1970 United States Senate election in California

Last updated

1970 United States Senate election in California
Flag of California.svg
  1964 November 3, 1970 1976  
  Sen John V Tunney.jpg George Murphy (R-CA).jpg
Nominee John V. Tunney George Murphy
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote3,496,5582,877,617
Percentage53.86%44.33%

1970 United States Senate election in California results map by county.svg
County results
Tunney:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Murphy:     40–50%     50–60%

U.S. senator before election

George Murphy
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

John V. Tunney
Democratic

The 1970 United States Senate election in California was held on November 3, 1970.

Contents

Incumbent Republican Senator George Murphy lost re-election to a second term to Democratic Congressman John V. Tunney. This election was the first since 1860 in which California sent two Democrats to the U.S. Senate.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

1970 Republican U.S. Senate primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican George Murphy (incumbent) 1,325,271 64.30%
Republican Norton Simon 670,70232.54%
Republican Robert R. Barry 30,5581.48%
Republican Katharine Marros22,2381.08%
Republican Robert Amequista12,3360.60%
Total votes2,061,105 100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

1970 Democratic U.S. Senate primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic John V. Tunney 1,010,812 41.58%
Democratic George Brown Jr. 812,46333.42%
Democratic Kenneth Hahn 417,97017.19%
Democratic Eileen Anderson60,9772.51%
Democratic Arthur Bell Jr.48,8782.01%
Democratic Leonard Kurland43,9231.81%
Democratic Louis Di Salvo35,8291.47%
Total votes2,430,852 100.00

General election

Candidates

Results

General election results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic John V. Tunney 3,496,558 53.86% Increase2.svg5.40
Republican George Murphy (incumbent)2,877,61744.33%Decrease2.svg7.21
American Independent Charles C. Ripley61,2510.94%N/A
Peace and Freedom Robert Scheer 56,7310.87%N/A
Total votes6,492,157 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John V. Tunney</span> American politician (1934–2018)

John Varick Tunney was an American politician who served as a United States Senator and Representative from the state of California in the 1960s and 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1988 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate. Held on November 8, the 33 seats of Class 1 were contested in regular elections. In spite of the Republican victory by George H. W. Bush in the presidential election, the Democrats gained a net of one seat in the Senate. Seven seats changed parties, with four incumbents being defeated. The Democratic majority in the Senate increased by one to 55–to–45.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1982 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1982 United States Senate elections were held on November 2, 1982. They were elections for the United States Senate following Republican gains in 1980. The 33 Senate seats of Class 1 were up for election in 1982. A total of four seats changed hands between parties, with Democrats winning seats in New Jersey and New Mexico, and Republicans taking seats in Nevada and the seat of the lone independent, Senator Harry Byrd Jr., in Virginia. Democrats made a net gain of one seat in the elections, while Republicans stayed at 54 seats for a majority. A special election was also held in Washington state in 1983 that gave Republicans a seat that was previously held by a Democrat, bringing their majority to 55-45.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1976 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate. Held on November 2, the 33 seats of Class 1 were contested in regular elections. They coincided with Democrat Jimmy Carter's presidential election and the United States Bicentennial celebration. Although almost half of the seats decided in this election changed parties, Carter's narrow victory did not provide coattails for the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1970 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1970 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate. It took place on November 3, with the 33 seats of Class 1 contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies. These races occurred in the middle of Richard Nixon's first term as president. The Democrats lost a net of three seats, while the Republicans and the Conservative Party of New York picked up one net seat each, and former Democrat Harry F. Byrd Jr. was re-elected as an independent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1964 United States Senate elections were held on November 3. The 33 seats of Class 1 were contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies. They coincided with the election of President Lyndon B. Johnson by an overwhelming majority, to a full term. His Democratic Party picked up a net two seats from the Republicans. As of 2022, this was the last time either party has had a two-thirds majority in the Senate, which would have hypothetically allowed the Senate Democrats to override a veto, propose constitutional amendments, convict and expel certain officials, or invoke cloture without any votes from Senate Republicans. In practice, however, internal divisions effectively prevented the Democrats from doing so. The Senate election coincided with Democratic gains in the House in the same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1962 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1962 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate. Held on November 6, the 34 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies. They occurred in the middle of President John F. Kennedy's term. His Democratic Party made a net gain of four seats from the Republicans, increasing their control of the Senate to 68-32. However, this was reduced to 67-33 between the election and the next Congress, as on November 18, 1962, Democrat Dennis Chávez, who was not up for election that year, died. He was replaced on November 30, 1962, by Republican appointee Edwin L. Mechem. This was the first time since 1932 that Democrats gained seats in this class of Senators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1954 United States Senate elections</span>

The 1954 United States Senate elections was a midterm election in the first term of Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidency. The 32 Senate seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections, and six special elections were held to fill vacancies. Eisenhower's Republican party lost a net of two seats to the Democratic opposition. This small change was just enough to give Democrats control of the chamber with the support of an Independent who caucused with them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Brown Jr.</span> California politician (1920–1999)

George Edward Brown Jr. was an American Democratic politician from California. He represented suburban portions of Los Angeles County in the United States House of Representatives from 1963 to 1971 and parts of the Inland Empire region from 1973 until his death in 1999. He briefly left office after unsuccessfully running for United States Senate in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1992 United States Senate election in California took place on November 3, 1992, at the same time as the special election to the United States Senate in California. Incumbent Democrat Alan Cranston decided to retire. Democrat Barbara Boxer won the open seat. This election was noted as both of California's senators were elected for the first time. This is not a unique occurrence; it would happen again in Tennessee in 1994, Kansas in 1996, and Georgia in 2021. Fellow Democrat Dianne Feinstein, California's senior senator, won the special election and was inaugurated in November 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1986 United States Senate election in California took place on November 4, 1986. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Alan Cranston narrowly won re-election to a fourth and final term over Republican U.S. Congressman Ed Zschau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1988 United States Senate election in California took place on November 8, 1988. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Pete Wilson won re-election to a second term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1982 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1982 United States Senate election in California took place on November 2, 1982. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator S. I. Hayakawa decided to retire after one term. Republican Pete Wilson, the Mayor of San Diego, won Hayakawa's open seat over Democratic Governor Jerry Brown and several minor candidates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1976 United States Senate election in California took place on November 2, 1976. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John V. Tunney ran for re-election to a second term, but was defeated by Republican S. I. Hayakawa. As of 2023, this is the last time an incumbent Democratic Senator from California lost re-election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 2018 United States Senate election in California took place on November 6, 2018, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent California, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States Senate elections in California</span> Class III senate seat election

Two 2022 United States Senate elections in California were held concurrently on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of California. There were two ballot items for the same Class 3 seat: a special election to fill the seat for the final weeks of the 117th United States Congress, and a general election for a full term, starting in the 118th United States Congress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1944 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1944 United States Senate election in California was held on November 7, 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1946 United States Senate elections in California</span>

The two 1946 United States Senate elections in California were held concurrently on November 5, 1946.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1964 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1964 United States Senate election in California was held on November 3, 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1968 United States Senate election in California</span>

The 1968 United States Senate election in California was held on November 5, 1968.

References

  1. "CA US Senate - R Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  2. "CA US Senate - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
  3. "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1970". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 12 November 2019.