1970 United States Senate election in Connecticut

none March 2026 September 2023 1970 United States Senate election in Connecticut Connecticut presidential no 1964 United States Senate election in Connecticut 1964 1976 United States Senate election in Connecticut 1976 November 3, 1970 80.5%https://archive.org/details/registe71conn/page/736/mode/2up Connecticut State Register and Manual, 1971 CT State Library File:Lowell Weicker.jpg 150x150px Lowell Weicker Republican Party (United States) 454,721 41.74% File:Joseph Duffey State Mag color.jpg Joseph Duffey Democratic Party (United States) 368,111 33.79% File:Thomasjdodd.jpg Thomas J. Dodd Independent politician 266,497 24.46% 220px County results 220px Municipality results 220px Congressional district results Weicker: #ffc8cd 30–40% #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #D75D5D 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Duffey: #BDD3FF 30–40% #a5b0ff 40–50% Dodd: #E6E6E6 30–40% #D9D9D9 40–50% U.S. Senator Thomas J. Dodd Democratic Party (United States) Lowell Weicker Republican Party (United States) The United States Senate election of 1970 in Connecticut was held on November 3, 1970. Incumbent Democratic Senator Thomas J. Dodd ran for a third term in office. After Dodd was censured in the Senate's first modern ethics case, he lost party support for re-election but stood as an independent. Republican U.S. Representative Lowell Weicker defeated Dodd and Democratic candidate Joseph Duffey. Background In January 1966, Drew Pearson and Jack Anderson published a series of syndicated newspaper columns describing Senator Thomas J. Dodd's association with Julius Klein, a West German public relations consultant.https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/censure/135ThomasDodd.htm 28 Sep 2023 The Censure Case of Thomas J. Dodd of Connecticut (1967) United States Senate The columns alleged that Dodd had engaged in fundraising improprieties and had diverted campaign funds for personal expenses. A formal Senate investigation ensued which lasted over one year, finding that Dodd had traveled to West Germany at Klein's behest and had transferred campaign funds to his personal accounts. Dodd initially refused to cooperate with the investigation by withholding financial statements and bringing several legal challenges against the committee; the committee responded by holding public hearings on the matter which severely damaged Dodd's reputation. On June 23, 1967, the Senate voted to censure Dodd by a vote of 92 to 5. His was the seventh censure in the history of the United States Senate and the first focused on financial impropriety. The resolution stated that Dodd had used his office as a United States senator "to obtain and use for his personal benefit, funds from the public through political testimonials and a political campaign," conduct which was "contrary to accepted morals, derogates from the public trust expected of a Senator, and tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute." Dodd stated in response, "I believe now, I shall continue to believe, that history will justify my conduct and my character." The Senate adopted four new rules of ethical disclosure, including a form of financial disclosure, in 1968. Democratic primary Candidates Alphonsus Donahue, Stamford businessman Joseph Duffey, anti-war activist Edward L. Marcus, Majority Leader of the Connecticut Senate from the 11th district Results 1970 Democratic Senate primaryhttp://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=349897 Our Campaigns - CT US Senate- D Primary Race - Aug 19, 1970 Democratic Party (United States) Joseph Duffey 79,166 43.55% Democratic Party (United States) Alphonsus Donahue 66,916 36.81% Democratic Party (United States) Edward L. Marcus 35,715 19.64% 181,797 100.00% Republican primary Candidates John Lupton, State Senator from Westporthttps://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/24/nyregion/john-m-lupton-85-politician-and-educator-in-connecticut.html John M. Lupton, 85, Politician and Educator in Connecticut Pace Eric 24 August 2002 The New York Times 7 January 2020 Lowell Weicker, U.S. Representative from Greenwich Results 1970 Republican Senate primaryhttp://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=349894 Our Campaigns - CT US Senate- R Primary Race - Aug 12, 1970 Republican Party (United States) Lowell Weicker 77,057 60.34% Republican Party (United States) John Lupton 50,657 39.66% 127,714 100.00% General election Candidates Thomas J. Dodd, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1959 (Independent) Joseph Duffey, anti-war activist (Democratic) Lowell Weicker, U.S. Representative from Greenwich (Republican) Results United States Senate election in Connecticut, 1970Our Campaigns - CT US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1970 Republican Party (United States) Lowell Weicker 454,721 41.74% Democratic Party (United States) Joseph Duffey 368,111 33.79% Independent Thomas J. Dodd (incumbent) 266,497 24.46% 1,089,329 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) Aftermath Lowell Weicker was re-elected twice in 1976 and 1982 before losing a bid for a third term to Joe Lieberman in 1988. He served one term as Governor of Connecticut from 1991 to 1995. He briefly ran for President in 1980. Thomas J. Dodd died suddenly of a heart attack on May 24, 1971. Newspaper obituaries noted that the senator had steadfastly claimed that he was innocent until the moment of his death. His son, Christopher, would join Weicker as the junior senator from Connecticut in 1981 and ran for President in 2008. Joseph Duffey retired from electoral politics but led a long career in academia and public office, serving in both the Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton administrations. He married his campaign manager, Anne Wexler, in 1974 after both had divorced their spouses. External links Dissent of the Governed, a documentary made by and about the Duffey campaign References Connecticut 1970 Category:1970 Connecticut elections