1980 United States Senate election in Alabama explained

Election Name:1980 United States Senate election in Alabama
Country:Alabama
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1978 United States Senate special election in Alabama
Previous Year:1978 (special)
Next Election:1986 United States Senate election in Alabama
Next Year:1986
Election Date:November 4, 1980
Image1:JeremiahDentonSenate (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:Jeremiah Denton
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:650,363
Percentage1:50.15%
Nominee2:Jim Folsom
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:610,175
Percentage2:47.05%
Map Size:250px
U.S. Senator
Before Election:Donald Stewart
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Jeremiah Denton
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 1980 United States Senate election in Alabama took place on November 4, 1980, alongside 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. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Donald Stewart, elected in a special election to finish the term of the seat left vacant by the death of Senator James B. Allen, decided to run for a full term, but was defeated in the primary by Jim Folsom, who lost the general election to Republican Jeremiah Denton.

Denton was the first Republican elected to the Senate from Alabama since the end of Reconstruction in 1879 and the first Republican elected since the passage of the 17th Amendment requiring the direct election of senators. He would lose reelection in 1986 to Democratic nominee Richard Shelby, who later joined the Republican Party in 1994.[1]

Candidates

Democratic

Republican

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Wayne, Stephen . 2008 . Parties and Elections in America: The Electoral Process Fifth Edition . Rowman & Littlefield.