1994 United States Senate election in Virginia
November 8, 1994
Turnout43.6% (voting eligible)[1]
 
Nominee Chuck Robb Oliver North Marshall Coleman
Party Democratic Republican Independent
Popular vote 938,376 882,213 235,324
Percentage 45.61% 42.88% 11.44%
County and independent city results
Robb:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
North:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
U.S. senator before election

Chuck Robb
Democratic

 Elected U.S. Senator

Chuck Robb
Democratic

The 1994 United States Senate election in Virginia was held November 8, 1994. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Chuck Robb won re-election to a second term versus Republican nominee Oliver North, a Marine Corps veteran famous for his role in the Iran–Contra affair.

Robb ultimately won by a 45.6% to 42.9% margin, with Marshall Coleman, a former Republican state attorney general of Virginia, taking 11.4% as an independent candidate.

Background and campaign

Campaign

Oliver North was a very controversial figure as he was involved in the Iran-Contra Affair, a scandal during Ronald Reagan's presidency. Marshall Coleman, a former state attorney general, attempted to seize the middle ground between Robb and North. Republican Senator John Warner of Virginia endorsed Marshall Coleman.

Douglas Wilder, the first black governor of Virginia, who served from 1990 to 1994, originally entered the Senate race as an independent before dropping out.

In his failed bid to unseat Robb, North raised $20.3 million in a single year through nationwide direct mail solicitations, telemarketing, fundraising events, and contributions from major donors. About $16 million of that amount was from direct mail alone. This was the biggest accumulation of direct mail funds for a statewide campaign to that date, and it made North the top direct mail political fundraiser in the country in 1994.[2]

On the eve of the election, former first lady Nancy Reagan told a reporter that North had lied to her husband when discussing Iran-Contra with the former president, effectively eviscerating him. North's candidacy was documented in the 1996 film A Perfect Candidate.[3]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Convention

1994 Virginia Democratic convention[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chuck Robb (incumbent) 543 49.86%
Democratic Virgil Goode 240 22.04%
Democratic Douglas Wilder (draft effort) 189 17.36%
Democratic Sylvia Clute 61 5.60%
Democratic Nancy Spannaus 56 5.14%
Total votes 1,089 100.00%

There was an attempt to draft Governor Doug Wilder to run against Robb, but he chose to run as an independent candidate.

Primary

1994 Democratic U.S. Senate primary[5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chuck Robb (incumbent) 154,561 57.90%
Democratic Virgil Goode 90,547 33.92%
Democratic Sylvia Clute 17,329 6.49%
Democratic Nancy Spannaus 4,507 1.69%
Total votes 266,944 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Convention

North won a majority of the vote at the convention. He was not opposed in the primary.

General election

Candidates

Polling

Source Date Chuck
Robb (D)		 Oliver
North (R)		 Marshall
Coleman (I)		 Douglas
Wilder (I)
Mason-Dixon November 1–2, 1994 37% 36% 17%
Richmond Times-Dispatch October 31 – November 3, 1994 39% 31% 12%
Roanoke College October 27–30, 1994 39% 35% 14%
Mason-Dixon October 15–17, 1994 33% 37% 16%
Mason-Dixon September 22–24, 1994 33% 35% 18%
Mason-Dixon September 8–11, 1994 33% 28% 15% 12%
Virginia Commonwealth University July 7–15, 1994 29% 29% 11% 16%

Results

United States Senate election in Virginia, 1994[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Chuck Robb (Incumbent) 938,376 45.61% -25.64%
Republican Oliver North 882,213 42.88% +14.18%
Independent J. Marshall Coleman 235,324 11.44%
Independent L. Douglas Wilder (withdrew) 113 0.01%
Write-ins 1,437 0.07% +0.01%
Majority 56,163 2.73% -39.83%
Turnout 2,057,463
Democratic hold Swing

See also

References

  1. ↑ Dr. Michael McDonald (March 25, 2013). "Turnout 1980-2012". George Mason University. Archived from the original on October 30, 2012. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Ollie, Inc.: how Oliver North raised over $20 million in a losing U.S. Senate race". Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
  3. ↑ "A Perfect Candidate". IMDb. April 19, 1996. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Our Campaigns - VA US Senate - D Convention Race - Apr 16, 1994".
  5. ↑ "Our Campaigns - VA US Senate - D Primary Race - Jun 14, 1994".
  6. ↑ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives".
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