1990 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

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1990 United States Senate election in New Hampshire
Flag of New Hampshire.svg
  1984 November 6, 1990 1996  
  Bob Smith, official 99th Congress photo.png D000574.jpg
Nominee Bob Smith John A. Durkin
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote189,79291,299
Percentage65.13%31.33%

1990 United States Senate election in New Hampshire results map by county.svg
1990 United States Senate election in New Hampshire results map by municipality.svg
Smith:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90%
Durkin:     40–50%     50–60%     >90%

U.S. senator before election

Gordon J. Humphrey
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Bob Smith
Republican

The 1990 United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held on November 6, 1990. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Gordon J. Humphrey decided to retire and not run for re-election to a third term. Republican Bob Smith won the open seat, easily defeating the Democratic nominee, former senator John A. Durkin.

Contents

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

1990 Republican U.S. Senate primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bob Smith 56,215 65.00%
Republican Tom Christo 25,28629.24%
Republican Theo deWinter2,7683.20%
Republican Ewing Smith2,0092.32%
Democratic John Rauh (write-in)940.11%
Democratic John A. Durkin (write-in)660.08%
Democratic James Donchess (write-in)480.06%
Total votes86,486 100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

1990 Democratic U.S. Senate primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic John A. Durkin 20,222 41.37%
Democratic James W. Donchess15,20531.10%
Democratic John Rauh12,93526.46%
Write-in All others5231.07%
Total votes48,885 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Campaign

The 1990 New Hampshire Senate race garnered national news after John Durkin, previously a senator from New Hampshire in 1975-1980, made a remark that was perceived as a racial slur against the Japanese. Durkin told reporters interviewing him, "If you want a Jap in the United States Senate, then vote for Bob Smith". "Jap" is a term that was frequently used in WWII to describe the Japanese, and was, by 1990, considered racist terminology. The quote destroyed Durkin's campaign and he ended up losing to Smith by a more than 2-to-1 margin, a devastating blow for the ex-Senator. [3]

Results

1990 U.S. Senate election in New Hampshire [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Bob Smith 189,792 65.13%
Democratic John A. Durkin91,29931.33%
Libertarian John G. Elsnau9,1023.34%
Write-in 5850.20%
Majority98,49333.80%{{{change}}}
Turnout 291,393{{{change}}}
Republican hold Swing {{{swing}}}

See also

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References

  1. "NH US Senate - R Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  2. "NH US Senate - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  3. Leubsdorf, Ben. "Former U.S. Senator John Durkin dies". Concord Monitor. CM. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  4. "Our Campaigns - NH US Senate Race - Nov 06, 1990".