1974 United States Senate election in South Dakota

The 1974 United States Senate election in South Dakota was held on November 5, 1974. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator George McGovern, who had lost the 1972 United States presidential election to Richard Nixon ran for reelection to a third term and won, despite having also lost his home state two years prior.

1974 United States Senate election in South Dakota

← 1968 November 5, 1974 1980 →
 
Nominee George McGovern Leo K. Thorsness
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 147,929 130,955
Percentage 53.04% 46.96%

County results
McGovern:      50–60%      60–70%
Thorsness:      50–60%      60-70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election

George McGovern
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

George McGovern
Democratic

Primary elections

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Primary elections were held on June 4, 1974.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[1][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George McGovern (incumbent) unopposed

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Republican primary results[1][2][5][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Leo K. Thorsness 49,716 52.35%
Republican Al Schock 35,406 37.28%
Republican Barbara B. Gunderson 9,852 10.37%
Total votes 94,974 100.00%

General election

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Candidates

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Results

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1974 United States Senate election in South Dakota[7][8][9][10][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George McGovern (incumbent) 147,929 53.04
Republican Leo K. Thorsness 130,955 46.96
Majority 16,974 6.08
Turnout 278,884
Democratic hold

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 152.
  2. ^ a b America Votes 11, p. 302.
  3. ^ "Barbara Bates Gunderson Obituary (2007) Rapid City Journal". Legacy.com.
  4. ^ "Al Schock - SD Hall of Fame Programs".
  5. ^ "SD US Senate, 1974 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  6. ^ Lorna B. Herseth, Secretary of State (ed.). Official Election Returns for South Dakota: Primary Election, June 4, 1974 (PDF). p. 2.
  7. ^ Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 96.
  8. ^ America Votes 11, p. 297.
  9. ^ "SD US Senate, 1974". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  10. ^ Lorna B. Herseth, Secretary of State (ed.). Official Election Returns for South Dakota: General Election, November 5, 1974 (PDF). p. 2.
  11. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1974" (PDF). Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House. August 1, 1975. Retrieved December 3, 2020.

Bibliography

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  • Congressional Elections, 1946-1996. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998. ISBN 1-56802-248-4.
  • Scammon, Richard M., ed. (1975). America Votes 11: a handbook of contemporary American election statistics, 1974. Washington, D.C.: Elections Research Center.