1974 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

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1974 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election
Flag of Pennsylvania.svg
  1970 November 5, 1974 (1974-11-05) 1978  
  Milton Shapp (1976).png Drew lewis.jpg
Nominee Milton Shapp Drew Lewis
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate Ernie Kline Ken Lee
Popular vote1,878,2521,578,917
Percentage53.7%45.1%

1974 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Shapp:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Lewis:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

Milton Shapp
Democratic

Elected Governor

Milton Shapp
Democratic

The 1974 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was held on November 5. Incumbent Democratic Governor Milton Shapp defeated Republican Drew Lewis. Under the state's 1968 constitution, Shapp was the first governor who was eligible to run for consecutive terms. [1] [2]

Contents

Primary elections

Candidates

Incumbent Governor Shapp easily dispelled a spirited challenge from Martin Mullen, a state representative from Philadelphia who was well known as a firebrand conservative opponent of abortion and pornography.

1974 Democratic gubernatorial primary [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Milton Shapp (incumbent) 729,201 70.41%
Democratic Martin Mullen 199,61319.27%
Democratic Harvey Johnston106,47410.28%
Total votes1,035,288 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

With a short Republican bench, wealthy staffing executive Drew Lewis was the only serious contender in the race.

Results

1974 Republican gubernatorial primary [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Drew Lewis 534,637 76.67%
Republican Alvin Jacobson97,07213.91%
Republican Leonard Strunk63,8689.15%
Total votes695,577 100.00%


General election

Candidates

Campaign

Shapp's popularity had waned somewhat since his comfortable victory in 1970; although he could claim to have saved the state from bankruptcy, he did so at the expense of large tax increases. Furthermore, Shapp, an unabashed liberal, had difficulty rekindling support from the state's rural, socially conservative regions. However, Shapp and Democrats as a whole received a significant boost from the Watergate scandal; with President Richard Nixon's popularity in a tailspin, many of the top tier Republicans declined to run. Instead, the party turned to the wealthy businessman Lewis, who was able to project an "outsider" image. Lewis focused on local issues and greatly undercut Shapp in rural areas; despite lagging at the polls in traditional Democratic strongholds such as Pittsburgh and Scranton, Shapp preserved a moderate victory by winning the combined vote of suburban Philadelphia, an unexpected accomplishment for a Democrat at the time. [5]

Results

Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1974 [6] [7]
PartyCandidateRunning mateVotesPercentage
Democratic Milton Shapp (Incumbent) Ernie Kline (Incumbent)1,878,25253.66%
Republican Drew Lewis Ken Lee 1,578,91745.11%
Constitutional Stephen DepueEllis Werft33,6910.96%
Socialist Workers Roberta Scherr [a] Fred Stanton8,9800.26%
Write-insWrite-in3740.01%
Totals3,500,214100.00%
Voter turnout (Voting age population)63.31%

Notes

a. ^ Scherr, at the time, was only 21 years old and, therefore, ineligible to be governor. [8]

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References

  1. "Democrats Regain Control." Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 6, 1974, p. 7 (subscription required).
  2. Allan Jr., William. "Wait Until Next Time, County Republicans Sigh." Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The Pittsburgh Press, November 6, 1974, p. 2 (subscription required).
  3. "Our Campaigns - PA Governor- D Primary Race - May 21, 1974".
  4. "Our Campaigns - PA Governor- R Primary Race - May 21, 1974".
  5. Kennedy, John J. (2006). Pennsylvania Elections: Statewide Contests From 1950-2004. University Press of America. ISBN   9780761832799.
  6. The Pennsylvania Manual, p. 626.
  7. The Pennsylvania Manual, p. 625.
  8. Ostrosky, Steve (November 1, 1974). "Will Shapp deny Lewis". The Daily Collegian . Pennsylvania State University.

Sources