Highest % any Senator got running for their 1st term?

[nclib]

This thread was inspired by this Gubernatorial thread.

As far as the Atlas goes back, I found these results:

Obama, IL (2004) 69.97%
Crapo, ID (1998) 69.54%
Bayh, IN (1998) 63.72%
Reed, RI (1996) 63.48%
Roberts, KS (1996) 62.02%

Does anyone have any guesses as to other non-incumbents who won a comparable percentage for their first term?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

A lot in SC went unopposed in the early 20th century

[nclib]

A lot in SC went unopposed in the early 20th century

True, but I was mainly thinking about the past 50 years.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

A lot in SC went unopposed in the early 20th century

True, but I was mainly thinking about the past 50 years.

I guessed that

SC wasn't even close to being a democracy at the time, so it doesn't really count anyway.

[jimrtex]

This thread was inspired by this Gubernatorial thread.

As far as the Atlas goes back, I found these results:

Obama, IL (2004) 69.97%
Crapo, ID (1998) 69.54%
Bayh, IN (1998) 63.72%
Reed, RI (1996) 63.48%
Roberts, KS (1996) 62.02%

Does anyone have any guesses as to other non-incumbents who won a comparable percentage for their first term?

Byrd, WV (1958) 59.19%
Kennedy, MA (1962) 55.44%
Inouye, HI (1962) 69.41%
Stevens, AK (1970) 59.61%
Biden, DE (1972) 50.32%
Domenici, NM (1972) 54.02%
Leahy, VT (1974) 49.48% - Bernie Sanders with 4.13%
Sarbanes, MD (1976) 56.55%
Lugar, IN (1976) 58.76%
Hatch, UT (1976) 53.74%
Baucus, MT (1978) 55.68%
Cochran, MS (1978) 45.05% - Charles Evers with 22.89%
Warner, VA (1978) 50.19%
Levin, MI (1978) 52.14%
Dodd, CT (1980) 56.34%
Grassley, IA (1980) 53.36%
Specter, PA (1980) 50.48%
Lautenberg, NJ (1982) 50.94%, first tenure.
Bingamon, NM (1982) 53.77%
Kerry, MA (1984) 55.06%
Harkin, IA (1984) 55.47%
McConnell, KY (1984) 49.91%, Socialist Worker with 0.60%.
Rockefeller, WV (1984) 51.82%

So for the 23 most senior members, only Inouye is above 60%.

[jimrtex]

These include those over 60%, or under 50%:

(1986)
Mikulski, MD 60.69%
McCian, AZ 60.45%
Reid, NV 49.996% - NOTA 3.62%, Libertarian 1.87%
Conrad, ND 49.80% - Ind 1.13%

(1988)
Jeffords, VT 68.11% - as Republican
Lieberman, CT 49.76% - Libertarian 0.90%, New Alliance 0.30%

(1990)
Craig, ID 61.29%

(1992)
Boxer, CA 47.90% - American Independent 3.45%, Peace&Freedom 3.45%, 
                            Libertarian 2.18%
Gregg, NH 48.17% - Libertarian 3.52%, Independents 1.80% and  0.92%,
                                Natural Law 0.25%

(1993)
Hutchison, TX 67.34% - Special runoff.

(1994)
Snowe, ME  60.26%
Santorum, PA  49.41% Patriot 1.99%, Libertarian 1.68%.

[nclib]

Good work as usual, jimrtex. Do you know Brownback's results in 1996? (Brownback and Roberts were both originally elected in 1996, but the Atlas only has the data for Roberts.)

Anyway, it looks like Obama still has the highest percentage of the 100 Senators running for their first term.

[Rob]

Good work as usual, jimrtex. Do you know Brownback's results in 1996? (Brownback and Roberts were both originally elected in 1996, but the Atlas only has the data for Roberts.)

He polled 54 percent to 43 percent for Jill Docking.

