1970 United States Senate election in Ohio

Summary

The 1970 United States Senate election in Ohio took place on November 3, 1970. Incumbent Democratic Senator Stephen M. Young did not run for re-election to a third term in office. U.S. Representative Robert Taft Jr. won the open seat over Democrat Howard Metzenbaum.

1970 United States Senate election in Ohio

← 1964 November 3, 1970 1976 →
 
Nominee Robert Taft Jr. Howard Metzenbaum
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,565,682 1,495,262
Percentage 49.68% 47.52%

County results
Taft:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Metzenbaum:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election

Stephen M. Young
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Robert Taft Jr.
Republican

Both Taft and Metzenbaum won very competitive primaries to gain their parties' nominations, over Governor of Ohio Jim Rhodes and astronaut John Glenn, respectively.

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

  • Kenneth W. Clement
  • John Glenn, member of the Mercury Seven, first American to orbit the planet Earth, and candidate for Senate in 1964
  • John W. McAlarney
  • Howard Metzenbaum, former State Senator from Lyndhurst and campaign manager for Senator Stephen Young in 1964

Results edit

1970 Democratic Senate primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Howard Metzenbaum 430,469 46.32%
Democratic John Glenn 417,027 44.88%
Democratic Kenneth W. Clement 50,375 5.42%
Democratic John W. McAlarney 31,438 3.38%
Total votes 929,309 100.00%

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

1970 Republican Senate primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert Taft Jr. 472,202 50.28%
Republican Jim Rhodes 466,932 49.72%
Republican William L. White (write-in) 18 0.00%
Total votes 939,152 100.00%

General election edit

Results edit

1970 U.S. Senate election in Ohio[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Robert Taft Jr. 1,565,682 49.68%  0.10
Democratic Howard Metzenbaum 1,495,262 46.52%  3.70
American Independent Richard B. Kay 61,261 1.94% N/A
Socialist Labor John O'Neill 29,069 0.92% N/A
Total votes 3,151,274 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Our Campaigns - OH US Senate- D Primary Race - May 05, 1970".
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - OH US Senate- R Primary Race - May 05, 1970".
  3. ^ "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 3, 1970" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  4. ^ "Our Campaigns - OH US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1970". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 31, 2020.