1970 United States Senate elections

Results summary

Source: Office of the Clerk

Getting out the vote

President Nixon said that rather than violent protests, the best way for the American public to get their opinion heard was by voting: | The most powerful four letter word is a clean word, it's the most powerful four letter word in the history of men, it's called vote. V-O-T-E. My friends, I say that the answer to those that engage in disruption, to those that shout their filthy slogans, to those that try to shout down speakers, it's not to answer in kind, but go to the polls in election day, and in the quiet of that ballot box, stand up and be counted, the great silent majority of America. | Richard Nixon|1970 Election: 1970 Year in Review

Gains, losses, and holds

Retirements

One Republican and three Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

Defeats

One Republican and four Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election. One Republican sought election to finish the unexpired term but lost in the special election and one Republican sought election to a full term but lost in the general election.

Independent gain

One Democrat ran as an Independent in the general election.

Post-election changes

Change in composition

Before the elections

After the elections

|}

Race summary

Special elections during the 91st Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1970 or before January 3, 1971; ordered by election date, then state.

Elections leading to the next Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1971; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 1 seats.

Closest races

Fourteen races had a margin of victory under 10%:

Alaska (special)

Stevens:
Kay: Main article: 1970 United States Senate special election in Alaska

Republican Ted Stevens was appointed December 24, 1968 to finish the term of Democrat Bob Bartlett, who had died in office. The open primary was held August 25, 1970, in which Stevens received 40,411 votes (55.91%), Key received 29,459 votes (23.94%), State senator Joe Josephson received 12,730 votes (18.22%) and Fritz Singer (R) received 1,349 votes (1.93%). In the November 3, 1970 special election to finish the term, he ran against the Democratic Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives Wendell P. Kay. Stevens easily won with almost 60% of the vote.

Arizona

Fannin:
Grossman:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Arizona

Incumbent Republican Paul Fannin decided to run for re-election to a second term, running unopposed in the Republican primary. Fannin defeated Democratic businessman Sam Grossman in the general election.

California

Tunney:
Murphy:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in California

In 1964, Republican actor George Murphy defeated Democrat and Lyndon B. Johnson's Press Secretary, Pierre Salinger, in a close contest with about 52% of the vote. Murphy faced a primary challenge from billionaire Norton Simon, who took nearly 33% of the vote in the Republican primary. Democrats nominated John V. Tunney after a close-fought contest between Tunney and Representative George Brown Jr.

In the general election, Murphy lost re-election to Tunney by nearly ten points. Murphy's recent surgery and staunch support for the lingering Vietnam War worked against him, as did reports that he had continued to receive a salary from Technicolor after taking office. Tunney's successful Senate race in 1970 was reportedly the inspiration for the 1972 Robert Redford film The Candidate.{{Election box begin no change | title= 1970 United States Senate election in California

Connecticut

|County results |[[File:1970 United States Senate election in Connecticut results map by municipality.svg|220px]] |Municipality results}} Weicker:
Duffey:

Dodd:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Connecticut

Republican Lowell P. Weicker Jr. defeated Democrat Joseph Duffey and incumbent Thomas J. Dodd who ran this time as an independent. Dodd entered the race at the last minute and split the Democratic vote, allowing Weicker to win with only 42% of the vote.

Delaware

Roth:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Delaware

Republican John J. Williams was originally elected in 1946 to the U.S. Senate. Williams was easily re-elected three more times but decided to retire in 1971. Republican Representative William Roth faced Democrat potato farmer Jacob Zimmerman in the general election. Roth defeated Zimmerman by a landslide eighteen percentage points in the general election. He was re-elected in 1976, 1982, 1988, and 1994 before losing re-election to Democrat Tom Carper in 2000. This was despite the state trending Democratic; Roth himself served most of his tenure with future President Joe Biden.

Four-term Republican John J. Williams decided to retire, rather than run for re-election. Republican William Roth easily defeated Democrat Jacob Zimmerman by a margin of eighteen percentage points, and went on to serve thirty years in the Senate.

Florida

Chiles:
Cramer:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Florida

Incumbent Democrat Spessard Holland retired instead of seeking a fifth term. During the Democratic primary, former Governor C. Farris Bryant and State senator Lawton Chiles advanced to a run-off, having received more votes than Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Frederick H. Schultz, attorney Alcee Hastings, and State Representative Joel T. Daves, III. Chiles soundly defeated Bryant in the run-off election, scoring a major upset due to his comparatively small name recognition prior to the election. To acquire name recognition and media coverage, Chiles walked about 1003 mi across the state of Florida and was given the nickname "Walkin' Lawton".

