1984 United States Senate election in Illinois

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1984 United States Senate election in Illinois
Flag of Illinois.svg
←  1978 November 6, 1984 1990  →
Turnout73.99%
  Senator Paul Simon (3x4).jpg Senator Charles Percy (3x4).jpg
Nominee Paul Simon Charles Percy
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote2,397,1652,308,039
Percentage50.07%48.21%
1984 United States Senate election in Illinois results map by county.svg
Illinois 1984Sen.svg
County results
Simon:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     <90%
Percy:      40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Tie/No Data:      Tie     No Data
U.S. senator before election

Charles H. Percy
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Paul Simon
Democratic

The 1984 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 6, 1984. Incumbent Republican Senator Charles H. Percy ran for re-election to a fourth term in the United States Senate. Senator Percy was opposed by Democratic nominee Paul Simon, who was a United States Congressman from Illinois's 22nd congressional district. The campaign between Percy and Simon was contentious and brutally fought, and ended up with Simon ousting Percy by fewer than 90,000 votes, which was, at the time, considered an upset. Incidentally, Percy's son-in-law Jay Rockefeller was elected Senator from West Virginia in the same election cycle.

Contents

Election information

The election coincided with those for other federal offices (president and House), as well as state elections.

The primaries were held March 20. [1]

Turnout

Turnout in the primaries was 36.67%, with a total of 2,219,583 votes cast. [1]

Turnout in the general election was 73.99%, with 4,787,335 votes cast. [2]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

1984 Democratic Senate primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Paul Simon 556,757 35.56
Democratic Roland W. Burris 360,18223.01
Democratic Alex Seith 327,12520.90
Democratic Philip J. Rock 303,39719.38
Democratic Gerald M. Rose17,9851.15
Write-in Others490.00
Total votes1,565,495 100

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

1984 Republican Senate primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Charles H. Percy (incumbent) 387,865 59.30
Republican Tom Corcoran 239,84736.67
Republican John E. Roche13,5332.07
Republican V. A. Kelley9,2361.41
Republican Richard J. Castic3,6070.55
Write-in Others450.01
Total votes654,088 100

General election

Candidates

Results

The election was very close. Simon prevailed by only 89,126 votes, or 1.86%. Incumbent Percy did well throughout the state, including the Chicago collar counties. Nevertheless, in the heavily populated and Democratic Cook County, which encompasses the city of Chicago and the majority of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, Simon ran ahead of Percy by over 300,000 votes. Simon also won most counties in southwestern Illinois, a traditionally Democratic region. [3] Percy led early on and well into the night, but as Cook County began to count all of its votes, Simon pulled ahead. Simon won despite then-president Reagan winning the state easily. Percy called Simon at around 5 A.M. the next day and conceded. Percy also congratulated Simon on his hard-earned victory. Simon was sworn in on January 3, 1985, and served in the Senate until January 3, 1997, when he retired. Simon was later succeeded by Dick Durbin, a close friend and fellow Democrat.

United States Senate election in Illinois, 1984 [2] [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Paul Simon 2,397,165 50.07% +4.60%
Republican Charles Percy (incumbent)2,308,03948.21%-5.13%
Libertarian Steve I. Givot59,7771.25%+0.74%
Independent Marjorie H. Pries12,3660.26%
Socialist Workers Nelson Gonzalez4,9130.10%-0.40%
Communist Ishmael Flory 4,8020.10%
Write-ins2730.01%
Majority89,1261.86%-6.00%
Turnout 4,787,33573.99%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 20, 1984" (PDF). www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 24, 2020.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. 1 2 "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 6, 1984" (PDF). www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 24, 2020.[ permanent dead link ]
  3. ↑ "1984 Senatorial General Election Results - Illinois". Dave Leip's Atlas of US Presidential Elections. March 2, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  4. ↑ Clerk of the United States House of Representatives (1985). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1984" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.
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