1974 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election

none January 2025 September 2023 1974 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election Pennsylvania presidential 1974 11 5 no 1970 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election 1970 1978 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election 1978 150x150px File:Milton Shapp (1976).png Milton Shapp Ernie Kline Democratic Party (United States) 1,878,252 53.66% File:Drew lewis (cropped).jpg Drew Lewis Ken Lee Republican Party (United States) 1,578,917 45.11% 1974 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 260px County resultsShapp: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Lewis: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% Governor Milton Shapp Democratic Party (United States) Milton Shapp Democratic Party (United States) The 1974 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election was held on November 5. Incumbent Democratic Governor Milton Shapp defeated Republican Drew Lewis. Under the state's 1968 constitution, Shapp was the first governor who was eligible to run for consecutive terms."Democrats Regain Control." Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 6, 1974, p. 7 (subscription required).Allan Jr., William. "Wait Until Next Time, County Republicans Sigh." Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The Pittsburgh Press, November 6, 1974, p. 2 (subscription required). Democratic primary Candidates Harvey Johnston Martin P. Mullen, state representative from Philadelphia Milton Shapp, incumbent governor Incumbent Governor Shapp easily dispelled a spirited challenge from Martin Mullen, a state representative from Philadelphia who was well known as a firebrand conservative opponent of abortion and pornography. Results thumb|center|Democratic primary results #7996E2 Shapp #7996E2 50%–60% #6674DE 60%–70% #584CDE 70%–80% #3933E5 80%–90% #51C2C2 Mullen #7DDDDD 40%–50% 1974 Democratic gubernatorial primaryhttp://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=43853. Our Campaigns - PA Governor- D Primary Race - May 21, 1974 Democratic Party (United States) Milton Shapp (incumbent) 729,201 70.41 Democratic Party (United States) Martin Mullen 199,613 19.27 Democratic Party (United States) Harvey Johnston 106,474 10.28 1,035,288 100.00 Republican primary Candidates Alvin Jacobson Drew Lewis, staffing executive and Richard Schweiker campaign manager Leonard Strunk With a short Republican bench, wealthy staffing executive Drew Lewis was the only serious contender in the race. Results thumb|center|Republican primary results #E27F7F Lewis #E27F7F 50%-60% #D75D5D 60%-70% #D72F30 70%-80% #C21B18 80%-90% 1974 Republican gubernatorial primaryhttp://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=43860 Our Campaigns - PA Governor- R Primary Race - May 21, 1974 Republican Party (United States) Drew Lewis 534,637 76.67 Republican Party (United States) Alvin Jacobson 97,072 13.91 Republican Party (United States) Leonard Strunk 63,868 9.15 695,577 100.00 General election Candidates Stephen Depue (Constitutional) Running mate: Ellis Werft Drew Lewis, staffing executive (Republican) Running mate: Ken Lee, speaker of the State House of Representatives Roberta Scherr (Socialist Workers) Running mate: Fred Stanton Milton Shapp, incumbent governor (Democratic) Running mate: Ernie Kline, incumbent lieutenant governor Campaign Shapp's popularity had waned somewhat since his comfortable victory in 1970; although he could claim to have saved the state from bankruptcy, he did so at the expense of large tax increases. Furthermore, Shapp, an unabashed liberal, had difficulty rekindling support from the state's rural, socially conservative regions. However, Shapp and Democrats as a whole received a significant boost from the Watergate scandal; with President Richard Nixon's popularity in a tailspin, many of the top tier Republicans declined to run. Instead, the party turned to the wealthy businessman Lewis, who was able to project an "outsider" image. Lewis focused on local issues and greatly undercut Shapp in rural areas; despite lagging at the polls in traditional Democratic strongholds such as Pittsburgh and Scranton, Shapp preserved a moderate victory by winning the combined vote of suburban Philadelphia, an unexpected accomplishment for a Democrat at the time.Kennedy John J. Pennsylvania Elections: Statewide Contests From 1950-2004 2006 University Press of America 9780761832799 https://books.google.com/books?id=1J_9q-lIWRkC&q=1998+ridge+itkin Results Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 1974The Pennsylvania Manual, p. 626.The Pennsylvania Manual, p. 625.PartyCandidateRunning mateVotesPercentage Democratic Milton Shapp (incumbent) Ernie Kline (incumbent) 1,878,252 53.66% Republican Drew Lewis Ken Lee 1,578,917 45.11% Constitutional Stephen Depue Ellis Werft 33,691 0.96% Socialist Workers Roberta ScherrA a none Fred Stanton 8,980 0.26% Write-ins Write-in 374 0.01% Total votes 3,500,214 100.00% Voter turnout (Voting age population) 63.31% Notes a. A a none Scherr, at the time, was only 21 years old and therefore ineligible to be governor.Ostrosky Steve Will Shapp deny Lewis November 1, 1974 The Daily Collegian Pennsylvania State University References Sources Roche Kathleen M 1975 The Pennsylvania Manual 102 Harrisburg Pennsylvania Department of General Services 1974 Gubernatorial Pennsylvania Pennsylvania gubernatorial election