1994 United States Senate election in Virginia

none March 2026 September 2023 1994 United States Senate election in Virginia Virginia presidential no 1988 United States Senate election in Virginia 1988 2000 United States Senate election in Virginia 2000 November 8, 1994 x150px 43.6% (voting eligible) http://www.elections.gmu.edu/Turnout%201980-2012.xls Turnout 1980-2012 George Mason University Dr. Michael McDonald March 25, 2013 April 3, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20121030100426/http://elections.gmu.edu/Turnout%201980-2012.xls October 30, 2012 dead mdy-all Charles robb.jpg Chuck Robb Democratic Party (United States) 938,376 45.61% Oliver North mugshot crop.png Oliver North Republican Party (United States) 882,213 42.88% Marshall Coleman 1976.jpg Marshall Coleman Independent 235,324 11.44% 300px County and independent city results 300px Congressional district results Robb: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80%North: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% U.S. Senator Chuck Robb Democratic Party (United States) Chuck Robb Democratic Party (United States) 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 Iran-Contra Affair, a scandal during Ronald Reagan's presidency where he had asserted that he was merely following orders from superiors. He faced James C. Miller III for the Republican nomination. On March 16, 1994, a letter was solicited by former Senator Paul Laxalt and released by Miller that came from Reagan, which stated among the following, "I'm getting pretty steamed about the statements coming from Oliver North." It was the only statement Reagan made on the race.1994-10-29 THE 1994 CAMPAIGN: VIRGINIA; Mrs. Reagan Denounces Oliver North On Iran Affair https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/29/us/the-1994-campaign-virginia-mrs-reagan-denounces-oliver-north-on-iran-affair.html 2024-05-10 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 North defeated Miller in June for the party nomination with over 55% of the vote. The questions about North's credibility would be a constant issue for the duration of the campaign. On the Democrat side however, Robb was not assured of an easy path to re-election, as he had admitted to questionable behavior before and during his term as Senator.Shogren Elizabeth Ross Michael 1994-11-09 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. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-11-09-mn-60604-story.html 2024-04-10 Los Angeles Times en-US2024-03-04 VIRGINIA GOP CONVENTION NOMINATES NORTH FOR SENATE https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/06/05/virginia-gop-convention-nominates-north-for-senate/35985a6d-a423-48e0-b6f3-46cff27533c8/ 2024-08-18 Washington Post en-US 0190-8286 Marshall Coleman, a former state Attorney General, attempted to seize the middle ground between Robb and North and ran as an independent. Republican Senator John Warner of Virginia endorsed Marshall Coleman, declaring North "unfit" for public service. Douglas Wilder, the first black governor of Virginia, who served from 1990 to 1994, originally entered the Senate race in June as an independent before dropping out in September after polls showed him with favoring of less than 15% in a four-man ballot.1994-09-15 THE 1994 CAMPAIGN: VIRGINIA; Wilder to Quit Senate Race In Virginia https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/15/us/the-1994-campaign-virginia-wilder-to-quit-senate-race-in-virginia.html 2024-05-10 The New York Times en-US 0362-4331 In the last weeks of the election, Wilder started to campaign for Robb. 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 direct mail alone. This was the biggest accumulation of direct mail funds for a statewide campaign to that date, and it made North the top direct mail political fundraiser in the country in 1994.Ollie, Inc.: how Oliver North raised over $20 million in a losing U.S. Senate race http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2519/is_n6_v16/ai_17195256 usurped September 24, 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20071013164841/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2519/is_n6_v16/ai_17195256 6 16 October 13, 2007 In contrast, by late October, Robb had raised just $4.5 million, and Coleman had raised just over $400,000. On October 27 (less than two weeks before the election), former First Lady Nancy Reagan made a rare public speaking appearance that was videotaped. 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.2024-01-05 NORTH GIVES NANCY REAGAN NO BACK TALK https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1994/10/29/north-gives-nancy-reagan-no-back-talk/3c30755b-f3dd-40ba-a347-fb9eaae2fa50/ 2024-04-10 Washington Post en-US 0190-8286 North's candidacy was documented in the 1996 film A Perfect Candidate.Ebert Roger A Perfect Candidate movie review (1996) Roger Ebert https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-perfect-candidate-1996 2024-04-10 en 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. 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 1994 Virginia Democratic conventionhttps://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=15717 Our Campaigns - VA US Senate - D Convention Race - Apr 16, 1994 Chuck Robb (incumbent) Democratic Party (United States) 543 49.86% Virgil Goode Democratic Party (United States) 240 22.04% Douglas Wilder (draft effort) Democratic Party (United States) 189 17.36% Sylvia Clute Democratic Party (United States) 61 5.60% Nancy Spannaus Democratic Party (United States) 56 5.14% 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 1994 Democratic U.S. Senate primaryhttps://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=16076 Our Campaigns - VA US Senate - D Primary Race - Jun 14, 1994 Chuck Robb (incumbent) Democratic Party (United States) 154,561 57.90% Virgil Goode Democratic Party (United States) 90,547 33.92% Sylvia Clute Democratic Party (United States) 17,329 6.49% Nancy Spannaus Democratic Party (United States) 4,507 1.69% 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) Oliver North, Marine Corps veteran and figure in the Iran-Contra affair (Republican) Douglas Wilder, outgoing governor of Virginia (Independent) (withdrew) Polling Source Date ChuckRobb (D) OliverNorth (R) MarshallColeman (I) DouglasWilder (I) Mason-Dixon November 1–2, 199437% 36% 17% Richmond Times-Dispatch October 31 – November 3, 199439% 31% 12% Roanoke College October 27–30, 199439% 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, 199433% 28% 15% 12% Virginia Commonwealth University July 7–15, 1994 29% 29% 11% 16% Results United States Senate election in Virginia, 1994http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1994/94Stat.htm Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Party (United States) Chuck Robb (Incumbent) 938,376 45.61% -25.64% Republican Party (United States) Oliver North 882,213 42.88% +14.18% Independent J. Marshall Coleman 235,324 11.44% Independent L. Douglas Wilder (withdrew) 113 0.01% Write-ins 1,437 0.07% +0.01% 56,163 2.73% -39.83% 2,057,463 Democratic Party (United States) See also 1994 United States Senate elections References United States Senate Virginia 1994