1974 United States Senate election in South Dakota

1974 United States Senate election in South Dakota

←  1968 November 5, 1974 1980  →

Nominee George McGovern Leo K. Thorsness Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 147,929 130,955 Percentage 53.04% 46.96%

County results McGovern:     50–60%     60–70% Thorsness:     50–60%     60-70%     70–80%

U.S. senator before election George McGovern Democratic Elected U.S. Senator George McGovern Democratic

The 1974 United States Senate election in South Dakota was held on November 5, 1974. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator George McGovern ran for reelection to a third term and won.

McGovern's reelection was notable for the fact two years prior, in the 1972 presidential election, McGovern lost his home state by 9 points to Richard Nixon, yet won his Senate reelection bid by 7 points, marking a sixteen point swing in two years.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on June 4, 1974.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• George McGovern, incumbent U.S. Senator

Results

Democratic primary results ^{[1] [2]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	George McGovern (incumbent)	unopposed

Republican primary

Candidates

• Barbara B. Gunderson, former Republican National Committeewoman, former Civil Service Commissioner ^[3]
• Al Schock ^[4]
• Leo K. Thorsness, former United States Air Force colonel and prisoner of war

Results

Republican primary results ^{[1] [2] [5] [6]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Leo K. Thorsness	49,716	52.35%
	Republican	Al Schock	35,406	37.28%
	Republican	Barbara B. Gunderson	9,852	10.37%
Total votes			94,974	100.00%

General election

Candidates

• Leo K. Thorsness (R)
• George McGovern (D), incumbent U.S. Senator

Results

1974 United States Senate election in South Dakota ^{[7] [8] [9] [10] [11]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	George McGovern (incumbent)	147,929	53.04
	Republican	Leo K. Thorsness	130,955	46.96
Majority			16,974	6.08
Turnout			278,884
	Democratic hold

See also

• 1974 United States Senate elections

References

1. Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 152.
2. America Votes 11, p. 302.
3. "Barbara Bates Gunderson Obituary (2007) Rapid City Journal". Legacy.com .
4. "Al Schock - SD Hall of Fame Programs".
5. "SD US Senate, 1974 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
6. Lorna B. Herseth, Secretary of State (ed.). Official Election Returns for South Dakota: Primary Election, June 4, 1974 (PDF). p. 2.
7. Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 96.
8. America Votes 11, p. 297.
9. "SD US Senate, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
10. Lorna B. Herseth, Secretary of State (ed.). Official Election Returns for South Dakota: General Election, November 5, 1974 (PDF). p. 2.
11. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1974" (PDF). Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House. August 1, 1975. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

Bibliography

• Congressional Elections, 1946-1996. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN   1-56802-248-4.
• Scammon, Richard M., ed. (1975). America Votes 11: a handbook of contemporary American election statistics, 1974. Washington, D.C.: Elections Research Center.