Chapter 5: 1978 Midterms (Part IV)
Sergeant Foley
Well-known member
1978 MIDTERMS: UNITED STATES SENATE (PART IV)
*Louisiana: United States Senator J. Bennett Johnston (D-LA) was virtually unopposed in his reelection victory without doing any campaigning.
J. Bennett Johnston (D-incumbent): 100%✔
DEMOCRATIC HOLD.
*Massachusetts: United States Senator Paul Tsongas (D-MA) was appointed to the US Senate seat in Spring 1977 by Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis (D) following the resignation of then-United States Senator Edward W. Brooke (R-MA) ,who stepped down to serve as US Attorney General in President Rockefeller's administration.
Tsongas easily won the special election on June 16, 1977 with 60% of the statewide vote. He defeats Republican challenger Avi Nelson (R) by double digits, securing a full six-year term.
Paul Tsongas (D-incumbent): 1,093,283 (55.06%)✔
Avi Nelson (R): 890,584 (43.85%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD.
*Michigan: The Democrats got a huge pick-up with former Detroit City Council President Carl Levin (D) defeating two-term incumbent United States Senator Robert P. Griffin (R-MI).
Carl Levin (D): 1,484,193 (52.1%)✔
Robert P. Griffin (R-incumbent): 1,362,165 (47.9%)
DEMOCRATIC GAIN.
*Minnesota: The Land of 10,000 Lakes was altered by the following developments: then-United States Senator Walter Mondale (D-MN) abruptly resigned in December 1976 to serve as US Ambassador to Canada. Mondale's resignation resulted in then-Minnesota Governor Wendell Anderson (D) appointing himself to Mondale's US Senate seat.
Then-Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Rudy Perpich (D) ascended to the Governorship. Minnesotans got triggered by the political jockeying, which further escalated with the death of legendary United States Senator and former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN) on January 13th; Perpich appointed Humphrey's wife, Muriel to her husband's US Senate seat.
Anderson campaigned for a full six-year term, but faced an aggressive challenge from Rudy Boschwitz (R), who benefited from the backlash against the Minnesota Democratic Party and the political jockeying of the state's three major statewide offices. When the voters gave their verdict, Boschwitz easily defeated Anderson by double digits.
Rudy Boschwitz (R): 894,092 (56.57%)✔
Wendell Anderson (D-incumbent): 638,375 (40.39%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN.
*Minnesota (Open): Special
When then-United States Senator and former US Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN) died from bladder cancer on January 13th, Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich (D) appointed Humphrey's wife, Muriel Humphrey (D-MN) to her late husband's US Senate seat. However, she chose to retire and not run in the special election. David Durenberger (R) easily defeated Bob Short (D) in a landslide victory which sent major ramifications in the Land of 10,000 Lakes going forward.
David Durenberger (R): 957,908 (61.47%)✔
Bob Short (D): 538,675 (34.57%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN.
*Mississippi (Open): The Magnolia State got a huge political shakeup when arch-segregationist United States Senator James Eastland (D-MS) finally retired. Democrats quickly united behind Mississippi Governor Cliff Finch (D), who won the Democratic Party nomination by acclamation. Finch was viewed as one of the rising stars of the Democratic Party and potential contender for the Presidency.
However, things got thrown into a huge wrench when Charles Evers (I) crashed the party and launched total chaos. Beneficiary of this chaotic crisis: US Rep. Thad Cochran (R-MS) ,who won in such a wide margin in the wild, entertaining US Senate campaign. Cochran also made history as the first Republican United States Senator in the Magnolia State since Reconstruction.
REPUBLICAN GAIN.
*Montana (Open): US Rep. Max Baucus (D-MT) defeated Larry R. Williams (R) by double digits.
Max Baucus (D): 160,353 (55.69%)✔
Larry R. Williams (R): 127,589 (44.31%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD .
*Nebraska (Open): Longtime United States Senator Cliff Curtis (R-NE) chose not to seek reelection to a fifth term after 24 years in the United States Senate. Nebraska Governor J. James Exon (D) won this election in a landslide easily defeating Donald Eugene Shatten (R) in the Cornhusker State's open US Senate race.
J. James Exon (D): 334,096 (67.7%)✔
Donald Eugene Shatten (R): 159,708 (32.3%)
DEMOCRATIC GAIN .
*New Hampshire: Gordon J. Humphrey (R) defeated three-term incumbent United States Senator Thomas McIntyre (D-NH), who was seeking reelection to a fourth term.
Gordon J. Humphrey (R): 133,745 (50.71%)✔
Thomas McIntyre (D-incumbent): 127,943 (48.51%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN.
COMING UP LATER IN CHAPTER 5: I'll be working on Part V of the 1978 Midterms of the United States Senate.
