1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election

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1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election
Flag of Virginia.svg
  1971 (special) November 6, 1973 1977  
  John Dalton 1976.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee John N. Dalton James Harry Michael Jr. Flora Crater
Party Republican Democratic Independent
Popular vote505,729332,99098,508
Percentage53.96%35.53%10.51%

1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County and independent city results
Dalton:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Michael:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Lieutenant Governor before election

Henry Howell
Independent

Elected Lieutenant Governor

John N. Dalton
Republican

The 1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1973. Republican nominee John N. Dalton defeated Democratic nominee James Harry Michael Jr. with 53.96 percent of the vote. This was the last time until 1997 that a Republican was elected lieutenant governor of Virginia.

Contents

Background

Following the death from a brain tumor of J. Sargeant Reynolds, universally viewed as favorite to be Democratic gubernatorial nominee for 1973, [1] the lieutenant gubernatorial seat went in a 1971 special election to the fiery populist independent Henry Evans Howell, who had lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1969 and did not believe himself likely to win the party nomination again. [2] Howell, however, was always seeking the governor's office for 1973, against the opposition of former Democratic governor Mills Godwin and the old-line business and political establishment, already extremely worried by his win in the 1971 lieutenant gubernatorial special election. [3]

Nominations

The race to oppose the sitting lieutenant governor became so divisive that the Democratic Party eventually did not nominate a candidate for Governor, instead supporting his independent run. [2] Fifty-four-year-old State Senator James Harry Michael of Charlottesville was established as the only Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial candidate early in April. [4] Michael, a moderate, [5] would after being fully confirmed as the nominee in mid-April refuse to endorse either Howell or his archenemy Godwin, [6] who would confirm his shift to the Republican Party in June.

The Republican nomination was early on a race between John Dalton, son of 1953 and 1957 gubernatorial nominee Theodore of the mountain-valley Holton faction, and forces led by the much more conservative Richard Obershain of Richmond. [7] After a week, Obershain announced he would not run, [8] and Dalton thus emerged as the favorite against Delegate Herbert Morgan of Arlington. [9] He would easily win the nominee in a convention during the second week of June. [10]

An independent nominee, long-time lobbyist [a] and journalist Flora Crater of Falls Church, [11] would declare in April and be confirmed by June. A strongly liberal former Democrat [12] and a delegate to the previous year's party convention, Crater said she entered when Virginia failed to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. [13]

Campaign

All three candidates kept their campaigns separate from the concurrent gubernatorial battle. [14] Dalton campaigned solidly from July, and was a clear favorite early on, although by September polls saw Michael catching up. [12] The lack of major issues for the campaign, [15] however, handicapped Michael, as did the fact that there was no party man at the top of the ticket. Efforts by Michael to campaign upon his support for news sales tax exemptions on food and medicine, [16] and on his ability to work with any Governor, did not substantially effect polling. Crater, supported mainly by the Virginia Women's Political Caucus, [17] ran a low-budget campaign that attracted considerable attention due to her positions on controversial issues such as public financing of state campaigns, [18] negotiated wages for Virginia teachers, [18] the ERA and her support for a master plan for land use in the state. [19]

Polls

SourceRankingAs of
Richmond Times-Dispatch [20] Likely ROctober 4, 1973
The Daily Advance [21] Likely ROctober 6, 1973
Roanoke Times [22] Likely RNovember 1, 1973

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

Other candidates

Results

1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican John N. Dalton 505,729 53.96%
Democratic James Harry Michael Jr. 332,99035.53%
Independent Flora Crater 98,50810.51%
Majority 172,73918.43%
Turnout 937,27028.96%+3.34%
Republican gain from Independent Swing

