The 1974 United States Senate election in Vermont took place on November 5, 1974. The incumbent Republican Senator, George Aiken, did not run for re-election to another term in the United States Senate. The Democratic nominee, Patrick Leahy, the state's attorney of Chittenden County, defeated Republican nominee Rep. Richard W. Mallary to become Aiken's successor. This election also included Liberty Union Party candidate Bernie Sanders, who won 4.1% of the vote.
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Leahy: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% Mallary: 40-50% 50-60% 60-70% 70-80% 80-90% | |||||||||||||||||
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This election marked the first time in Vermont's history that it elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate, the last remaining U.S. state to do so. Leahy remained the only Democrat ever elected to the Senate from Vermont until 2022, when he retired and was succeeded by Peter Welch. The last non-Republican elected to the Senate from Vermont before 1974 was Lawrence Brainerd, a Free Soil Party member chosen in 1854 by an anti-slavery coalition of the Vermont General Assembly to fill a brief vacancy in this same seat.
Republican primary
editCandidates
edit- T. Serse Ambrosini, former Vice President of the Chase Manhattan Bank[1]
- Charles R. Ross, former member of the Burlington City Council and Professor of Economics at the University of Vermont[1]
- Richard W. Mallary, U.S. Representative from Vermont's at-large congressional district[1]
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard W. Mallary | 27,221 | 59.1% | |
| Republican | Charles R. Ross | 14,479 | 35.8% | |
| Republican | T. Serse Ambrosini | 2,265 | 4.9% | |
| None | Scattering | 61 | 0.1% | |
| Total votes | 44,026 | 100.00% | ||
Democratic primary
editCandidates
edit- Nathaniel Frothingham, former teacher[1]
- Patrick Leahy, State Attorney for Chittenden County[1]
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Patrick Leahy | 19,801 | 83.9% | |
| Democratic | Nathaniel Frothingham | 3,703 | 15.7% | |
| None | Scattering | 97 | 0.4% | |
| Total votes | 23,601 | 100.00% | ||
General election
editCandidates
edit- Patrick Leahy (D), State's Attorney for Chittenden County[1]
- Richard W. Mallary (R), U.S. Representative from Vermont's at-large congressional district[1]
- Bernie Sanders (LU), carpenter and social worker[1]
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Patrick Leahy | 70,629 | 49.47% | |
| Republican | Richard W. Mallary | 66,223 | 46.38% | |
| Liberty Union | Bernie Sanders | 5,901 | 4.13% | |
| Write-in | 19 | 0.01% | ||
| Total votes | 142,772 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h "Senate Race Enters Final Week; No Surprises Likely". The Times Argus. September 3, 1974. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- ^ Douglas, James H. (1989). Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Secretary of State. p. 134 – via Google Books.
- ^ Douglas, James H. (1989). Vermont Legislative Directory and State Manual. Montpelier, VT: Vermont Secretary of State. p. 135 – via Google Books.
- ^ "1974 U.S. Senate General Election". Retrieved December 1, 2020.
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