1994 United States Senate election in Virginia
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Turnout | 43.6% (voting eligible)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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County and independent city results Robb: 40-50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% North: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Virginia |
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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
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
On October 27 (less than two weeks before the election), former First Lady Nancy Reagan made a rare public speaking appearance that was video tape. When asked about North, she stated that North had lied to her husband when discussing Iran-Contra with the former president, which came with the polls showing North in a tie with Robb. North, labeled as usually combative in his rhetoric, stated the following soon after: "My mom told me a long time ago not to get into a fight with a lady. Nothing is going to change the fact that I think Ronald Reagan is the greatest president of my lifetime and maybe the greatest president we've ever had." The statement by Reagan was stated later as key in hurting North's image, particularly with Republican women.[7]
North's candidacy was documented in the 1996 film A Perfect Candidate.[8] In a race declared by one historian as “the two most unpopular party nominees in this state’s history", Robb defeated North by a narrow margin.[3]
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Sylvia Clute
- Virgil Goode, state senator from Rocky Mount
- Chuck Robb, incumbent senator since 1989
- Nancy Spannaus, Lyndon LaRouche movement activist
Convention
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
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
- James C. Miller III, former Director of the Office of Management and Budget
- Oliver North, Marine Corps veteran
Convention
North won a majority of the vote at the convention. He was not opposed in the primary.
General election
Candidates
- J. Marshall Coleman, former Virginia attorney general and Republican candidate for governor in 1989 (Independent)
- Chuck Robb, incumbent senator (Democratic)
- Iran-Contra affair(Republican)
- Douglas Wilder, outgoing governor of Virginia (Independent) (withdrew)
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
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Chuck Robb (Incumbent) | 938,376 | 45.61% | -25.64% | |
Republican | Oliver North | 882,213 | 42.88% | +14.18% | |
Independent
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J. Marshall Coleman
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235,324 | 11.44% | ||
Independent
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L. Douglas Wilder (withdrew)
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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
- ^ Dr. Michael McDonald (March 25, 2013). "Turnout 1980-2012". George Mason University. Archived from the original on October 30, 2012. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/29/us/the-1994-campaign-virginia-mrs-reagan-denounces-oliver-north-on-iran-affair.html
- ^ a b c Shogren, Elizabeth; Ross, Michael (November 9, 1994). "ELECTIONS '94 : Robb Defeats North in Virginia's Scandal-Scarred Senate Competition : Politics: Incumbent Democrat survives close race where voters disliked both candidates. The African American vote was the key to victory". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/06/05/virginia-gop-convention-nominates-north-for-senate/35985a6d-a423-48e0-b6f3-46cff27533c8/
- ^ https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/15/us/the-1994-campaign-virginia-wilder-to-quit-senate-race-in-virginia.html
- ^ "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.
- ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. "A Perfect Candidate movie review (1996) | Roger Ebert". Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - VA US Senate - D Convention Race - Apr 16, 1994".
- ^ "Our Campaigns - VA US Senate - D Primary Race - Jun 14, 1994".
- ^ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives".