1970 United States Senate election in Virginia

1970 United States Senate election in Virginia

November 3, 1970

Nominee Harry F. Byrd Jr. George Rawlings Ray L. Garland Party Independent Democratic Republican Popular vote 506,237 294,582 144,765 Percentage 53.54% 31.15% 15.31%

County and Independent City Results Byrd:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90% Rawlings:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      70-80% Garland:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%

U.S. senator before election Harry F. Byrd Jr. Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. Independent

The 1970 United States Senate election in Virginia was held on November 3, 1970. Incumbent Senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. was re-elected to his first full term after winning a race 4 years earlier to finish the remainder of his father's term.

Having switched from Democratic to an Independent shortly before the election, Byrd became the first non-Democrat to represent the state in the Senate since 1889.

General election

Candidates

• Harry F. Byrd Jr., incumbent U.S. Senator (Independent)
• Ray L. Garland, State Delegate from Roanoke (Republican)
• George C. Rawlings Jr. former State Delegate from Fredericksburg (Democratic)

Results

United States Senate election in Virginia, 1970^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Harry F. Byrd Jr. (Incumbent)	506,237	53.54%	+53.54%
	Democratic	George C. Rawlings, Jr.	294,582	31.15%	−22.15%
	Republican	Ray L. Garland	144,765	15.31%	−22.07%
	Write-in		30	0.00%	-0.02%
Majority			211,655	22.38%	+6.46%
Turnout			945,614
	Independent gain from Democratic

See also

• 1970 United States Senate elections

References

1. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1970" (PDF). Clerk of the House of Representatives. p. 35.