1980 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania
November 4, 1980
 
Nominee Arlen Specter Peter Flaherty
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 2,230,404 2,122,391
Percentage 50.48% 48.04%
County results

Specter:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Flaherty:      40-50%      50–60%      70–80%
U.S. senator before election

Richard Schweiker
Republican

 Elected U.S. Senator

Arlen Specter
Republican

The 1980 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania was held on November 4, 1980. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Richard Schweiker decided to retire, instead of seeking a third term.

Republican nominee Arlen Specter won the open seat, defeating Democratic nominee Peter F. Flaherty.

As of 2023, this 1980 election was the last time Philadelphia voted for a Republican statewide candidate. This is also the last Senate election in which Butler County, Clarion County, Venango County, and Jefferson County voted Democratic.

Republican primary

Candidates

Campaign

Arlen Specter, formerly a member of the Democratic party, had served as legal counsel to the Warren Commission, which investigated the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, after which he became District Attorney of Philadelphia.

After Specter was defeated in a 1967 run for Mayor of Philadelphia, he was then also defeated in his bid for a third term as district attorney. He then ran in the Republican primary in the 1976 Senate election, but was defeated by John Heinz and also ran in the 1978 gubernatorial election, but was defeated by Dick Thornburgh in the primary.

Shortly after Specter opened a law practice in Atlantic City, New Jersey, incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Richard Schweiker unexpectedly announced his decision not to seek re-election to his seat. Specter, believing his reputation as a political moderate would help him in the general election, decided to run.

During the Republican primary, Specter faced state senator Edward Howard, as well as Delaware County councilman Bud Haabestad, who was endorsed by Schweiker, then-governor Thornburgh and John Heinz.[1]

Results

Specter ultimately defeated Haabestad, his most prominent challenger, by approximately 37,000 votes.[1]

Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arlen Specter 419,372 36.40
Republican Bud Haabestad 382,281 33.18
Republican Edward L. Howard 148,200 12.86
Republican Norman W. Bertasavage 52,408 4.55
Republican Andrew J. Watson 43,992 3.82
Republican Warren R. Williams 38,153 3.31
Republican Lewis C. Richards 36,982 3.21
Republican Francis Worley 30,660 2.66

Democratic primary

Candidates

Campaign

During the Democratic primary, former Pittsburgh mayor Peter Flaherty contended with State Representative Joseph Rhodes, Jr., former U.S. Representative Edward Mezvinsky, State Senator H. Craig Lewis and Dean of Temple University Law School Peter J. Liacouras.[1]

Results

Flaherty's name recognition enabled him to defeat his primary opponents, winning every county and thus winning the Democratic nomination.[1]

Democratic primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Pete Flaherty 771,119 53.23
Democratic Joseph Rhodes Jr. 179,107 12.36
Democratic Peter J. Liacouras 116,975 8.08
Democratic C. Delores Tucker 107,483 7.42
Democratic Edward Mezvinsky 100,841 6.96
Democratic Tom Anderson 89,656 6.19
Democratic H. Craig Lewis 69,701 4.81
Democratic John J. Logue 13,752 0.95

General election

Candidates

Campaign

Flaherty employed a general election strategy he had used in two previous statewide office campaigns: win by a wide margin in the southwestern part of the state and narrowly win Philadelphia. He also hoped to carry several swing towns, based on his support from several labor unions.

Specter hoped to carry his hometown of Philadelphia, despite the Democrats' 7-2 voter registration advantage there. To this end, Specter sought endorsements among city Democratic leadership, including future mayor John F. Street. Specter hoped that, with wins in suburban areas and the heavily Republican central portion of the state in addition to winning Philadelphia, he would be able to win the election. Specter distanced himself from Governor Dick Thornburgh, who had become unpopular due to his proposals to decrease welfare program spending.[1]

Results

1980 U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Arlen Specter 2,230,404 50.48%
Democratic Peter F. Flaherty 2,122,391 48.04%
Socialist Workers Linda Mohrbacher 27,229 0.62%
Libertarian David K. Walter 18,595 0.42%
Consumer Lee Frissell 16,089 0.36%
Communist Frank Kinces 3,334 0.08%
Majority 108,013 2.44%
Total votes 4,418,042 100.00%
Republican hold Swing

In the end, Specter defeated Flaherty by approximately 108,000 votes, carrying Philadelphia and its suburbs as well as the central and northeastern portions of the state. Flaherty performed strongest in the western portion of the state, including Cambria, Clarion, Erie and Mercer counties.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kennedy, John J. (2006). Pennsylvania elections : statewide contests from 1950-2004. Lanham, Md.: University Press of America. pp. 61–63. ISBN 0761832793.
  2. ↑ "Our Campaigns - PA Senate - R Primary Race - April 22, 1980".
  3. ↑ "Our Campaigns - PA Senate - D Primary Race - April 22, 1980".
  4. ↑ "Statistics of the Congressional and Presidential Election of November 4, 1980" (PDF). Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
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