1984 United States Senate election in Idaho

1984 United States Senate election in Idaho

←  1978 November 6, 1984 1990  →

Nominee Jim McClure Pete Busch Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 293,193 105,591 Percentage 72.19% 26.00%

County results McClure:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%

U.S. senator before election Jim McClure Republican Elected U.S. Senator Jim McClure Republican

The 1984 United States Senate election in Idaho was held on November 6. Incumbent Senator Jim McClure was re-elected to a third term in office.

Republican primary

Candidates

• Jim McClure, incumbent Senator

Results

Senator McClure was unopposed for re-nomination by the Republican Party.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Pete Busch, retired military officer, Vietnam War veteran
• Louis Hatheway, heavy equipment operator and real estate broker

Results

1984 Democratic U.S. Senate primary ^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Pete Busch	27,871	62.02%
	Democratic	Louis Hatheway	17,065	37.98%
Total votes			44,936	100.00%

• Primary held on May 22

Independents and third parties

Libertarian

• Donald Billings

General election

Campaign

The campaign was largely uneventful given McClure's large lead in polls and the Republican tendency of Idaho.

During the campaign, Pete Busch was involved in a minor plane crash. Two years later in April 1986, Busch and his wife died in a similar crash while running for Congress. ^{[2] [3]}

Results

General election results ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Jim McClure (incumbent)	293,193	72.19%	3.75
	Democratic	Pete Busch	105,591	26.00%	5.56
	Libertarian	Donald Billings	7,384	1.82%	1.82
Total votes			406,168	100.00%
	Republican hold		Swing

See also

• 1984 United States Senate elections

References

1. "ID US Senate - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
2. "Officials Confirm Three Dead In Crash Of Plane Carrying Candidates". Associated Press. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
3. "Plane crash in eastern Idaho kills Democratic candidates". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. April 12, 1986. p. A6.
4. "ID US Senate Race". OurCampaigns. Retrieved August 15, 2019.