United States Senate election, 1974
Encyclopedia
The U.S. Senate election of 1974 was held in the wake of the Watergate scandal, Richard M. Nixon's resignation from the presidency, and Gerald Ford
's subsequent pardon of Nixon. These circumstances benefited the Democrats, and they made a net gain of three seats from the Republicans. This became four after the Senate voided the contested election in New Hampshire
and Democrat John A. Durkin
(D-NH) won a special election. After the special election, Democrats possessed 61 seats to 38 for the Republicans, with one Independent who caucused with the Democrats and one Conservative who caucused with the Republicans.
Democrats won open seats in Vermont
and Florida
and unseated incumbents Peter H. Dominick
(R-CO) and Marlow Cook
(R-KY). Republicans took an open seat in Nevada
, where Republican Paul Laxalt
defeated future Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
by 624 votes. The election also produced other close results; Milton Young
(R-ND) won reelection against Democrat William L. Guy
by only 186 votes and Henry Bellmon
(R-OK) won reelection against Democrat Ed Edmondson
by half a percent of the vote.
A notable first term Senator was former astronaut
John Glenn
(D-OH), who defeated sitting Senator Howard Metzenbaum
in a primary and went on to win the general election. Other notable freshman included Wendell Ford, the future Senate Whip, and Gary Hart
, who would run for president in 1984 and 1988.
Source: Election Statistics - U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Clerk
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
's subsequent pardon of Nixon. These circumstances benefited the Democrats, and they made a net gain of three seats from the Republicans. This became four after the Senate voided the contested election in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and Democrat John A. Durkin
John A. Durkin
John Anthony Durkin was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New Hampshire from 1975 until 1980.Durkin graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1959 and Georgetown University Law Center in 1965...
(D-NH) won a special election. After the special election, Democrats possessed 61 seats to 38 for the Republicans, with one Independent who caucused with the Democrats and one Conservative who caucused with the Republicans.
Democrats won open seats in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and unseated incumbents Peter H. Dominick
Peter H. Dominick
Peter Hoyt Dominick was a politician and lawyer from Colorado. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the United States Senate from 1963 to 1975. His uncle, Howard Alexander Smith, was a U.S. Senator from New Jersey from 1944 to 1959.Born in Stamford, Connecticut, Dominick graduated from St...
(R-CO) and Marlow Cook
Marlow Cook
Marlow Webster Cook is a former Republican United States Senator from Kentucky.-Early life:Cook moved to Louisville when he was 17. He joined the United States Navy and served on submarines in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans during World War II...
(R-KY). Republicans took an open seat in Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, where Republican Paul Laxalt
Paul Laxalt
Paul Dominique Laxalt of Nevada was a former Republican District Attorney, Lieutenant Governor, Governor and U.S. Senator. In the media, the words "son of a Basque sheepherder" often accompanied his name. He was one of Ronald Reagan's closest friends in politics...
defeated future Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
by 624 votes. The election also produced other close results; Milton Young
Milton Young
Milton Ruben Young was a United States politician, most notable for representing North Dakota in the United States Senate from 1945 until 1981. At the time of his retirement, he was the most senior Republican in the Senate....
(R-ND) won reelection against Democrat William L. Guy
William L. Guy
William Lewis Guy was the governor of the U.S. state of North Dakota from 1961 to 1973. At , he is the oldest of the six living current or past governors of North Dakota.-Biography:...
by only 186 votes and Henry Bellmon
Henry Bellmon
Henry Louis "Harry" Bellmon was an American Republican politician from Oklahoma. He was a member of the Oklahoma Legislature, the 18th and 23rd Governor of Oklahoma , and a two-term United States Senator.-Service in World War II:Bellmon was born in Tonkawa, Oklahoma and graduated from Billings...
(R-OK) won reelection against Democrat Ed Edmondson
Ed Edmondson (U.S. politician)
Edmond "Ed" Augustus Edmondson was a U.S. politician from Oklahoma.-Early life:He was born and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he attended public school before going on to attend Muskogee Junior College. Upon graduation from the University of Oklahoma in 1940, he joined the Federal Bureau of...
by half a percent of the vote.
