1974 United States Senate election in Idaho

Last updated

1974 United States Senate election in Idaho
Flag of Idaho.svg
←  1968 November 5, 1974 1980  →
  3x4.svg
Nominee Frank Church Bob Smith
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote145,140109,072
Percentage56.07%42.14%
1974 United States Senate election in Idaho results map by county.svg
County results
Church:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Smith:      50–60%     60–70%
U.S. senator before election

Frank Church
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Frank Church
Democratic

The 1974 United States Senate election in Idaho took place on Tuesday, November 5. Democratic incumbent Frank Church was re-elected to a fourth term in office, defeating Republican Bob Smith. [1]

Contents

Church announced his presidential campaign in March 1976, [2] [3] off the strength of his victory as well as his high-profile chairmanship of the select Church Commission investigating American intelligence activity.

As of 2024, this was the last time the Democrats won a U.S. Senate election in Idaho. [4]

Primary elections

The primary was held on Tuesday, August 6. [5]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Frank Church (incumbent) 53,659 85.77%
Democratic Leon Olson8,90414.23%
Total votes62,563 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Charles Bolstridge, Nampa
  • Bob Smith, Nampa, attorney [7] [8]
  • Donald L. Winder, Boise

Results

Republican primary results [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bob Smith 45,553 71.98%
Republican Donald L. Winder13,40621.18%
Republican Charles Bolstridge4,3316.84%
Total votes63,290 100.00%

General election

Democratic candidates did extraordinarily well in 1974, in response to the Watergate scandal. This was true even in Republican leaning states and districts, leading commentators to call Church and other Democratic candidates elected that year, "Watergate babies." [10] [11]

Results

1974 United States Senate election in Idaho [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Frank Church (incumbent) 145,140 56.07% Decrease2.svg4.19
Republican Bob Smith109,07242.14%Increase2.svg2.40
American Independent Jean L. Stoddard4,6351.79%N/A
Majority36,06813.93%−6.59%
Total votes258,847 100.00% +10.09%
Democratic hold

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Butch Otter</span> American politician (born 1942)

Clement Leroy "Butch" Otter is an American businessman and politician who served as the 32nd governor of Idaho from 2007 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected in 2006, and reelected in 2010 and 2014. Otter served as lieutenant governor from 1987 to 2001 and in U.S. Congress from the first district from 2001 to 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Church</span> American politician and lawyer (1924–1984)

Frank Forrester Church III was an American politician and lawyer. A Democrat, from 1957 to 1981 he served as a U.S. Senator from Idaho, and is currently the last Democrat to do so. He was the longest serving Democratic senator from the state and the only Democrat from the state who served more than two terms in the Senate. He was a prominent figure in American foreign policy and established a reputation as a member of the party's liberal wing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George V. Hansen</span> American politician

George Vernon Hansen was a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Idaho. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years, representing Idaho's 2nd district from 1965 to 1969 and again from 1975 to 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonard B. Jordan</span> American politician

Leonard Beck Jordan was an American politician who served as the 23rd governor of Idaho and a United States Senator for over ten years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gracie Pfost</span> American politician (1906–1965)

Gracie Bowers Pfost was the first woman to represent Idaho in the United States Congress, serving five terms as a Democrat in the House of Representatives. Pfost represented the state's 1st district from 1953 to 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry LaRocco</span> American politician (born 1946)

Lawrence Paul LaRocco is an American politician who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the Idaho's 1st congressional district from 1991 to 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles C. Gossett</span> American politician

Charles Clinton Gossett was an American politician who served as the 20th governor of Idaho and a United States Senator from Idaho, but was in both offices less than a year in the 1940s. He was a member of the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idaho Democratic Party</span> Idaho affiliate of the Democratic Party

The Idaho Democratic Party is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of Idaho.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C. A. Bottolfsen</span> American politician (1890–1964)

Clarence Alfred Bottolfsen was an American publisher and politician from Idaho, a member of the Idaho Republican Party. He served as the state's 17th and 19th governor, from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1943 to 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Hawley</span> American politician

John Thomas Hawley was an attorney and Republican politician from Idaho. Hawley was the 1962 nominee for the United States Senate seat, winning the June primary over George Hansen, but was defeated by Democratic incumbent Frank Church in November.

F. Michael Burkett Jr. is an American attorney and Democratic politician from Idaho.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1990 Idaho gubernatorial election</span>

The 1990 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990, to elect the Governor of the state of Idaho. Cecil Andrus, the Democratic incumbent, ran for an unprecedented fourth term. Roger Fairchild, a former state senate majority leader from Fruitland, won the Republican nomination in May, but was easily defeated in November by the popular Andrus.

Jay S. Amyx served two terms as mayor of Boise, Idaho, United States, from 1966 to 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1960 United States Senate election in Idaho</span>

The 1960 United States Senate election in Idaho took place on November 8, 1960. Incumbent Republican Senator Henry Dworshak won re-election to a fourth term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 United States Senate election in Idaho</span>

The 1972 United States Senate election in Idaho took place on November 7; incumbent Len Jordan did not run for re-election. Republican U.S. Representative Jim McClure was elected to succeed him over Democrat Bud Davis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1978 Idaho gubernatorial election</span>

The 1978 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 7, and incumbent Democrat John Evans defeated Republican nominee Allan Larsen with 58.75% of the vote. It was the third consecutive win for the Democrats, but the only significant victory for the party in Idaho in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1970 Idaho gubernatorial election</span>

The 1970 Idaho gubernatorial election took place on November 3 to elect the governor of Idaho, concurrently with other scheduled governor races, as well as Idaho's two congress members in the House of Representatives and a number of statewide offices. Incumbent Republican governor Don Samuelson sought re-election to a second consecutive term as governor. Although he faced a primary challenger, former state senator Dick Smith, he received more than 58 percent of the primary vote, and thus secured the party's re-nomination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1962 Idaho gubernatorial election</span>

The 1962 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on November 6; incumbent Republican Robert E. Smylie defeated Democratic nominee Vernon K. Smith with over 54.6% of the vote to win a third term as governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1946 Idaho gubernatorial election</span>

The 1946 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on November 5. Republican nominee C. A. Robins defeated Democratic incumbent Arnold Williams with 56.37% of the vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1944 Idaho gubernatorial election</span>

The 1944 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on November 7. Democratic nominee Charles Gossett defeated Republican nominee W. H. Detweiler for the open seat with 52.64% of the vote.

References

  1. ↑ "Vote favors Church, Hansen, Symms". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 6, 1974. p. 1.
  2. ↑ Shelledy, Jay (March 19, 1976). "Church joins race for White House". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1A.
  3. ↑ "Sen. Church claims others dodge issues". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. March 18, 1976. p. 1.
  4. ↑ Gonzales, Nathan L. "Bleak streak for Idaho Democrats likely to continue". rollcall.com. CQ Roll Call. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Cox(?), Smith, Kidwell, Evans, Ravenscroft in". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. August 7, 1974. p. 1.
  6. ↑ "Our Campaigns - ID US Senate - D Primary Race - Aug 06, 1974".
  7. ↑ "Smith announces race for Church Senate seat". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 9, 1973. p. 5.
  8. ↑ "Bob Smith for Idaho". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). (advertisement). August 6, 1974. p. 7.
  9. ↑ "Our Campaigns - ID US Senate - R Primary Race - Aug 06, 1974".
  10. ↑ Liu, Irene Jay (December 14, 2009). "A 70's flashback at Capitol". timesunion.com.
  11. ↑ "The last of the Watergate babies". Democrat and Chronicle . April 2, 2007. Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Our Campaigns - ID US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1974".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.