Results by county or independent city

1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election by county or independent city [23]
John Nichols Dalton
Republican
James Harry Michael Jr.
Democratic
Flora M. Crater
Independent
Various candidates
Write-ins
MarginTotal votes cast
#%#%#%#%#%
Accomack County 3,32245.87%3,70951.22%2112.91%-387-5.34%7,242
Albemarle County 2,38924.24%6,23463.24%1,23412.52%-3,845-39.01%9,857
Alleghany County 1,87263.61%93031.60%1414.79%94232.01%2,943
Amelia County 1,06253.13%86243.12%753.75%20010.01%1,999
Amherst County 2,39451.81%2,05544.47%1723.72%3397.34%4,621
Appomattox County 1,53565.32%62826.72%1877.96%90738.60%2,350
Arlington County 16,86547.43%12,57835.37%6,11717.20%10.00%4,28712.06%35,561
Augusta County 5,48266.98%1,84122.50%86010.51%10.01%3,64144.49%8,184
Bath County 78460.87%43233.54%725.59%35227.33%1,288
Bedford County 2,94664.20%1,25527.35%3878.43%10.02%1,69136.85%4,589
Bland County 89463.58%47834.00%342.42%41629.59%1,406
Botetourt County 2,22858.69%1,16230.61%40610.70%1,06628.08%3,796
Brunswick County 1,81747.78%1,89449.80%922.42%-77-2.02%3,803
Buchanan County 2,18340.79%2,80752.45%3626.76%-624-11.66%5,352
Buckingham County 1,39549.71%1,31846.97%933.31%772.74%2,806
Campbell County 6,21772.70%1,74320.38%5916.91%4,47452.32%8,551
Caroline County 1,14940.63%1,50853.32%1716.05%-359-12.69%2,828
Carroll County 2,80263.99%1,44432.98%1333.04%1,35831.01%4,379
Charles City County 42335.85%67357.03%847.12%-250-21.19%1,180
Charlotte County 1,89263.40%99833.45%943.15%89429.96%2,984
Chesterfield County 14,80069.43%5,08523.85%1,4326.72%9,71545.57%21,317
Clarke County 80250.50%63139.74%1559.76%17110.77%1,588
Craig County 46249.36%43746.69%373.95%252.67%936
Culpeper County 1,93153.25%1,36937.76%3268.99%56215.50%3,626
Cumberland County 68635.79%1,18161.61%502.61%-495-25.82%1,917
Dickenson County 2,32042.78%2,89053.29%2133.93%-570-10.51%5,423
Dinwiddie County 2,07349.90%1,96147.21%1182.84%20.05%1122.70%4,154
Essex County 94664.31%46331.48%624.21%48332.83%1,471
Fairfax County 47,42751.27%28,09630.38%16,97218.35%20.00%19,33120.90%92,497
Fauquier County 2,54461.60%1,09826.59%48811.82%1,44635.01%4,130
Floyd County 1,31266.06%59630.01%783.93%71636.05%1,986
Fluvanna County 42828.61%99166.24%775.15%-563-37.63%1,496
Franklin County 2,83456.03%1,89637.49%3286.48%93818.54%5,058
Frederick County 1,84942.85%2,01446.67%45210.48%-165-3.82%4,315
Giles County 2,24455.49%1,50737.27%2937.25%73718.22%4,044
Gloucester County 1,90755.20%1,20634.91%3429.90%70120.29%3,455
Goochland County 1,24345.77%1,35349.82%1204.42%-110-4.05%2,716
Grayson County 1,68950.71%1,57447.25%682.04%1153.45%3,331
Greene County 40434.98%61853.51%13311.52%-214-18.53%1,155
Greensville County 95841.42%1,25154.09%1044.50%-293-12.67%2,313
Halifax County 2,60559.38%1,60336.54%1794.08%1,00222.84%4,387
Hanover County 6,96663.39%3,00227.32%1,0219.29%3,96436.07%10,989