A notable first term Senator was former astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
(D-OH), who defeated sitting Senator Howard Metzenbaum
Howard Metzenbaum
Howard Morton Metzenbaum was an American politician who served for almost 20 years as a Democratic member of the U.S. Senate from Ohio . He also served in the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate from 1943 to 1951.-Early life:Metzenbaum was born in Cleveland, to a poor Jewish family, the son...
in a primary and went on to win the general election. Other notable freshman included Wendell Ford, the future Senate Whip, and Gary Hart
Gary Hart
Gary Hart is an American politician, lawyer, author, professor and commentator. He served as a Democratic Senator representing Colorado , and ran in the U.S...
, who would run for president in 1984 and 1988.
Results summary
| Parties | Total Seats | Popular Vote | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Incumbents | Not up | This election | Result | +/- | Vote | % | ||||||
| Up | Re-elected | Held | Gained | Lost | ||||||||
| Conservative (N.Y.) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0% | ||||||
| Democratic | 57 | 37 | 20 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 60 | 3 | 22,544,761 | 55.24% | |
| Republican | 41 | 27 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 38 | 3 | 16,145,793 | 39.56% | |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2,119,838 | 5.20% | ||||||
| Others | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Total | 100 | 66 | 35 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 100 | 40,810,392 | 100.0% | ||
Source: Election Statistics - U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the Clerk
Complete list of races
A bolded state name indicates an article about that state's election.| State | Incumbent | Party | Result | Opposing Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | James Allen | Democratic | Re-elected, 95.8% | |
| Alaska | Mike Gravel Mike Gravel Maurice Robert "Mike" Gravel is a former Democratic United States Senator from Alaska, who served two terms from 1969 to 1981, and a former candidate in the 2008 presidential election.... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 58.3% | C. R. Lewis (Republican) 41.7% |
| Arizona | Barry Goldwater Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr... |
Republican | Re-elected, 58.3% | Jonathan Marshall (Democratic) 41.7% |
| Arkansas | J. William Fulbright J. William Fulbright James William Fulbright was a United States Senator representing Arkansas from 1945 to 1975.Fulbright was a Southern Democrat and a staunch multilateralist who supported the creation of the United Nations and the longest serving chairman in the history of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee... |
Democratic | Lost renomination Democratic hold |
Dale Bumpers Dale Bumpers Dale Leon Bumpers is an American politician who served as the 38th Governor of Arkansas from 1971 to 1975; and then in the United States Senate from 1975 until his retirement in January 1999. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Senator Bumpers is currently counsel at the Washington, D.C... (Democratic) 84.9% John H. Jones John H. Jones John H. Jones was a British footballer who competed in the 1900 Olympic Games, playing in one match as a goalkeeper, and winning a gold medal.-External links:*... (Republican) 15.1% |
| California | Alan Cranston Alan Cranston Alan MacGregor Cranston was an American journalist and Democratic Senator from California.-Education:Cranston earned his high school diploma from the old Mountain View High School, where among other things, he was a track star... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 60.5% | H. L. Richardson H. L. Richardson Hubert Leon "Bill" Richardson founded Gun Owners of America in 1975 and served as a California state senator from 1966–1988. He served as the state senate's Republican Caucus Chair for several of these years. He was also the unsuccessful Republican candidate for the United States Senate in 1974,... (Republican) 36.2% Jack McCoy (American Independent) 1.7% Gayle M. Justice (Peace and Freedom) 1.6% |
| Colorado | Peter H. Dominick Peter H. Dominick Peter Hoyt Dominick was a politician and lawyer from Colorado. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the United States Senate from 1963 to 1975. His uncle, Howard Alexander Smith, was a U.S. Senator from New Jersey from 1944 to 1959.Born in Stamford, Connecticut, Dominick graduated from St... |
Republican | Lost re-election, 39.5% Democratic gain |
