California 1980 Senate Election

[freepcrusher]

Why did Alan Cranston win so easily? He seems like the archetypal candidate that would have lost in 1980 (McGovern, Church, Nelson). He had only gotten into the senate in 1968 because a popular republican incumbent lost in the primary to a John Bircher. He won in 1974 because of a strong D wave. Four years earlier, a much stronger dem candidate (John Tunney) was unseated by an obscure old Berkeley professor. Also, Cranston was from California where Reagan's strength brought a lot of dems down, especially since people decided to say f--- it after about 9 PM.

A lot of dems thought to be in safe districts like Jim Corman, Lionel Van Deerlin, Harold Johnson all lost re-election. What I find surprising is not only did Cranston win, but he won by around 15 points. I find that interesting considering he nearly lost re-election in 1986 (which was a good dem year when they picked up eight senate seats). Does anyone know anything about this election? I know Torie was alive then so maybe he would know.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Well, it helped that Cranston had a nobody, hard-right opponent in 1980. Ed Zschau, meanwhile, was a terrific rising-star candidate at the time. Zschau was an incredibly wealthy moderate -- a far better fit for the state.

Sometimes, candidate quality matters, you know?

[freepcrusher]

couldn't they have found one of the congressman to challenge him in 1980, maybe someone like Clausen from the north coast, McCloskey from the bay area, or Wilson from San Diego?

[I Am Feeblepizza.]

Carter conceeding early and the networks calling the election was a gift to the republicans across the board.

That still doesn't explain why Cranston won.

[I Am Feeblepizza.]

Carter conceeding early and the networks calling the election was a gift to the republicans across the board.

That still doesn't explain why Cranston won.

Cranston had a big lead when democrats started to get out of the voting lines as the election was called and Carter conceeded.

So Republicans just stopped voting? They didn't want to ensure that their new president-elect would have a strong conservative majority in the Congress so that he could accomplish his agenda more easily?

[rbt48]

As I recall, Cranston campaigned very effectively in ads that Zschau had flip-flopped on several key issues, perhaps including abortion.  My memory may be flawed on this after 31 years.  I really thought, at the time, that the Republicans had a candidate who would take down Cranston.  BTW, in 1968, Cranston never should have won, but the Republican right nominated Max Rafferty (State Board of Education Chief over incumbent moderate Tom Kuchel (sp?).  This handed a sure loss into a Cranston win, and cut Nixon's landslide margin in CA into a few point win (and made the National popular vote very close.  Almost a worse result for the GOP than the stupid defeat of Castle in Delaware last year.

[Torie]

Well, it helped that Cranston had a nobody, hard-right opponent in 1980. Ed Zschau, meanwhile, was a terrific rising-star candidate at the time. Zschau was an incredibly wealthy moderate -- a far better fit for the state.

Sometimes, candidate quality matters, you know?

And there you have it. I voted for Cranston - twice.  That is a reflection of how truly embarrassing his opponents were.

[freepcrusher]

another question about Cranston. For the longest serving senator from CA in recent memory, a lot of politicos haven't even heard of him. Anyways, I remember hearing recently that he was a major hack (think Doolittle or Calvert). Does anyone know anything about that?

[Torie]

another question about Cranston. For the longest serving senator from CA in recent memory, a lot of politicos haven't even heard of him. Anyways, I remember hearing recently that he was a major hack (think Doolittle or Calvert). Does anyone know anything about that?

Nah, just a standard issue liberal, who crossed the line into the abyss as one of the big three perps out of the Keating Five (the others being DeConcini and Reigle), which ended his career in disgrace.