1974 United States Senate election in Idaho

← 1968 November 5, 1974 1980 →

Nominee Frank Church Bob Smith Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 145,140 109,072 Percentage 56.07% 42.14%

County results Church:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Smith:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Frank Church Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Frank Church Democratic

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v t e

The 1974 United States Senate election in Idaho took place on Tuesday, November 5. Democratic incumbent Frank Church was re-elected to a fourth term in office, defeating Republican Bob Smith.^[1]

Church announced his presidential campaign in March 1976,^[2][3] off the strength of his victory as well as his high-profile chairmanship of the select Church Commission investigating American intelligence activity.

As of 2024^[update], this was the last time the Democrats won a U.S. Senate election in Idaho.^[4]

The primary was held on Tuesday, August 6.^[5]

• Frank Church, Boise, incumbent since 1957
• Leon Olson, Boise

• Charles Bolstridge, Nampa
• Bob Smith, Nampa, attorney^[7][8]
• Donald L. Winder, Boise

Democratic candidates did extraordinarily well in 1974, in response to the Watergate scandal. This was true even in Republican leaning states and districts, leading commentators to call Church and other Democratic candidates elected that year, "Watergate babies."^[10][11]

1974 United States Senate election in Idaho^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Frank Church (incumbent)	145,140	56.07%	4.19
	Republican	Bob Smith	109,072	42.14%	2.40
	American Independent	Jean L. Stoddard	4,635	1.79%	N/A
Majority			36,068	13.93%	−6.59%
Total votes			258,847	100.00%	+10.09%
	Democratic hold

• 1974 United States Senate elections