The Republican primary exposed an in-party feud between Governor Claude R. Kirk Jr. and U.S. Representative William C. Cramer. In the election, Cramer handily defeated G. Harrold Carswell and body shop owner George Balmer; the former was a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals judge favored by Kirk and had been rejected as a Supreme Court of the United States nominee a few months prior to the primary. Chiles won the election by a relatively small margin of 7.8%, receiving 902,438 votes against Cramer's 772,817 votes.

Incumbent Spessard Holland, who served in the Senate since 1946, decided to retire rather than seek a fifth term. Although the Democratic Party had dominated state elections since the Reconstruction Era, Claude R. Kirk Jr. and Edward Gurney, both Republicans, were elected senator and Governor in 1966 and 1968, respectively.

Hawaii

Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Hawaii

Republican Hiram Fong had served as the inaugural Class 1 senator from the state of Hawaii since 1959. From the state's admission into the union, voters tended to lean Democratic, and this trend only continued over time. Fong initially won election to each of his first two terms with 53% of the vote, but in 1970 he faced backlash from voters for his support of the Vietnam War. Cecil Heftel, owner of a radio conglomerate, won the Democratic nomination.

Fong was narrowly re-elected over Heftel with 52% of the vote in what would prove to be the closest election of his career. This would ultimately mark the last time that Republicans won a U.S. Senate seat in the state of Hawaii or win more than 44% of the vote. {{Election box begin no change | title= 1970 United States Senate election in Hawaii

Illinois (special)

Stevenson:

Smith:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate special election in Illinois

A special election was held to fill the remainder of the term of Republican Everett Dirksen, who had died in office. Republican Ralph Tyler Smith had been appointed to fill the seat after Dirksen's death, and he lost the special election to Democrat Adlai Stevenson III.

Indiana

Hartke:
Roudebush:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Indiana

Democrat Vance Hartke was first elected in 1958 over Republican Harold W. Handley with 56% of the vote. He won re-election in 1964 (a landslide year for Democrats) with a lower share of 54%.

In 1970, he faced his closest contest to date against Republican Representative Richard L. Roudebush. Unlike voters in Hawaii, Indiana voters generally supported the Vietnam War, but Hartke opposed the war. This led Roudebush to run a close race that ultimately was decided after a recount. Hartke won by just about 4,200 votes.

This would be Hartke's last win in a U.S. Senate election. In 1976, he was defeated by Republican Richard Lugar. {{Election box begin no change | title= 1970 United States Senate election in Indiana

Maine

Muskie:

Bishop:

Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Maine

Maryland

Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Maryland

Beall:
Tydings:

Republicans nominated Representative J. Glenn Beall Jr., the son of J. Glenn Beall. Tydings faced a primary challenge from segregationist George P. Mahoney but won with 53% of the vote. However, Republican Glenn Beall Jr. won the general election with nearly 51% of the vote to 48% for Tydings. He would serve just one term, losing in 1976 to Democrat Paul Sarbanes. {{Election box begin no change | title= 1970 United States Senate election in Maryland

Massachusetts

|[[File:1970 United States Senate election in Massachusetts results map by county.svg|300px]] |County results |[[File:1970 United States Senate Election in Massachusetts by Municipality.svg|300px| ]] |Municipality results Kennedy Spaulding Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

Incumbent Democrat Ted Kennedy defeated his challengers. This was Kennedy's first election run since the 1969 Chappaquiddick incident. Kennedy won 62.2%, down from 74.3% that he won in the previous election in 1964; this decrease was due to numerous factors including Chappaquiddick and a far more favorable environment for the Republicans than the Democratic landslide year of 1964.

The Republican nominee was Josiah Spaulding, a businessman and Republican leader in Massachusetts. He led a group of delegates at the 1968 Republican National Convention who unsuccessfully sought to nominate Nelson A. Rockefeller over Richard Nixon.

Other candidates were Lawrence Gilfedder (Socialist Labor) and Mark R. Shaw (Prohibition), a former Prohibition Party candidate for U.S. senator from Massachusetts in 1946, 1952, 1958, 1969, 1962, and 1966. He was the party's candidate for governor of Massachusetts in 1948 and 1956. In 1964, he was the Prohibition Party's candidate for vice-president of the United States.

Michigan

Hart:
Romney:

Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Michigan

Minnesota

Humphrey:
MacGregor: Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Minnesota

Incumbent Democrat Eugene McCarthy retired instead of seeking a third term. Former Democratic U.S. senator, Vice President and 1968 presidential nominee Hubert Humphrey defeated Republican U.S. Representative Clark MacGregor.

