1970 United States Senate special election in Alaska

none October 2021 October 2021 1970 United States Senate special election in Alaska Alaska presidential no 1966 United States Senate election in Alaska 1966 November 3, 1970 1972 United States Senate election in Alaska 1972 x150px File:Ted Stevens 91st Congress 1969 (cropped).jpg Ted Stevens Republican Party (United States) 47,908 59.61% Wendell P. Kay.jpg Wendell P. Kay Democratic Party (United States) 32,456 40.39% 400px Results by borough and census area 400px Results by state house district 1 Stevens: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Kay: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% U.S. senator Ted Stevens Republican Party (United States) Ted Stevens Republican Party (United States) The 1970 United States Senate special election in Alaska was held on November 3, 1970, to fill a seat in the United States Senate following the December 1968 death of Democrat Bob Bartlett, who had been Alaska's senior Senator since statehood in 1959. Republican Ted Stevens was appointed to the seat temporarily on December 24, 1968, to serve until the election could be held. Stevens faced-off against Democrat Wendell P. Kay for the right to serve the remainder of Bartlett's term, which expired on January 3, 1973. Stevens won the special election, receiving 59.6% of the vote versus 40.4% won by Kay. This election marked the first time in Alaska's history that it elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate, the last remaining U.S. state to do so. Stevens would go on to win re-election to six full terms, winning easily, until his defeat in 2008. Campaign Stevens spent most of the campaign in Washington D.C., Kay angrily trying to convince Stevens to debate, with Stevens portraying himself as a busy legislator who was taking care of Alaska's interests in the Capitol while Kay flung accusations. Stevens was noted for his solid organization, with many suborganizations such as 'Women for Stevens', and hosting frequent strategy meetings with supporters in nearly every community in the state. To encourage support from small business owners, Stevens asked the Small Business Administration to hold development conferences throughout the state. Stevens had lost the 1962 Senate race and 1968 Republican Senate primary, there were concerns about Stevens' electability in the campaign. Kay attacked Stevens on his support of the Nixon administration, calling on him to publicly defend his record, in an attempt to overcome Stevens' large lead in support. Kay attacked Stevens & Nixon on failing to handle unemployment, the high cost of living, inflation, native land claims, the pipeline permit, continued war and pollution control. Kay released detailed "position papers" on each of these issues, in one of which he demanded a "substantial reordering of national priorities", placing local community issues ahead of financing the Vietnam War or the construction of supersonic transport. Kay's loss was quite stark, especially considering Bill Egan's reclaiming of the governor's office and Nick Begich's election in the 1970 U.S. House race, as well as similar Democratic gains in local offices. Many Democrats quietly supported Stevens over concerns that Kay was too liberal, and Stevens had cultivated constituent issues quite skillfully while in office. Most importantly, Kay's primary challenge to Governor Egan was seen as a major factor in his re-election loss for a third term in 1966 to Republican Walter Hickel.Chinn, Ronald E. “The 1970 Election in Alaska.” The Western Political Quarterly, vol. 24, no. 2, 1971, pp. 234–42. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/446868. Accessed 1 June 2023. Primary election Candidates Republican Fritz Singer Ted Stevens, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1968, former Solicitor of the Interior & U.S. Attorney Democratic Joe Josephson, state senator Wendell P. Kay, Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives Results Open primary resultshttps://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/Archive/70PRIM/70prim.pdf State of Alaska Official Returns by Election Precinct: Primary Election August 25, 1970 Alaska Division of Elections 1970 Juneau 2022-06-23 Republican Party (US) Ted Stevens (incumbent) 39,062 55.91 Democratic Party (US) Wendell P. Kay 16,729 23.94 Democratic Party (US) Joe Josephson 12,730 18.22 Republican Party (US) Fritz Singer 1,349 1.93 69,870 100.00 General election thumb|upright=2.2|right|The Stevens Steamer, a raft commissioned by supporters of the Stevens campaign, which participated in the 1970 Great Tanana River Raft race. Results overview Special election resultshttps://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/Archive/70GENR/70genr.pdf State of Alaska Official Returns by Election Precinct: General Election November 3, 1970 Alaska Division of Elections 1970 Juneau 2022-06-23 Republican Party (US) Ted Stevens (incumbent) 47,908 59.61% +35.15 Democratic Party (US) Wendell P. Kay 32,456 40.39% –35.15 80,364 100.00% Republican Party (US) Results by district +District resultsScammon Richard M. America Votes 9: A Handbook of Contemporary American Election Statistics CQ Press 1972 0-87187-033-9 Washington, D.C. 24DistrictTed Stevens (incumbent) RepublicanWendell P. Kay DemocraticTotal votes#%#%District 12,29951.6%2,16048.4%4,459District 299560.2%65939.8%1,654District 31,10447.9%1,20352.1%2,307District 43,05352.3%2,79047.7%5,843District 568652.6%61747.4%1,303District 61,01658.7%71441.3%1,730District 71,78073.1%65626.9%2,436District 820,50264.9%11,10435.1%31,606District 959262.6%35437.4%946District 102,53561.2%1,60438.8%4,139District 111,02857.0%77743.0%1,805District 1238954.9%31945.1%708District 1366057.3%49242.7%1,152District 1482845.4%99454.6%1,822District 151,06857.8%78142.2%1,849District 167,43258.9%5,18141.1%12,613District 1770144.6%87155.4%1,572District 1883549.8%84150.2%1,676District 1940554.4%33945.6%744Totals47,90859.6%32,45640.4%80,364 See also 1970 United States Senate elections List of special elections to the United States Senate References Alaska 1970 Alaska 1970 1970 Special Alaska Special United States Senate Special United States Senate 1970 Category:Ted Stevens