Henrico County 30,02969.82%9,56122.23%3,4147.94%30.01%20,46847.59%43,007
Henry County 4,19062.03%1,73325.66%83212.32%2,45736.37%6,755
Highland County 44664.92%21831.73%233.35%22833.19%687
Isle of Wight County 2,89859.41%1,81837.27%1623.32%1,08022.14%4,878
James City County 2,13156.92%90524.17%70818.91%1,22632.75%3,744
King George County 78554.97%43630.53%20714.50%34924.44%1,428
King and Queen County 50743.48%59050.60%695.92%-83-7.12%1,166
King William County 97453.22%76041.53%965.25%21411.69%1,830
Lancaster County 1,72356.34%1,24340.65%923.01%48015.70%3,058
Lee County 2,85848.92%2,73546.82%2494.26%1232.11%5,842
Loudoun County 4,32753.43%2,95936.54%81310.04%1,36816.89%8,099
Louisa County 1,10037.87%1,59354.84%2117.26%10.03%-493-16.97%2,905
Lunenburg County 1,58463.26%84733.83%732.92%73729.43%2,504
Madison County 72739.23%92349.81%20310.96%-196-10.58%1,853
Mathews County 1,40060.22%81635.10%1094.69%58425.12%2,325
Mecklenburg County 3,45959.72%2,16137.31%1722.97%1,29822.41%5,792
Middlesex County 91453.14%69940.64%1076.22%21512.50%1,720
Montgomery County 6,40565.94%2,38424.54%9249.51%4,02141.40%9,713
Nelson County 64831.43%1,31563.77%984.75%10.05%-667-32.35%2,062
New Kent County 77754.45%56439.52%866.03%21314.93%1,427
Northampton County 1,84650.97%1,63845.22%1383.81%2085.74%3,622
Northumberland County 1,47860.75%86935.72%853.49%10.04%60925.03%2,433
Nottoway County 2,16557.70%1,51440.35%731.95%65117.35%3,752
Orange County 99239.44%1,03241.03%49119.52%-40-1.59%2,515
Page County 1,87657.00%1,25838.23%1574.77%61818.78%3,291
Patrick County 1,12354.94%73535.96%1869.10%38818.98%2,044
Pittsylvania County 5,51158.05%3,51637.03%4664.91%10.01%1,99521.01%9,494
Powhatan County 1,02551.72%87644.20%814.09%1497.52%1,982
Prince Edward County 2,00858.34%1,09631.84%3389.82%91226.50%3,442
Prince George County 1,22247.70%1,18646.29%1546.01%361.41%2,562
Prince William County 7,71755.45%3,25123.36%2,94721.18%10.01%4,46632.09%13,916
Pulaski County 4,06164.61%1,84129.29%3836.09%2,22035.32%6,285
Rappahannock County 53853.80%37837.80%848.40%16016.00%1,000
Richmond County 1,02161.40%57734.70%633.79%20.12%44426.70%1,663
Roanoke County 10,56961.24%5,23530.33%1,4518.41%30.02%5,33430.91%17,258
Rockbridge County 1,70560.87%82229.35%2749.78%88331.52%2,801
Rockingham County 6,79270.39%1,93620.06%9199.52%20.02%4,85650.33%9,649
Russell County 3,28146.72%3,40248.45%3394.83%-121-1.72%7,022
Scott County 2,71751.01%2,28442.88%3256.10%4338.13%5,326
Shenandoah County 3,79564.79%1,69628.96%3666.25%2,09935.84%5,857
Smyth County 2,97051.64%2,21438.50%5679.86%75613.15%5,751
Southampton County 2,24457.55%1,49838.42%1574.03%74619.13%3,899
Spotsylvania County 1,66548.98%1,31238.60%42212.42%35310.39%3,399
Stafford County 2,00847.87%1,66239.62%52512.51%3468.25%4,195
Surry County 79052.32%62741.52%936.16%16310.79%1,510
Sussex County 1,44246.22%1,45246.54%2267.24%-10-0.32%3,120
Tazewell County 3,46651.61%2,41035.88%84012.51%1,05615.72%6,716