Mississippi

Stennis:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Mississippi

Missouri

Symington:
Danforth:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Missouri

Incumbent Democrat Stuart Symington was originally elected in 1952 over Republican James P. Kem with 54% of the vote. He won re-election in landslide victories with 66% of the vote in 1958 and 1964. He ran for a fourth term in 1970.

Symington faced little primary opposition. Republican Missouri Attorney General John Danforth won the Republican primary. In the general election, Symington led in polling, but Danforth closed the gap during the campaign and ran closely against Symington. Symington defeated Danforth 51-48%. This would be Symington's closest election to the U.S. Senate, and Danforth would succeed him in 1976, serving for three terms. {{Election box begin no change | title= 1970 United States Senate election in Missouri

Montana

Mansfield:
Wallace:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Montana

Democratic incumbent Mike Mansfield, the Senate Majority Leader who was first elected to the Senate in 1952, and was re-elected in 1958 and 1964, ran for re-election. Mansfield won the primary against several opponents, and advanced to the general election, where he was opposed by Harold E. Wallace, a sporting goods salesman and the Republican nominee. While his margin of victory decreased slightly from 1964, Mansfield still managed to defeat Wallace overwhelmingly, winning his fourth and (what would turn out to be his) final term in the Senate.

Nebraska

Hruska:
Morrison:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Nebraska

The incumbent Republican Roman Hruska was re-elected.

Nevada

Cannon:

Raggio:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Nevada

Democrat Howard Cannon, the incumbent since 1959, won re-election to a third term over William Raggio, the Washoe County District Attorney.

In the Senate, Cannon was known as a moderate in the Democratic Party. He served as chairman of several committees, including the rules committee and the inaugural arrangements committee. Cannon was nearly defeated for re-election in 1964 by Republican Lieutenant Governor Paul Laxalt in one of the closest election in history. However, he became more popular over the next few years and defeated D.A. William Raggio, whose 1970 senate campaign began his long political career. Raggio ran for the Nevada Senate in 1972 and won. He then served there for decades to come.

New Jersey

Williams:
Gross:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in New Jersey

New Mexico

Montoya:
Carter:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in New Mexico

Incumbent Democrat Joseph Montoya successfully ran for re-election to a second term, defeating Republican Anderson Carter.

New York

Buckley:
Ottinger:
Goodell:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in New York

Incumbent Republican Charles Goodell, who was recently appointed to the seat by Governor Nelson Rockefeller after senator Bobby Kennedy (D) was assassinated, ran for a full term, but was defeated by the Conservative Party of New York nominee James L. Buckley. Other candidates included: Richard Ottinger, U.S. Congressman (1965–1971, 1975–1985), Kevin P. McGovern, Paul O'Dwyer, Former New York City Council Member from Manhattan, Ted Sorensen, Former Advisor and Speechwriter to President John F. Kennedy, Richard D. McCarthy, U.S. Congressman (1965–1971).

North Dakota

Burdick:
Kleppe:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in North Dakota

Incumbent Democratic-NPL Party Senator Quentin N. Burdick was re-elected to his third term, defeating Republican candidate Thomas S. Kleppe, who later became the United States Secretary of the Interior.

Only Burdick filed as a Dem-NPLer, and the endorsed Republican candidate was Thomas S. Kleppe, who was finishing his second and final term as a Representative for North Dakota's second congressional district. Burdick and Kleppe won the primary elections for their respective parties.

One independent candidate, Russell Kleppe, also filed before the deadline.

Ohio

Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Ohio

Democrat Stephen M. Young had served in the U.S. Senate since 1958 after defeating Republican John W. Bricker in a close election. Young was re-elected in 1964 over Republican Representative Robert Taft Jr., whose father Robert A. Taft represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate from 1939 until his death in 1953. Young opted to retire in 1971.

Taft Jr. faced a tough primary challenge against Ohio governor Jim Rhodes. He won a bitterly-fought primary by just under 6,000 votes to advance to the general election. Democrat Howard Metzenbaum competed in an equally-competitive primary, defeating former astronaut John Glenn. Metzenbaum and Glenn would both later represent Ohio in the U.S. Senate.

Taft Jr. defeated Metzenbaum in a close election, taking nearly 50% of the vote to just above 47% for Metzenbaum. Metzenbaum would defeat Taft Jr. in a rematch election in 1976, serving until 1995 alongside Glenn.

Taft:
Metzenbaum:

Pennsylvania

Scott:
Sesler:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania

Incumbent Republican Hugh Scott won re-election, defeating Democratic nominee State senator William Sesler.