Gary Hart Gary Hart Gary Hart is an American politician, lawyer, author, professor and commentator. He served as a Democratic Senator representing Colorado , and ran in the U.S... (Democratic) 57.2% |
| Connecticut | Abraham A. Ribicoff Abraham A. Ribicoff Abraham Alexander Ribicoff was an American Democratic Party politician. He served in the United States Congress, as the 80th Governor of Connecticut and as President John F. Kennedy's Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 63.7% | James A. Brannen III (Republican) 34.3% |
| Florida | Edward J. Gurney Edward J. Gurney Edward John Gurney was an American politician from Florida, where he served as a Representative and a United States Senator. He was the first Republican Senator elected from Florida since Reconstruction.-Biography:... |
Republican | Retired Democratic gain |
Richard Stone (Democratic) 43.4% Jack Eckerd Jack Eckerd Jack Eckerd , was an American businessman who was a major innovator in drugstore retailing, and a public servant, politician and philanthropist.-Biography:... (Republican) 40.9% John Grady (American) 15.7% |
| Georgia | Herman Talmadge Herman Talmadge Herman Eugene Talmadge was an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia. He served as governor of Georgia briefly in 1947 and again from 1948 to 1955. His term was marked by his segregationist policies. After leaving office Talmadge was elected to the U.S... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 71.7% | Jerry Johnson (Republican) 28.2% |
| Hawaii | Daniel Inouye Daniel Inouye Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 82.9% | James D. Kimmel James D. Kimmel James D. Kimmel is author of A Road Map for World Peace , and is most widely known as the People's Party candidate for United States Senator for the state of Hawaii in 1974... (Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) 17.1% |
| Idaho | Frank Church Frank Church Frank Forrester Church III was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senator from Idaho from 1957 to 1981.... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 56.1% | Robert L. Smith Robert L. Smith Robert L. Smith was a Republican politician from Idaho. Smith was the 1974 Republican nominee for the United States Senate seat in Idaho. He was defeated by Democratic incumbent Frank Church.-Notes:... (Republican) 42.1% |
| Illinois | Adlai Stevenson III Adlai Stevenson III Adlai Ewing Stevenson III is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He represented the state of Illinois in the United States Senate from 1970 until 1981.-Education, military service, and early career:... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 62.2% | George M. Burditt (Republican) 37.2% |
| Indiana | Birch Bayh Birch Bayh Birch Evans Bayh II is a former United States Senator from Indiana, having served from 1963 to 1981. He was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president in the 1976 election, but lost to Jimmy Carter. He is the father of former Indiana Governor and former U.S. Senator Evan Bayh.-Life... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 50.7% | Richard Lugar (Republican) 46.4% |
| Iowa | Harold Hughes Harold Hughes Harold Everett Hughes was the 36th Governor of Iowa from 1963 until 1969; he had been a Republican earlier in his life. He also served as a Democratic United States Senator from 1969 until 1975.-Background:... |
Democratic | Retired Democratic hold |
John Culver John Culver John Chester Culver is an American politician of the Democratic Party who represented Iowa in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.... (Democratic) 52.0% David M. Stanley (Republican) 47.3% |
| Kansas | Bob Dole Bob Dole Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996... |
Republican | Re-elected, 50.9% | William R. Roy William R. Roy William Robert Roy , also known as Bill Roy, is a former United States Representative from Kansas, a retired phyisician, and a columnist for The Topeka Capital-Journal.-Biography:... (Democratic) 49.1% |
| Kentucky | Marlow Cook Marlow Cook Marlow Webster Cook is a former Republican United States Senator from Kentucky.-Early life:Cook moved to Louisville when he was 17. He joined the United States Navy and served on submarines in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans during World War II... |
Republican | Lost re-election, 44.1% Democratic gain |
Wendell Ford (Democratic) 53.5% William E. Parker (American) 2.4% |
| Louisiana | Russell B. Long Russell B. Long Russell Billiu Long was an American Democratic politician and United States Senator from Louisiana from 1948 until 1987.-Early life:... |