[jimrtex]

Good work as usual, jimrtex. Do you know Brownback's results in 1996? (Brownback and Roberts were both originally elected in 1996, but the Atlas only has the data for Roberts.)

Anyway, it looks like Obama still has the highest percentage of the 100 Senators running for their first term.

Brownback had 53.91%.  His was a special election to fill the Dole seat - may be why the Atlas doesn't have it.

[Nym90]

Good work as usual, jimrtex. Do you know Brownback's results in 1996? (Brownback and Roberts were both originally elected in 1996, but the Atlas only has the data for Roberts.)

Anyway, it looks like Obama still has the highest percentage of the 100 Senators running for their first term.

Brownback had 53.91%.  His was a special election to fill the Dole seat - may be why the Atlas doesn't have it.

I've asked Dave about this race, as well as the two Oregon races in 1996. He said he doesn't currently have any way to display and differentiate two Senate races in one state in the same year, although he's working on it.

[DWPerry]

These include those over 60%, or under 50%:

(1986)
Mikulski, MD 60.69%
McCian, AZ 60.45%
Reid, NV 49.996% - NOTA 3.62%, Libertarian 1.87%
Conrad, ND 49.80% - Ind 1.13%

(1988)
Jeffords, VT 68.11% - as Republican
Lieberman, CT 49.76% - Libertarian 0.90%, New Alliance 0.30%

(1990)
Craig, ID 61.29%

(1992)
Boxer, CA 47.90% - American Independent 3.45%, Peace&Freedom 3.45%, 
                            Libertarian 2.18%
Gregg, NH 48.17% - Libertarian 3.52%, Independents 1.80% and  0.92%,
                                Natural Law 0.25%

(1993)
Hutchison, TX 67.34% - Special runoff.

(1994)
Snowe, ME  60.26%
Santorum, PA  49.41% Patriot 1.99%, Libertarian 1.68%.

It should be noted that not all of these candidates won a seat from an incumbent, McCain for example won an open-seat, Republican Barry Goldwater had retired.

[DWPerry]

Good work as usual, jimrtex. Do you know Brownback's results in 1996? (Brownback and Roberts were both originally elected in 1996, but the Atlas only has the data for Roberts.)

Anyway, it looks like Obama still has the highest percentage of the 100 Senators running for their first term.

Brownback had 53.91%.  His was a special election to fill the Dole seat - may be why the Atlas doesn't have it.

I've asked Dave about this race, as well as the two Oregon races in 1996. He said he doesn't currently have any way to display and differentiate two Senate races in one state in the same year, although he's working on it.

The "other election" in Oregon in 1996 was held in January, Wyden defeated Smith 48-47%, but Smith won a seat in the General election 49-47%

[Nym90]

Good work as usual, jimrtex. Do you know Brownback's results in 1996? (Brownback and Roberts were both originally elected in 1996, but the Atlas only has the data for Roberts.)

Anyway, it looks like Obama still has the highest percentage of the 100 Senators running for their first term.

Brownback had 53.91%.  His was a special election to fill the Dole seat - may be why the Atlas doesn't have it.

I've asked Dave about this race, as well as the two Oregon races in 1996. He said he doesn't currently have any way to display and differentiate two Senate races in one state in the same year, although he's working on it.

The "other election" in Oregon in 1996 was held in January, Wyden defeated Smith 48-47%, but Smith won a seat in the General election 49-47%

Correct, though it would still be nice to get it into the Atlas.

[Nym90]

These include those over 60%, or under 50%:

(1986)
Mikulski, MD 60.69%
McCian, AZ 60.45%
Reid, NV 49.996% - NOTA 3.62%, Libertarian 1.87%
Conrad, ND 49.80% - Ind 1.13%

(1988)
Jeffords, VT 68.11% - as Republican
Lieberman, CT 49.76% - Libertarian 0.90%, New Alliance 0.30%

(1990)
Craig, ID 61.29%

(1992)
Boxer, CA 47.90% - American Independent 3.45%, Peace&Freedom 3.45%, 
                            Libertarian 2.18%
Gregg, NH 48.17% - Libertarian 3.52%, Independents 1.80% and  0.92%,
                                Natural Law 0.25%

(1993)
Hutchison, TX 67.34% - Special runoff.

