1982 United States Senate election in Connecticut

none 1982 Connecticut Senate election March 2026 September 2023 1982 United States Senate election in Connecticut Connecticut presidential no 1976 United States Senate election in Connecticut 1976 1988 United States Senate election in Connecticut 1988 November 2, 1982 67.5%https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.aa0009076753&seq=758 Connecticut State Register and Manual, 1983 CT State Library 150x150px Lweicker.jpg Lowell Weicker Republican Party (United States) 545,987 50.39% Toby Moffett.jpg Toby Moffett Democratic Party (United States) 499,146 46.07% 220px County results 220px Municipality results Weicker: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Moffett: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70%Tie: #d2b1d9 40–50% U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker Republican Party (United States) Lowell Weicker Republican Party (United States) The 1982 United States Senate election in Connecticut took place on November 2, 1982. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Lowell Weicker won re-election to a third term. He first defeated a challenge from Republican Prescott Bush Jr., the brother of Vice President George H. W. Bush and son of former Senator Prescott Bush, and then won the general election against Democratic U.S. Representative Toby Moffett. To date, this was the last time the Republicans won a U.S. Senate election in Connecticut. Republican nomination Candidates Lowell Weicker, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1971 and heir to the Squibb drug fortune Withdrew Prescott Bush Jr., insurance executive at Johnson & Higgins, son of former Senator Prescott Bush and brother of Vice President George Bush (endorsed Weicker following convention) Robin Moore, author of The French Connection and The Green Berets (endorsed Bush)The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/14/nyregion/prescott-bush-opens-drive-to-win-weicker-s-seat.html 14 Jan 1982 B5 Madden Richard L. PRESCOTT BUSH OPENS DRIVE TO WIN WEICKER'S SEAT Two other candidates also seeking the Republican nomination are Robin Moore of Westport, author of The Green Berets and other books, and Bradford L. Peery, a financial analyst, also of Westport. Bradford Peery, financial analyst Campaign Prescott Bush announced his challenge to Senator Weicker on January 14 at the Old State House. Though the Reagan-Bush White House remained aloof from his campaign, he centered his message on his support for Reagan's policies and Weicker's "maverick" reputation.The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/14/nyregion/prescott-bush-opens-drive-to-win-weicker-s-seat.html 14 Jan 1982 B5 Madden Richard L. PRESCOTT BUSH OPENS DRIVE TO WIN WEICKER'S SEAT Bush drew controversy in early March at a meeting of the Greenwich Republican Women's Club in Weicker's hometown, when he commented with regard to illegal aliens: "I'm sure there are people in Greenwich who are glad they're here, because they wouldn't have someone to help in the house without them." Bush's campaign manager initially stated that the comment was "not in touch" and "didn't sound like Prescott Bush," but Bush himself latter admitted to saying it "jokingly" and expressed his concern that "there are a lot of these Mexicans, Colombians working in just about every community in the state."A 'JOKE' ABOUT ILLEGAL ALIENS STIRS CRITICS OF PRESCOTT BUSH https://www.nytimes.com/1982/03/27/nyregion/a-joke-about-illegal-aliens-stirs-critics-of-prescott-bush.html 27 Mar 1982 26 The New York Times In the first mid-March delegate election caucus in Fairfield, Bush swept all 17 delegates. Notably, the Fairfield caucus was the state's only one in which all registered Republicans could vote. Weicker's aides remarked the town was "Bush country," though they were surprised by the Senator's poor performance. Bush himself referred to the vote as "an overwhelming rejection" of Weicker. The Senator's campaign nonetheless suggested he would win "between 70 and 80 percent of the delegates at the convention." Polling also suggested that Weicker was the stronger candidate against Toby Moffett, the likely Democratic nominee.The Region in Summary; Connecticut's First Round Goes To Prescott Bush 28 Mar 1982 Douglas Carlyle C. Levine Richard The New York Times D6 Soon after, author Robin Moore withdrew from the race and endorsed Bush.Moore Is Quitting Connecticut Race 17 Mar 1982 B2 The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1982/03/17/nyregion/the-region-moore-is-quitting-connecticut-race.html Robin Moore, the author, said Tuesday that he was dropping out of the race for the Republican nomination for the United States Senate seat now held by Lowell P. Weicker Jr. and throwing his support to Prescott S. Bush of Greenwich. Late in the pre-convention race on July 17, state party chairman Ralph E. Capecelatro surprised many by endorsing Weicker on the grounds that Bush could not beat Moffett in November. Prior to