1980 United States Senate election in Alabama
November 4, 1980
 
Nominee Jeremiah Denton Jim Folsom
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 650,363 610,175
Percentage 50.15% 47.05%
County results
Denton:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Folsom:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
U.S. senator before election

Donald Stewart
Democratic

 Elected U.S. Senator

Jeremiah Denton
Republican

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 the 1986 election to Democratic nominee Richard Shelby who later joined the Republican Party in 1994.[1]

Candidates

Democratic

Republican

Results

1980 United States Senate election in Alabama[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jeremiah Denton 650,362 50.15%
Democratic Jim Folsom 610,175 47.05%
Conservative Michael R. A. Erdey 15,989 1.23%
Libertarian William A. Crew 13,098 1.01%
National Democrat Sallie M. Hadnott 2,973 0.23%
Statesman Party Jim Partain 2,649 0.20%
Socialist Workers Mohammed Oliver 1,511 0.12%
Majority 40,187 3.10%
Turnout 1,296,757
Republican gain from Democratic

See also

References

  1. ↑ Wayne, Stephen (2008). Parties and Elections in America: The Electoral Process Fifth Edition. Rowman & Littlefield.
  2. ↑ Clerk of the United States House of Representatives (1981). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 4, 1980" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.


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