(1994)
Snowe, ME  60.26%
Santorum, PA  49.41% Patriot 1.99%, Libertarian 1.68%.

It should be noted that not all of these candidates won a seat from an incumbent, McCain for example won an open-seat, Republican Barry Goldwater had retired.

True, though of course that wasn't a condition of the original question.

Though it does raise the interesting next question of what the highest percentage of the vote that any candidate has ever gotten running against an incumbent (for the Senate or for Governor for that matter as well). Kay Bailey Hutchison would quite clearly have the record for current Senators, having gotten 67 percent against incumbent Bob Krueger in a 1993 special election (though Kreuger was an unelected incumbent, so that should come with an asterisk).

[DWPerry]

From 1958 the Senator defeating an incumbent in the General election with the highest %

1958 Edmond Muskie (Maine) 60.8
1960 J. Allen Frear, Jr. (Delware) 50.7
1962 Peter Dominick (Colorado) 53.6
1964 Joseph D. Tydings (Maryland) 62.8
1966 Charles H. Percy (Illinois) 55.0
1968 Richard S. Schweiker (Pennsylvania) 51.9
1970 John V. Tunney (California) 53.9
1972 William D. Hathaway (Maine) 53.2
1974 Gary Warren Hart (Colorado) 57.2
1976 Richard G. Lugar (Indiana) 58.8
1978 William L. Armstrong (Colorado) 58.7
1980 James Abdnor (South Dakota) 58.2
1982 Jeff Bingaman (New Mexico) 53.8
1984 Tom Harkin (Iowa) 55.5
1986 Bob Graham (Florida) 55.0
1988 Richard H. Bryan (Nevada) 52.1
1990 Paul Wellstone (Minnesota) 50.5
1992 Russell Feingold (Wisconsin) 52.6
1994 William H. Frist (Tennessee) 57
1996 Tim Johnson (South Dakota) 51
1998 Charles E. Schumer (New York) 54
2000 Thomas R. Carper (Delware) 56
2002 Mark Pryor (Arkansas) 54
2004 John Thune (South Dakota) 51

note 1974 John Glenn defetaed incumbent in Dem Primary

[GMantis]

Where do you get these results?

[GMantis]

The forum seems to keep its information sources very secure.

[DWPerry]

Where do you get these results?

No, not trying to keep my sources secure, was out of town for a few days. I got my info from Wikipedia, under Senate Election Results, they list the breakdown by State by year.

[jimrtex]

The forum seems to keep its information sources very secure.

The Clerk of the House of Representatives has election results since 1920 for the House, Senate and President.

[RBH]

Chuck Robb, 1988, 71%

[DWPerry]

Chuck Robb, 1988, 71%

But, Robb didn't defeat an incumbent, he won an Open Seat.

[nclib]

Chuck Robb, 1988, 71%

But, Robb didn't defeat an incumbent, he won an Open Seat.

Actually, the original thread question didn't specify running against an incumbent.

Anyway, why did Robb do so well in '88? I know he was a former Governor but also was the Republican candidate really weak?

[RBH]

Chuck Robb, 1988, 71%

But, Robb didn't defeat an incumbent, he won an Open Seat.

Actually, the original thread question didn't specify running against an incumbent.

Anyway, why did Robb do so well in '88? I know he was a former Governor but also was the Republican candidate really weak?

Yeah, and the GOP didn't really think that Robb could be defeated. Even if they had that seat from 83 to 89.

Maurice Dawkins (the opponent for Robb) was a 67 year old black minister.

And Robb won every city and county in Virginia too.

[DWPerry]

Dale Bumpers 84.9% in 1974 defeated incumbent in Arkansas Democratic Primary