Rhode Island

|[[File:1970 United States Senate election in Rhode Island results map by county.svg|230px]] |County results |[[File:1970 United States Senate election in Rhode Island results map by municipality.svg|230px]] |Municipality results}} McLaughlin: Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Rhode Island

Tennessee

Brock:
Gore:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Tennessee

Republican Bill Brock defeated incumbent senator Albert Gore Sr.

Texas

Bush:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Texas

Incumbent Democrat Ralph Yarborough was defeated by former Representative Lloyd Bentsen in the Democratic primary. Bentsen then defeated Representative George H. W. Bush in the general election. When Bush was running for president in 1988, his Democratic opponent, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, selected Bentsen as his vice presidential running mate.

Utah

Moss:
Burton:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Utah

Vermont

Prouty:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Vermont

Republican Winston L. Prouty was first elected in 1958, succeeding Republican Ralph Flanders. He was re-elected in 1964 in a realigning period for Vermont politics. Democrat Philip H. Hoff became the state's first Democratic governor since 1853, while William H. Meyer succeeded Prouty in the House of Representatives. Prouty faced a more difficult challenge in 1964 and won with just 53% of the vote.

In 1970, Prouty faced Hoff and Meyer in the general election, with Meyer nominated by the Liberty Union party. Prouty prevailed with 59% of the vote to 40% for Hoff and just 1% for Meyer. He would not serve the full term, as he died in 1971 and was succeeded by Republican Robert Stafford. {{Election box begin no change | title= 1970 United States Senate election in Vermont

Virginia

Byrd:
Rawlings:
Garland:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Virginia

Incumbent Harry F. Byrd Jr. was re-elected to his first full term after winning a race 4 years earlier to finish the remainder of his father's term. He beat George C. Rawlings Jr. (D), a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, and Ray L. Garland (R), a member of Virginia House of Delegates.

Washington

Jackson:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Washington

West Virginia

Byrd:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in West Virginia

Wisconsin

Proxmire:
Main article: 1970 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

Wyoming

McGee:
Wold:

Notes

References

References

1. [[Harry F. Byrd Jr.. 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., {{Biographical Directory of Congress
2. (13 October 2018). "Stark political divide points to a split decision in midterm elections". The Washington Post.
3. (1971-05-01). "STATISTICS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 3, 1970". United States House of Representatives.
4. "1970 Election: 1970 Year in Review". UPI.com.
5. The [[Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party]] is affiliated nationally with the [[Democratic Party (United States)]].
6. "AK US Senate - Special Open Primary".
7. . (August 17, 1970). ["Josephson in Senate seat race"](https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/16444162/). *Fairbanks Daily News-Miner*.
8. "AK US Senate - Special".
9. "AZ US Senate - D Primary Race - September 8, 1970". Our Campaigns.
10. "AZ US Senate Race - November 3, 1970". Our Campaigns.
11. Steinberg, Jacques. (May 5, 1992). "George Murphy, Singer and Actor Who Became Senator, Dies at 89". The New York Times.
12. Christensen, Terry, and Hass, Peter. ''Projecting Politics: Political Messages in American Films'', p. 146
13. "Our Campaigns - CT US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1970".
14. "Spessard Lindsey Holland". [[Secretary of State of Florida.
15. "Cramer v. Kirk," p. 403
16. "Tabulation of Official Votes, Florida Primary Election, Democratic and Republican, September 8, 1970 and September 29, 1970". Florida Secretary of State.
17. "Our Campaigns - IN US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1970".
18. [http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=6859 Josiah Spaulding] at ourcampaigns.com
19. [http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=35523 Mark R. Shaw] at ourcampaigns.com
20. [http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=6554 Massachusetts race details] at ourcampaigns.com
21. "MN US Senate- D Primary Race - September 15, 1970". Our Campaigns.
22. "MN US Senate- R Primary Race - September 15, 1970". Our Campaigns.
23. (1971{{endash). "Minnesota Legislative Manual - General Election Returns, November 3, 1970". Minnesota Legislature.
24. "MN US Senate Race - November 3, 1970". Our Campaigns.
25. (1970). "Report of the Official Canvass of the Vote Cast at the Primary Election Held in the State of Montana, June 2, 1970". Montana Secretary of State.
26. "NM US Senate - D Primary". OurCampaigns.
27. "NM US Senate - R Primary". OurCampaigns.
28. "NM US Senate". OurCampaigns.
29. "NY US Senate - C Convention Race - April 7, 1970". Our Campaigns.
30. "NY US Senate - D Primary Race - June 23, 1970". Our Campaigns.
31. "NY US Senate - L Convention Race - May 11, 1970". Our Campaigns.
32. "NY US Senate Race - November 3, 1970". Our Campaigns.