his endorsement, many insiders believed Capecelatro was quietly supporting Bush. Soon thereafter, former party chair Jo McKenzie, who held an honorary position in the Bush campaign, endorsed Weicker as well, as did two former Bush campaign coordinators. The embrace by the party establishment came despite Weicker's long-standing feud with the state party and his denunciation of it as a "country club."WEICKER AND BUSH BATTLING TO WIRE Madden Richard L. 24 Jul 1982 The New York Times 25https://books.google.com/books?id=tihJAAAAIBAJ&dq=weicker+bush&pg=PA2&article_id=2055,3626603 Bush Strength Erodes as Convention Nears The Norwalk Hour July 22, 1982 Martin J. Waters Polling showed that Moffett led Bush by 12 points in the general election, but Bush called the contention that he could not win the election a "myth." Heading into the convention, Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker stated that he would seek White House intervention if Bush were to win the convention, in order to prevent a primary.https://books.google.com/books?id=tyhJAAAAIBAJ&dq=howard+baker+bush&pg=PA2&article_id=1112,3901403 White House Stays Out Of Race, Bush Declares Judd Everhart The Norwalk Hour July 23, 1982 Convention Entering the convention, Weicker maintained his confidence that he would win the party endorsement but admitted that Bush would probably win the 20% necessary to force a September 7 primary contest. Bush described his chances of winning as "a long shot," but predicted he would be able to force a primary. The keynote speaker was Governor Tom Kean of New Jersey, who encouraged unity and stressed support for President Reagan and "new federalism." Speeches for the candidates were delivered by Roger Eddy, state party treasurer, for Weicker and John O'Connell, a Hartford city councilman, for Bush. Eddy referred to Bush's candidacy as a "dangerous joke" and the convention as a "Republican trial, and inquisition." O'Connell denounced Weicker as a man who "constituently spurns both his President and his party" and "believes that we can best solve the problems of the 1980s through confrontation and obstruction."CONNECTICUT G.O.P. DELEGATES CONVENE 24 Jul 1982 Wald Matthew L. The New York Times 29 https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/24/nyregion/connecticut-gop-delegates-convene.html July 24, 1982 Connecticut Republican ConventionWEICKER AND ROME ENDORSED; BUSH PLANS PRIMARY https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/25/nyregion/weicker-and-rome-endorsed-bush-plans-primary.html 25 Jul 1982 Madden Richard L. 1 The New York Times Lowell Weicker (incumbent) Republican Party (US) 609 65.48% Prescott Bush Jr. Republican Party (US) 321 34.52% 930 100.00% While Bush had lost the convention, he managed to easily surpass the 20% threshold needed for a September 7th primary against Weicker. Immediately following the convention vote, Bush said there was "no question" he would contest the primary. On July 25, the Bush campaign denounced an NBC Nightly News report of "informed sources" that Bush would withdraw, calling it "absolutely false".https://books.google.com/books?id=-hIhAAAAIBAJ&dq=weicker+bush+nbc&pg=PA2&article_id=6301,4420799 Bush to file for primary; no word from Bozzuto The Day July 26, 1982 However, on July 27, Bush withdrew from the race to the surprise of his own supporters and opponents. He cited his desire to unify the Republican Party in advance of the general election. He had met with senior Republican Party officials after the convention, but denied pressure from the national party or the White House. Polls indicated that Bush led Weicker in a potential primary, but the race would have been expensive for both candidates and weakened the winner before facing Moffett.BUSH ABANDONS CONNECTICUT BID FOR SENATE SEAT https://www.nytimes.com/1982/07/28/us/bush-abandons-connecticut-bid-for-senate-seat.html Madden Richard L. 28 Jul 1982 A1 The New York Times Democratic nomination Candidates Toby Moffett, U.S. Representative from Unionville Withdrew John T. Downey, Commissioner of the Connecticut Public Utility Control Authority and a former Central Intelligence Agency operative. He was shot down over China during the Korean War and was held prisoner for over twenty years.Roessner Barbara T. May 5, 1982 Moffett Win Clouds Downey Campaign 2 Hartford Courant (Hartford, Connecticut) https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102806660/downey/ June 22, 2022 Newspapers.com Results General election resultshttp://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=3782 Our Campaigns - CT US Senate Race - Nov 02, 1982 Republican Party (United States) Lowell Weicker (incumbent) 545,987 50.39% Democratic Party (United States) Toby Moffett 499,146 46.07% Conservative Party (United States) Lucien DiFazio 30,212 2.79% Libertarian Party (United States) James A. Lewis 8,163 0.75% Republican Party (United States) See also 1982 United States Senate elections References Connecticut 1982 Category:1982 Connecticut elections