Democratic | Re-elected unopposed | |
| Maryland | Charles Mathias, Jr. Charles Mathias, Jr. Charles McCurdy "Mac" Mathias, Jr. was a Republican member of the United States Senate, representing Maryland from 1969 to 1987... |
Republican | Re-elected, 57.3% | Barbara Mikulski Barbara Mikulski Barbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S... (Democratic) 42.7% |
| Missouri | Thomas Eagleton Thomas Eagleton Thomas Francis Eagleton was a United States Senator from Missouri, serving from 1968–1987. He is best remembered for briefly being the Democratic vice presidential nominee under George McGovern in 1972... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 60.1% | Thomas B. Curtis Thomas B. Curtis Thomas Bradford Curtis was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Curtis attended the public schools of Webster Groves, Missouri. He attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, earning an A.B. in 1932. He was admitted to the bar in 1934 and commenced the... (Republican) 39.3% Cliff Talmage (Independent) 0.6% |
| Nevada | Alan Bible Alan Bible Alan Harvey Bible was a Nevada politician of the Democratic Party who served as a United States Senator from 1954 until 1974.-Biography:... |
Democratic | Retired Republican gain |
Paul Laxalt Paul Laxalt Paul Dominique Laxalt of Nevada was a former Republican District Attorney, Lieutenant Governor, Governor and U.S. Senator. In the media, the words "son of a Basque sheepherder" often accompanied his name. He was one of Ronald Reagan's closest friends in politics... (Republican) 47.0% Harry Reid Harry Reid Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S... (Democratic) 46.6% |
| New Hampshire United States Senate election in New Hampshire, 1974 The 1974 United States Senate Election in New Hampshire was held on November 5, 1974. It resulted in the longest election contest in United States history.-Campaign:Incumbent Senator Norris Cotton announced he would not seek reelection.... |
Norris Cotton Norris Cotton Norris H. Cotton was an American Republican politician from the state of New Hampshire.Norris Cotton was born on a farm in Warren, New Hampshire. He was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and Wesleyan University in Connecticut... |
Republican | Retired Republican hold |
Louis C. Wyman Louis C. Wyman Louis Crosby Wyman was a U.S. Representative and, for four days, a Senator from New Hampshire.-Early career:... (Republican) 49.7% John A. Durkin John A. Durkin John Anthony Durkin was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New Hampshire from 1975 until 1980.Durkin graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1959 and Georgetown University Law Center in 1965... (Democratic) 49.7% |
| New York | Jacob K. Javits Jacob K. Javits Jacob Koppel "Jack" Javits was a politician who served as United States Senator from New York from 1957 to 1981. A liberal Republican, he was originally allied with Governor Nelson Rockefeller, fellow U.S... |
Republican | Re-elected, 45.3% | Ramsey Clark Ramsey Clark William Ramsey Clark is an American lawyer, activist and former public official. He worked for the U.S. Department of Justice, which included service as United States Attorney General from 1967 to 1969, under President Lyndon B. Johnson... (Democratic) 38.2% Barbara A. Keating (Conservative Conservative Party of New York The Conservative Party of New York State is an American political party active in the state of New York. It is not part of any nationwide party, nor is it affiliated with the American Conservative Party, which it predates by over 40 years.... ) 15.9% |
| North Carolina United States Senate election in North Carolina, 1974 The North Carolina United States Senate election of 1974 was held on 5 November 1974 as part of the nation-wide elections to the Senate. The general election was fought between the Democratic nominee Robert Morgan and the Republican nominee William Stevens. The seat had been vacated by Democrat... |
Sam Ervin Sam Ervin Samuel James "Sam" Ervin Jr. was a Democratic Senator from North Carolina from 1954 until 1974. A native of Morganton, Burke County, North Carolina, he liked to call himself a "country lawyer", and often told humorous stories in his Southern drawl... |
Democratic | Retired Democratic hold |
Robert Burren Morgan Robert Burren Morgan Robert Burren Morgan was a Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of North Carolina from 1975 until 1981. Born in Lillington, N.C., Morgan attended... (Democratic) 62.1% William E. Stevens (Republican) 37.0% |