*Louisiana: United States Senator J. Bennett Johnston (D-LA) was virtually unopposed in his reelection victory without doing any campaigning.
J. Bennett Johnston (D-incumbent): 100%✔
DEMOCRATIC HOLD.
*Massachusetts: United States Senator Paul Tsongas (D-MA) was appointed to the US Senate seat in Spring 1977 by Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis (D) following the resignation of then-United States Senator Edward W. Brooke (R-MA) ,who stepped down to serve as US Attorney General in President Rockefeller's administration.
Tsongas easily won the special election on June 16, 1977 with 60% of the statewide vote. He defeats Republican challenger Avi Nelson (R) by double digits, securing a full six-year term.
Paul Tsongas (D-incumbent): 1,093,283 (55.06%)✔
Avi Nelson (R): 890,584 (43.85%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD.
*Michigan: The Democrats got a huge pick-up with former Detroit City Council President Carl Levin (D) defeating two-term incumbent United States Senator Robert P. Griffin (R-MI).
Carl Levin (D): 1,484,193 (52.1%)✔
Robert P. Griffin (R-incumbent): 1,362,165 (47.9%)
DEMOCRATIC GAIN.
*Minnesota: The Land of 10,000 Lakes was altered by the following developments: then-United States Senator Walter Mondale (D-MN) abruptly resigned in December 1976 to serve as US Ambassador to Canada. Mondale's resignation resulted in then-Minnesota Governor Wendell Anderson (D) appointing himself to Mondale's US Senate seat.
Then-Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Rudy Perpich (D) ascended to the Governorship. Minnesotans got triggered by the political jockeying, which further escalated with the death of legendary United States Senator and former Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN) on January 13th; Perpich appointed Humphrey's wife, Muriel to her husband's US Senate seat.
Anderson campaigned for a full six-year term, but faced an aggressive challenge from Rudy Boschwitz (R), who benefited from the backlash against the Minnesota Democratic Party and the political jockeying of the state's three major statewide offices. When the voters gave their verdict, Boschwitz easily defeated Anderson by double digits.
Rudy Boschwitz (R): 894,092 (56.57%)✔
Wendell Anderson (D-incumbent): 638,375 (40.39%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN.
*Minnesota (Open): Special
When then-United States Senator and former US Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey (D-MN) died from bladder cancer on January 13th, Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich (D) appointed Humphrey's wife, Muriel Humphrey (D-MN) to her late husband's US Senate seat. However, she chose to retire and not run in the special election. David Durenberger (R) easily defeated Bob Short (D) in a landslide victory which sent major ramifications in the Land of 10,000 Lakes going forward.
David Durenberger (R): 957,908 (61.47%)✔
Bob Short (D): 538,675 (34.57%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN.
*Mississippi (Open): The Magnolia State got a huge political shakeup when arch-segregationist United States Senator James Eastland (D-MS) finally retired. Democrats quickly united behind Mississippi Governor Cliff Finch (D), who won the Democratic Party nomination by acclamation. Finch was viewed as one of the rising stars of the Democratic Party and potential contender for the Presidency.
However, things got thrown into a huge wrench when Charles Evers (I) crashed the party and launched total chaos. Beneficiary of this chaotic crisis: US Rep. Thad Cochran (R-MS) ,who won in such a wide margin in the wild, entertaining US Senate campaign. Cochran also made history as the first Republican United States Senator in the Magnolia State since Reconstruction.
REPUBLICAN GAIN.
*Montana (Open): US Rep. Max Baucus (D-MT) defeated Larry R. Williams (R) by double digits.
Max Baucus (D): 160,353 (55.69%)✔
Larry R. Williams (R): 127,589 (44.31%)
DEMOCRATIC HOLD .
*Nebraska (Open): Longtime United States Senator Cliff Curtis (R-NE) chose not to seek reelection to a fifth term after 24 years in the United States Senate. Nebraska Governor J. James Exon (D) won this election in a landslide easily defeating Donald Eugene Shatten (R) in the Cornhusker State's open US Senate race.
J. James Exon (D): 334,096 (67.7%)✔
Donald Eugene Shatten (R): 159,708 (32.3%)
DEMOCRATIC GAIN .
*New Hampshire: Gordon J. Humphrey (R) defeated three-term incumbent United States Senator Thomas McIntyre (D-NH), who was seeking reelection to a fourth term.
Gordon J. Humphrey (R): 133,745 (50.71%)✔
Thomas McIntyre (D-incumbent): 127,943 (48.51%)
REPUBLICAN GAIN.
COMING UP LATER IN CHAPTER 5: I'll be working on Part V of the 1978 Midterms of the United States Senate.
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