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1974 United States Senate election in Nevada

←  1968 November 5, 1974 1980 →
 
Nominee Paul Laxalt Harry Reid Jack C. Doyle
Party Republican Democratic IAPN
Popular vote 79,605 78,981 10,887
Percentage 46.97% 46.60% 6.42%

County results
Laxalt:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Reid:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election

Alan Bible
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Paul Laxalt
Republican

The 1974 United States Senate election in Nevada was held on November 5, 1974. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Alan Bible decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth full term. Republican nominee Paul Laxalt won the open seat.

Paul Laxalt, former Governor (1967–1971) and former Lieutenant Governor of Nevada (1963–1967), won by less than 700 votes, becoming one of the few bright spots in a bad year for Republicans. This was the only seat that flipped from Democratic to Republican. He beat Harry Reid, Lieutenant Governor of Nevada since 1971 and former State Assemblyman (1969-1971).

General election results [1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Paul Laxalt 79,605 46.97% +1.73%
Democratic Harry Reid 78,981 46.60% -8.16%
Independent American Party (Nevada) Jack C. Doyle 10,887 6.42%
Majority 624 0.37% -9.15%
Turnout 169,473
Republican gain from Democratic

Bible resigned three weeks early (on December 17, 1974) and one day later Nevada Democratic Governor Mike O'Callaghan appointed Laxalt to finish out that term. When Laxalt retired in 1986, Harry Reid won the seat that he lost in this election.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 4, 1974" (PDF). Clerk of the House of Representatives. p. 22.