Incumbent) | 740,700 | 61.8 | |
| Republican | Tom Petri | 429,327 | 35.8 | |
| American | Gerald L. McFarren | 24,003 | 2.0 | |
| Lowering the Property Tax | Roman Blenski | 5,396 | 0.6 | |
| Write-in | Write-Ins | 69 | 0.0 | |
| Majority | 311,373 | 26.0 | ||
| Turnout | 1,199,426 | |||
| Democratic hold | ||||
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c d Includes New Hampshire, where the result of the November election was voided; in the ensuing Special Election of September 1975, where the same two major party candidates as that of the November election stood, a Democratic pickup occurred. The Clerk of the House of Representatives considers the immediate results of these elections to have resulted in a 61–37–2 majority, which would include this pickup in New Hampshire.[1]
- ^ a b The Liberal Party in New York endorsed Jacob Javits, but the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives did not tabulate their votes, totaling 241,659, into the national Republican total.[1]
- ^ Harry F. Byrd, Jr. (VA), was an Independent who caucused with the Democrats. In some circles, he is called an "Independent Democrat", but his actual registration was listed as "Independent". See, e. g., United States Congress. "Harry Flood Byrd, Jr. (id: B001209)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- ^ The two senators, J. William Fulbright of Arkansas and Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio, both lost renomination and nomination to the full term, respectively, Dale Bumpers and John Glenn became the party's new nominees in each state.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1974 [sic]" (PDF). Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House. August 1, 1975. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ James M. Naughton (November 6, 1974). "Senate and House Margins Are Substantially Enlarged". New York Times. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - AK US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1974". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ "AZ US Senate - D Primary Race - Sep 10, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ "AZ US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - AR US Senate - D Primary Race - May 28, 1974". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - AR US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1974". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ Synhorst, Melvin. "SUMMARY OF OFFICIAL CANVASS OF VOTES CAST IN IOWA GENERAL ELECTION November 5, 1974" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State. State of Iowa. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
- ^ Leip, David. "1974 Senatorial General Election Results - Iowa". US Election Atlas. David Leip's Election Atlas. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
- ^ "Abortion, Dole's Sword in '74, Returns to Confront Him in '96". The New York Times. July 8, 1996. p. A1. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ "LA US Senate – D Primary". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ a b Barker, Karlyn (November 6, 1974). "Mathias Is Elected To a Second Term". The Washington Post. p. A12.
- ^ Watson, Douglas (August 15, 1974). "Mathias Purge Threat Ends: White House Scandals Boost Senator's Re-election Bid". The Washington Post. p. C1.
- ^ Barker, Karlyn (September 11, 1974). "Mathias Wins GOP Md. Race". The Washington Post. p. A24.
- ^ Richards, Bill (February 3, 1974). "Sen. Mathias Re-Election Drive Opens". The Washington Post. p. B1.
- ^ "U.S. Senate Choice in Maryland". The Washington Post. October 22, 1980. p. A22.
- ^ "1974 Senatorial General Election Results - Maryland".
- ^ McGovern, George S. (1977). Grassroots: The Autobiography of George McGovern. New York: Random House. pp. 214–215.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Lydon, Christopher (December 17, 1973). "Republican Strategists See Major 1974 Election Losses for G.O.P.; Most Incredible'". The New York Times.
- ^ "Message from New Hampshire". Time. September 29, 1975. Archived from the original on July 13, 2009.
- ^ a b c "North Carolina DataNet #46" (PDF). University of North Carolina. April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - James R. Jungroth". www.ourcampaigns.com.
- ^ "OH US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ "OK US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- ^ a b "No debate". The Register-Guard. April 9, 1974. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
- ^ a b "Death claims ex-Sen. Wayne Morse". The Bulletin (Bend). July 22, 1974. Retrieved January 29, 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "From political obscurity, Packwood defeated veteran". The Bulletin (Bend). November 12, 1974. Retrieved February 1, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Packwood, unopposed, spent most in Senate primary". The Bulletin (Bend). June 28, 1974. Retrieved January 29, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Willis, Henny (May 26, 1974). "Four want to battle Packwood". The Register-Guard. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
- ^ "Oregon US Senate Democratic Primary Race, May 28, 1974". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
- ^ "Leukemia claimed Wayne Morse". The Bulletin (Bend). May 28, 1975. Retrieved January 29, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "State Sen. Betty Roberts chosen to oppose Packwood". Tri City Herald. August 12, 1974. Retrieved January 29, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c Walth, Brent (November 24, 1994). "McCall wanted Senate seat, despite pledge to Packwood". The Register-Guard. Retrieved February 1, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "He won't run for Senate, says McCall". Tri City Herald. March 14, 1974. Retrieved February 1, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "All-male ballots may soon become unusual". The Tuscaloosa News. September 19, 1974. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
- ^ a b c Aarons, Leroy F. (October 24, 1974). "Packwood faces strong challenge from a woman". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved February 1, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Packwood believes many Republicans want Nixon to quit". The Bulletin (Bend). March 27, 1974. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
- ^ Robinson, Sue (November 6, 1974). "Packwood survives dark night". The Register-Guard. Retrieved January 29, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Willis, Henny (November 6, 1974). "Weaver wins stunning upset". The Register-Guard. Retrieved February 2, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Election suit idea dropped by Roberts". The Register-Guard. November 16, 1974. Retrieved January 29, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Oregon US Senate Race, Nov 5, 1974". ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 29, 2010.
- ^ a b c Sundquist, Renée M. Lamis ; with a foreword by James L. (2009). The realignment of Pennsylvania politics since 1960 : two-party competition in a battleground state. University Park, Pa.: Pennsylvania State University Press. pp. 100–102. ISBN 978-0271034195.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Primary Election Results" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ "General Election Results - U.S. senator - 1914-2014" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
References
edit- Butler, Anne M.; Wolff, Wendy (1995). United States Senate Election, Expulsion and Censure Cases, 1793-1990. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office.
- Tibbetts, Donn. The Closest U.S. Senate Race in History, Durkin v. Wyman. [Manchester, N.H.]: J.W. Cummings Enterprises, 1976.
- Minnesota Senate race echoes N.H. election in 1974 - EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA, March 10, 2009, archived from the original on March 10, 2009, retrieved December 6, 2019
- U.S. Senate: Art & History Home > Historical Minutes > 1964-Present > Closest Election in Senate History, May 29, 2009, archived from the original on May 29, 2009, retrieved December 6, 2019
- U.S. Senate: Art & History Home > The Election Case of John A. Durkin v. Louis C. Wyman of New Hampshire (1975), July 13, 2009, archived from the original on July 13, 2009, retrieved December 6, 2019
- Committee on Rules and Administration (May 22, 1975). Senator from New Hampshire (PDF) (Report). United States Government Printing Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2009. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- "The Bryan Times - Google News Archive Search". September 15, 1975. Retrieved December 6, 2019.[permanent dead link]
- State Election Commission (1975). Report of the South Carolina State Election Commission. Columbia, SC: State Election Commission. p. 37.
- "12 Men, One Woman Aspire to Post In Washington". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. September 1, 1974. pp. 4–6. Retrieved September 6, 2017.