1966 United States Senate election in Tennessee


1966 United States Senate election in Tennessee

← 1964 (special) November 8, 1966 1972 →
 
Nominee Howard Baker Frank G. Clement
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 483,063 383,843
Percentage 55.72% 44.27%

County results
Baker:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Clement:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Senator before election

Ross Bass
Democratic

Elected Senator

Howard Baker
Republican

The 1966 United States Senate election in Tennessee was held on November 8, 1966, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Republican nominee Howard Baker won the election, defeating Democratic nominee and Tennessee Governor Frank G. Clement with 55.7% of the vote.

In the primary, incumbent Democratic Senator Ross Bass lost to Governor Clement by a little over 2%.

Baker became the first Republican to represent Tennessee since the temporary appointment of Newell Sanders in 1912. He was the first Tennessee Republican to win a full term in the Senate since Reconstruction in 1867 and the first ever to win a popular election to the Senate. He was also the first Republican to win a full term to this Senate seat.

Republican primary

Candidates

6.5% of the voting age population participated in the Republican primary.[1]

Results

Republican Party primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Howard Baker 112,617 75.74%
Republican Kenneth Roberts 36,043 24.24%

Democratic primary

Candidates

32.9% of the voting age population participated in the Democratic primary.[1]

Results

Democratic Party primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Frank G. Clement 384,322 51.22%
Democratic Ross Bass (incumbent) 366,079 48.78%

General election

Results

General election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Howard Baker 483,063 55.72%
Democratic Frank G. Clement 383,843 44.27%
None Write-Ins 55 0.01%
Majority 99,220 10.45%
Turnout 866,961
Republican gain from Democratic

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Steed, Moreland & Baker 1980, p. 22.
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - TN US Senate - R Primary Race - Aug 04, 1966". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  3. ^ "Our Campaigns - TN US Senate - D Primary Race - Aug 04, 1966". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  4. ^ Cook, Rhodes (October 26, 2017). America Votes 32: 2015-2016, Election Returns by State. CQ Press. ISBN 9781506368993.

Works cited