1984 United States Senate election in Iowa
November 6, 1984
 
Nominee Tom Harkin Roger Jepsen
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 716,883 564,381
Percentage 55.46% 43.66%
County results
Harkin:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Jepsen:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
U.S. senator before election

Roger Jepsen
Republican

 Elected U.S. Senator

Tom Harkin
Democratic

The 1984 United States Senate election in Iowa was held on November 6, 1984. Incumbent Republican Senator Roger Jepsen ran for re-election to a second term in office. Jepsen was opposed by U.S. Representative Tom Harkin, from Iowa's 5th congressional district, who won the Democratic primary uncontested. The general election was full of mudslinging and personal attacks, including the embellishment by both candidates of their military records; Harkin attacked Jepsen for failing to keep his promise to not sell AWACS aircraft to Saudi Arabia.[1] Ultimately, Harkin defeated Jepsen by a comfortable margin of nearly 12 points, winning the first of five terms in the Senate. Iowa was one of sixteen states alongside Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee and West Virginia won by Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1984 that elected a Democrat to the United States Senate. Iowa was one of fifteen states alongside Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee and West Virginia won by Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1984 to have simultaneously elected a Democrat to the United States Senate.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Tom Harkin 106,005 99.93%
Democratic Write-ins 70 0.07%
Total votes 106,075 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roger Jepsen (incumbent) 113,996 99.87%
Republican Write-ins 147 0.13%
Total votes 114,143 100.00%

General election

Results

United States Senate election in Iowa, 1984[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Tom Harkin 716,883 55.46% +7.54%
Republican Roger Jepsen (incumbent) 564,381 43.66% -7.47%
Independent Garry De Young 11,014 0.85%
Write-in 422 0.03%
Majority 152,502 11.80% +8.58%
Turnout 1,292,700
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Down and Dirty | News | the Harvard Crimson".
  2. 1 2 "Summary of Official Canvass of Votes Cat in Iowa Primary Election June 5, 1984" (PDF). Iowa Secretary of State.
  3. ↑ Clerk of the United States House of Representatives (1985). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1984" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.
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