Warren County 1,43844.37%1,36942.24%43413.39%692.13%3,241
Washington County 3,70849.61%3,10441.53%6638.87%6048.08%7,475
Westmoreland County 1,28658.67%66130.16%24511.18%62528.51%2,192
Wise County 2,74537.50%3,95954.08%6168.42%-1,214-16.58%7,320
Wythe County 2,68060.39%1,54434.79%2144.82%1,13625.60%4,438
York County 4,24158.42%2,09828.90%92112.69%2,14329.52%7,260
Alexandria City 7,72244.68%5,90734.18%3,65021.12%20.01%1,81510.50%17,281
Bedford City 86361.51%44331.58%976.91%42029.94%1,403
Bristol City 88344.28%1,00050.15%1115.57%-117-5.87%1,994
Buena Vista City 65060.63%35332.93%696.44%29727.71%1,072
Charlottesville City 1,77918.37%6,51867.32%1,38514.30%-4,739-48.95%9,682
Chesapeake City 8,59248.13%6,59736.95%2,66414.92%1,99511.17%17,853
Clifton Forge City 82362.49%41231.28%826.23%41131.21%1,317
Colonial Heights City 2,56965.96%95324.47%3739.58%1,61641.49%3,895
Covington City 1,31762.18%63129.79%1708.03%68632.39%2,118
Danville City 5,90967.89%2,14124.60%6547.51%3,76843.29%8,704
Emporia City 84056.80%60540.91%342.30%23515.89%1,479
Fairfax City 2,08651.96%1,14328.47%78619.58%94323.49%4,015
Falls Church City 1,19643.11%1,05738.10%52118.78%1395.01%2,774
Franklin City 94559.25%57235.86%784.89%37323.39%1,595
Fredericksburg City 1,35247.34%97634.17%52718.45%10.04%37613.17%2,856
Galax City 79357.67%56040.73%221.60%23316.95%1,375
Hampton City 10,61756.58%4,88926.05%3,25917.37%5,72830.52%18,765
Harrisonburg City 2,63671.65%63417.23%40911.12%2,00254.42%3,679
Hopewell City 2,56955.31%1,60634.57%46910.10%10.02%96320.73%4,645
Lexington City 87560.68%43930.44%1288.88%43630.24%1,442
Lynchburg City 7,59468.82%2,68924.37%7516.81%4,90544.45%11,034
Martinsville City 2,34671.00%66620.16%2928.84%1,68050.85%3,304
Nansemond City 3,84248.77%3,61045.82%4255.39%10.01%2322.94%7,878
Newport News City 12,36848.93%10,23540.49%2,67410.58%10.00%2,1338.44%25,278
Norfolk City 18,71244.20%17,61341.60%6,01014.20%1,0992.60%42,335
Norton City 41143.26%41844.00%12112.74%-7-0.74%950
Petersburg City 3,81944.86%4,23249.71%4515.30%110.13%-413-4.85%8,513
Portsmouth City 10,48247.67%10,03245.63%1,4736.70%4502.05%21,987
Radford City 2,11568.05%84327.12%1504.83%1,27240.93%3,108
Richmond City 25,52547.92%24,07045.19%3,6716.89%30.01%1,4552.73%53,269
Roanoke City 9,61755.32%6,61038.02%1,1586.66%3,00717.30%17,385
Salem City 3,16163.85%1,39728.22%3937.94%1,76435.63%4,951
South Boston City 1,00567.13%43328.92%593.94%57238.21%1,497
Staunton City 3,20165.13%1,23525.13%4799.75%1,96640.00%4,915
Suffolk City 1,54063.82%75531.29%1184.89%78532.53%2,413
Virginia Beach City 20,97160.37%8,72225.11%5,04214.52%10.00%12,24935.26%34,736
Waynesboro City 2,75366.47%97323.49%41610.04%1,78042.97%4,142
Williamsburg City 1,24758.03%43320.15%46921.82%778 [b] 36.20%2,149
Winchester City 1,91645.25%1,90544.99%4139.75%110.26%4,234
Totals505,72953.96%332,99035.53%98,50810.51%430.00%172,73918.43%937,270

