1974 United States Senate election in Vermont

The 1974 United States Senate election in Vermont took place on November 5, 1974. The incumbent Republican Senator, George Aiken, did not run for re-election to another term in the United States Senate. The Democratic nominee, attorney and prosecutor Patrick Leahy, defeated Republican nominee, then-Rep. Richard W. Mallary, to become Aiken's successor.

1974 United States Senate election in Vermont

November 5, 1974 (1974-11-05)

Nominee Patrick Leahy Richard Mallary Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 70,629 66,223 Percentage 49.5% 46.4%

County results Leahy:      40–50%      50–60% Mallary:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election George Aiken Republican Elected U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy Democratic

This election featured future Mayor of Burlington, U.S. Representative, and Leahy's future U.S. Senate colleague, Bernie Sanders, who was the nominee for the Liberty Union Party. Sanders won only 4.1% of the vote and failed to win any counties but managed to obtain 5.6% of the vote in Chittenden County.

This election marked the first time that the state of Vermont elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate. Leahy, who still holds this seat as of 2020, remains the only Democrat ever elected to the Senate in the state. The last non-Republican elected to the Senate from Vermont at this point in time was Lawrence Brainerd, who was elected as a member of the Free Soil Party in 1854. Sanders was elected to Vermont's other U.S. Senate seat in 2006; he has caucused with the Democratic Party but serves as an independent.

Republican primary

Results

Republican primary results[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Richard W. Mallary	27,221	59.1%
	Republican	Charles R. Ross	16,479	35.8%
	Republican	T. Serse Ambrosini	2,265	4.9%
	Republican	Other	61	0.1%
Total votes			46,026	100.00%

Democratic primary

Results

Democratic primary results[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Patrick Leahy	19,801	83.9%
	Democratic	Nathaniel Frothingham	3,703	15.7%
	Democratic	Other	97	0.4%
Total votes			23,601	100.00%

General election

Results

1974 United States Senate election in Vermont[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Patrick Leahy	70,629	49.47%
	Republican	Richard W. Mallary	66,223	46.38%
	Liberty Union	Bernie Sanders	5,901	4.13%
	N/A	Other	19	0.0%
Total votes			142,772	100.00%
	Democratic gain from Republican

See also

• 1974 United States Senate elections

References

1. "Primary Election Results" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
2. "General Election Results - U.S. Senator - 1914-2014" (PDF). Office of the Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved June 17, 2015.