1992 United States Senate election in North Carolina

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1992 United States Senate election in North Carolina
Flag of North Carolina.svg
  1986 November 3, 1992 1998  
  Lauch Faircloth.jpg Terry Sanford.jpg
Nominee Lauch Faircloth Terry Sanford
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote1,297,8921,194,015
Percentage50.35%46.32%

1992 United States Senate election in North Carolina results map by county.svg
County results
Faircloth:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Sanford:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Tie:     40–50%

U.S. senator before election

Terry Sanford
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Lauch Faircloth
Republican

The 1992 United States Senate election in North Carolina was held on November 3, 1992 as part of the nationwide elections to the Senate. Incumbent Democrat Terry Sanford lost re-election for a second term to Republican Lauch Faircloth, the former North Carolina Secretary of Commerce.

Contents

Background

Eventual victor Lauch Faircloth had formerly been an ally of incumbent Terry Sanford. Although Sanford had helped Faircloth raise money for his failed gubernatorial bid in 1984, he angered Faircloth two years later when he allegedly dismissed Faircloth's chances in a statewide contest if the two ran against each other for the Democratic nomination for the Senate. [1] Faircloth withdrew from the 1986 race after Sanford "blindsided" him by announcing his candidacy. [2]

Party primaries

Democratic

Incumbent Senator Terry Sanford was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Republican

In 1990, after 40 years as a Democrat, Faircloth switched his party registration and began preparations to seek the Republican Senate nomination in 1992. Enjoying the support of Senator Jesse Helms's political organization, Faircloth defeated Charlotte mayor Sue Myrick and former congressman Walter E. Johnston, III in the primary.

Republican primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Lauch Faircloth 129,159 47.74%
Republican Sue Myrick 81,80130.23%
Republican Eugene Johnston 46,11217.04%
Republican Larry Harrington13,4964.99%
Total votes270,568 100.00%

General election

Candidates

Faircloth attacked Sanford as a tax-and-spend liberal, and despite a poor performance in a September televised debate, Faircloth won the seat by a 100,000-vote margin. Sanford may have been weakened by his unpopular vote against authorizing military force in the Persian Gulf War, and he suffered health problems in the summer of 1992. [4]

Results

1992 United States Senate election in North Carolina [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Lauch Faircloth 1,297,892 50.35%
Democratic Terry Sanford (incumbent)1,194,01546.32%
Libertarian Bobby Yates Emory85,9483.33%
Total votes2,577,855 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

See also

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References

  1. Howard E. Covington, Jr. and Marion A. Ellis, Terry Sanford: Politics, Progress, and Outrageous Ambitions. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1999, 489
  2. Rob Christensen. The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics. pp. 280-281.
  3. 1 2 "North Carolina DataNet #46" (PDF). University of North Carolina. April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2008. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  4. "Prospects Looking Up For 7 Southern Senators (Published 1992)". The New York Times . Archived from the original on April 17, 2023.