Analysis

As generally expected in the months preceding the election, Dalton won a convincing victory by 18.43 percentage points, sufficient that he would have won clearly without the Crater candidacy that was expected to hurt Michael. [12] Dalton carried all by twenty-one counties and all but four cities, including longtime Democratic strongholds like Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond, whilst Michael's strength was largely confined to his home area around Charlottesville. Crater won about twice the generally predicted vote percentage, [17] doing best in her Northern Virginia home and in the Tidewater, where she ran second ahead of Michael in Williamsburg.

Notes

  1. Crater had lobbied to save public schools in Virginia, for reforms in Fairfax County government, and was at the time of her candidacy lobbying for the Equal Rights Amendment. [11]
  2. In this county or city where Crater ran second ahead of Michael, margin given is Dalton vote minus Crater vote and percentage margin Dalton percentage minus Crater percentage.

References

  1. Kelley, George M. (August 31, 1970). "Reynolds Suffering from Brain Tumor". The Roanoke Times. Landmark News Service. p. 1.
  2. 1 2 Sweeney, James R. (2022). "Armageddon Revisited: The 1973 Gubernatorial Election in Virginia". The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. 130 (4). Virginia Historical Society: 290–347.
  3. Peirce, Neal R. (1975). The Border South States; people, politics, and power in the five Border South States. New York City: Norton. pp. 64–65. ISBN   9780393055313.
  4. 1 2 "Sen. Michael Is Lone Demo Candidate for Lieutenant Governor". The Daily News-Leader. Staunton, Virginia. April 4, 1973. p. 15.
  5. Atkinson, Frank B. (2006). "Armageddon, Virginia Style". The Dynamic Dominion: Realignment and the Rise of Two-Party Competition in Virginia, 1945-1980 (Revised ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 308. ISBN   9780742552081.
  6. "Michael Qualifies in Race for Lieutenant Governor". The News and Advance . Lynchburg, Virginia. April 14, 1973. p. 8.
  7. "Cooke May Provide Clues to Decision Today". The Daily News Leader . Staunton, Virginia. Associated Press. p. 9.
  8. Latimer, James (April 7, 1973). "Obenshain Will Not Run for Lieutenant Governor". Richmond Times-Dispatch . p. B-1.
  9. "Arlington GOP to Back Godwin". Richmond Times-Dispatch. May 15, 1973. p. B-4.
  10. "Lt. Governor Nominee: John Dalton Easy First Ballot Winner". Bristol Herald-Courier. June 10, 1973. p. 1.
  11. 1 2 3 Kelly, Sandra (April 5, 1973). "Versatile Woman Running for State Office". The Roanoke Times. p. 18.
  12. 1 2 3 "Virginia Commentary – The Impact of Flora". The Daily Progress . Charlottesville, Virginia. September 16, 1973. p. 4.
  13. "Women Activist Candidates Are Racing for State Posts". The Birmingham News . May 30, 1973. p. 25.
  14. Osborne, Ozzie (June 13, 1973). "20 Seek House Seat as Independents". The World-News . Roanoke City. pp. 25, 30.
  15. Jones, Edward (October 1, 1973). "Harry Michael: No Glamorous Issues". The Free Lance-Star . Fredericksburg, Virginia. p. 19.
  16. "Michael Calls for Review of Taxes on Food and Drugs". The News & Advance. Lynchburg. The Associated Press. September 27, 1973. p. 21.
  17. 1 2 Sabato, Larry J. (1974). "Virginia Politics in 1973: The State Elections" (PDF). University of Virginia Newsletter. Vol. 50, no. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2015.
  18. 1 2 Kelly, Sandra (October 7, 1973). "Va. Citizens Responsive: Mrs. Crater". The Roanoke Times . p. B—2.
  19. "Lt. Governor Hopefuls Voice Differing Views". The News-Virginian . Waynesboro, Virginia. October 24, 1971. p. 1.
  20. Latimer, James (October 4, 1973). "Howell Poll Gives Him 9.5% Lead". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. 1.
  21. "'77 Speculation Begins for Miller and Dalton". The Daily Advance . Lynchburg. October 6, 1973. p. 16.
  22. "Poll Favors Dalton and Miller". Roanoke Times. November 1, 1973. p. 1.
  23. 1 2 "1973 Lieutenant Governor General Election". Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia. 1973. Retrieved June 2, 2021.