| North Dakota United States Senate election in North Dakota, 1974 The 1974 U.S. Senate election for the state of North Dakota was held November 5, 1974. The incumbent, Republican Senator Milton Young, sought and received re-election to his fifth term, defeating North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party candidate William L. Guy, a former Governor of North Dakota.Only... |
Milton Young Milton Young Milton Ruben Young was a United States politician, most notable for representing North Dakota in the United States Senate from 1945 until 1981. At the time of his retirement, he was the most senior Republican in the Senate.... |
Republican | Re-elected, 48.4% | William L. Guy William L. Guy William Lewis Guy was the governor of the U.S. state of North Dakota from 1961 to 1973. At , he is the oldest of the six living current or past governors of North Dakota.-Biography:... (Democratic) 48.3% |
| Ohio United States Senate election in Ohio, 1974 The 1974 United States Senate election in Ohio took place on November 3, 1974. It was concurrent with elections to the United States House of Representatives. Incumbent Democratic U.S Senator Howard Metzenbaum was running for re-election his first full term after he was appointed in 1970 by Ohio... |
Howard Metzenbaum Howard Metzenbaum Howard Morton Metzenbaum was an American politician who served for almost 20 years as a Democratic member of the U.S. Senate from Ohio . He also served in the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate from 1943 to 1951.-Early life:Metzenbaum was born in Cleveland, to a poor Jewish family, the son... |
Democratic | Lost renomination Democratic hold |
John Glenn John Glenn John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original... (Democratic) 64.6% Ralph J. Perk Ralph J. Perk Ralph Joseph Perk was an American politician of the Republican Party who served as the 52nd mayor of Cleveland, Ohio.-Political career:... (Republican) 30.7% |
| Oklahoma United States Senate election in Oklahoma, 1974 The 1974 United States Senate election in Oklahoma was held November 3, 1974. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Henry Bellmon won re-election to a second term.-Results:... |
Henry Bellmon Henry Bellmon Henry Louis "Harry" Bellmon was an American Republican politician from Oklahoma. He was a member of the Oklahoma Legislature, the 18th and 23rd Governor of Oklahoma , and a two-term United States Senator.-Service in World War II:Bellmon was born in Tonkawa, Oklahoma and graduated from Billings... |
Republican | Re-elected, 49.4% | Ed Edmondson Ed Edmondson (U.S. politician) Edmond "Ed" Augustus Edmondson was a U.S. politician from Oklahoma.-Early life:He was born and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he attended public school before going on to attend Muskogee Junior College. Upon graduation from the University of Oklahoma in 1940, he joined the Federal Bureau of... (Democratic) 48.9% |
| Oregon United States Senate election in Oregon, 1974 The 1974 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 5, 1974.Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Bob Packwood won re-election to a second term. Roberts was chosen to replace former U.S. Senator Wayne Morse, who won the Democratic primary but died before the general... |
Bob Packwood Bob Packwood Robert William "Bob" Packwood is a U.S. politician from Oregon and a member of the Republican Party. He resigned from the United States Senate, under threat of expulsion, in 1995 after allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and assault of women emerged.-Early life and career:Packwood was born in... |
Republican | Re-elected, 54.9% | Betty Roberts Betty Roberts Betty Cantrell Roberts was a politician and judge in the U.S. state of Oregon. She was the 83rd Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, the highest state court in Oregon. She was the first woman on the Oregon Supreme Court, and had also been the first woman on the Oregon Court of Appeals... (Democratic) 44.2% |
| Pennsylvania | Richard Schweiker Richard Schweiker Richard Schultz Schweiker is a former U.S. Congressman and Senator representing the state of Pennsylvania. He later was Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Cabinet of President Ronald Reagan.-Early life:... |
Republican | Re-elected, 53.0% | Peter F. Flaherty Peter F. Flaherty Peter Francis "Pete" Flaherty was an American politician from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.He served as Assistant District Attorney of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania from 1957 to 1964; a City of Pittsburgh Councilman 1966 to 1970; Democratic mayor of Pittsburgh from 1970 to 1977; United States Deputy... (Democratic) 45.9% George W. Shankey (Constitution) 1.1% |
