2000 United States Senate election in Delaware

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2000 United States Senate election in Delaware
Flag of Delaware.svg
←  1994 November 7, 2000 2006  →
  Thomas Carper.jpg Sen. William V. Roth (R-DE).jpg
Nominee Tom Carper Bill Roth
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote181,566142,891
Percentage55.53%43.70%
2000 United States Senate election in Delaware results map by county.svg
2000 United States Senate election in Delaware results map by state house district.svg
Carper:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Roth:     40–50%     50–60%
U.S. senator before election

Bill Roth
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Tom Carper
Democratic

The 2000 United States Senate election in Delaware was held on November 7, 2000, in conjunction with the 2000 U.S. presidential election, other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican U.S. senator William Roth ran for re-election to a sixth term, but he was defeated by outgoing Democratic governor Tom Carper.

Contents

Carper subsequently became the first Democrat to hold this seat since 1947. It was also the first time since 1943 in which both of the state's Senate seats were held by Democrats. Additionally, it was the only time Carper lost Kent County in his entire political career.

General election

Candidates

Campaign

For 16 years, the same four people had held all four major statewide positions in Delaware. Governor Tom Carper was term-limited and could not run for re-election again. Both he and U.S. representative Mike Castle wanted to be U.S. senator. However, Roth would not retire, and fellow Republican Castle decided against a primary.

Roth, 79, had served in the U.S. Senate for 30 years. He was the chairman of the Finance Committee. Carper, 53, was a popular governor and former U.S. congressman of Delaware's At-large congressional district, who announced his candidacy against Roth in September 1999. [1] Both candidates were moderates. Roth was one of the few Republicans to vote for the Brady Bill. Although Roth started the campaign with a 2-to-1 spending advantage, Carper went into the final month with more than $1 million on hand. [2] In a contest between two popular and respected politicians, the main issue seemed to be Roth's age versus Carper's relative youth.

Debates

Results

Carper defeated Roth by over ten points. Roth received more votes than presidential candidate George W. Bush, suggesting the strength of the Democratic turnout was a boon to Carper's candidacy. Some attributed Roth's loss to his age and health, as he collapsed twice during the campaign, once in the middle of a television interview and once during a campaign event. [3] [4]

General election results [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Tom Carper 181,566 55.53% Increase2.svg13.04
Republican William Roth (incumbent)142,89143.70%Decrease2.svg12.12
Libertarian J. Burke Morrison1,1030.34%Decrease2.svg 1.36
Constitution Mark E. Dankof1,0440.32%N/A
Natural Law Robert Mattson3890.12%N/A
Majority38,67511.83%−1.51%
Turnout 326,993
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

By county

By county
County Tom Carper
Democratic 		William Roth
Republican 		All Others
#%#%#%
Kent 21,99846.0925,38753.193440.72
New Castle 128,49160.0983,55439.071,7860.84
Sussex 31,07747.4933,95051.894060.62
Totals181,56655.53142,89143.72,5360.78

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Delaware governor to challenge Roth - CNN". Archived from the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ "Delaware U.S. Race, 2000 -- Sussex County Online, Delaware". Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  4. ↑ Wilkie, Curtis (October 26, 2000). "In tight race, health issues dog Delaware's Roth". Cache.boston.com. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives".

Official campaign websites (archived)

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