| South Carolina United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1974 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... |
Ernest Hollings Ernest Hollings Ernest Frederick "Fritz" Hollings served as a Democratic United States Senator from South Carolina from 1966 to 2005, as well as the 106th Governor of South Carolina and Lt. Governor . He served 38 years and 55 days in the Senate, which makes him the 8th-longest-serving Senator in history... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 69.5% | Gwenyfred Bush Gwenyfred Bush Gwenyfred Bush, better known as Gwen Bush, is an American politician from South Carolina, a member of the Republican Party.A former State Representative, she was a Republican nominee for a United States Senate seat in 1974 held by Ernest Hollings, a popular former Governor of South Carolina. This... (Republican) 28.6% |
| South Dakota | George McGovern George McGovern George Stanley McGovern is an historian, author, and former U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party nominee in the 1972 presidential election.... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 53.0% | Leo K. Thorsness Leo K. Thorsness Leo Keith Thorsness is a retired colonel in the United States Air Force who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Vietnam War. He was awarded the medal for an air engagement on April 19, 1967. He was shot down two weeks later and spent six years in captivity in North Vietnam as a... (Republican) 47.0% |
| Utah | Wallace F. Bennett Wallace F. Bennett Wallace Foster Bennett was a Republican Senator representing the U.S. state of Utah .-Life and career:... |
Republican | Retired Republican hold |
Jake Garn Jake Garn Edwin Jacob "Jake" Garn is an American politician, a member of the Republican Party, and served as a U.S. Senator representing Utah from 1974 to 1993... (Republican) 50.0% Wayne Owens Wayne Owens Douglas Wayne Owens was a member of the United States House of Representatives for Utah's 2nd congressional district from 1973 to 1975 and again from 1987 to 1993.... (Democratic) 44.1% |
| Vermont | George Aiken George Aiken George David Aiken was an American politician from Vermont. A Republican, he served as the 64th Governor of Vermont from 1937 to 1941 and as a U.S. Senator from 1941 to 1975... |
Republican | Retired Democratic gain |
Patrick Leahy Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph Leahy is the senior United States Senator from Vermont and member of the Democratic Party. He is the first and only elected Democratic United States Senator in Vermont's history. He is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Leahy is the second most senior U.S. Senator,... (Democratic) 49.5% Richard W. Mallary Richard W. Mallary Richard Walker Mallary was a U.S. Representative from Vermont.Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Mallary was educated at Bradford Academy, Bradford, Vermont, and attended Dartmouth College, receiving an A.B... (Republican) 46.4% |
| Washington | Warren G. Magnuson Warren G. Magnuson Warren Grant "Maggie" Magnuson was a United States Senator of the Democratic Party from Washington from 1944 until 1981. Upon leaving the Senate, he was the most senior member of the body... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 60.7% | Jack Metcalf Jack Metcalf Jack Metcalf was an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001. He represented the 2nd Congressional District of Washington as a Republican.... (Republican) 36.1% Gene Goosman (American Independent) 2% Clare Fraenzl (Socialist Workers) 0.8% Pat Ruckert (U.S. Labor) 0.4% |
| Wisconsin | Gaylord Nelson Gaylord Nelson Gaylord Anton Nelson was an American politician from Wisconsin who served as a United States Senator and governor. A Democrat, he was the principal founder of Earth Day.-Public service and leadership:... |
Democratic | Re-elected, 61.8% | Tom Petri Tom Petri Thomas Evert Petri is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1979. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes most of the east-central part of the state.-Early life, education, and early career:... (Republican) 35.8% |
Senate composition before and after elections
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| Key: | C=Conservative | D=Democratic Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
I=Independent | R=Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
V=Vacant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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