The 1982 United States Senate elections were held on November 2, 1982. They were elections for the United States Senate following Republican gains in 1980. The 33 Senate seats of Class 1 were up for election in 1982. A total of four seats changed hands between parties, with Democrats winning seats in New Jersey and New Mexico, and Republicans taking seats in Nevada and the seat of the lone independent, Senator Harry Byrd Jr., in Virginia. Democrats made a net gain of one seat bringing them to 46 seats, while Republicans stayed at 54 seats for a majority. However, the Democratic gain in New Jersey replaced a Republican that had been appointed earlier in the year.

Quick Facts 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...

1982 United States Senate elections

← 1980 November 2, 1982 1984 →
1983 (WA) →
33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Howard Baker Robert Byrd Party Republican Democratic Leader since March 5, 1980 January 3, 1977 Leader's seat Tennessee West Virginia Seats before 54 45 Seats after 54 46 Seat change 1 Popular vote 22,412,928 27,899,651 Percentage 43.4% 54.1% Seats up 13 19 Races won 13 20   Third party   Party Independent Seats before 1 Seats after 0 Seat change 1 Seats up 1 Races won 0
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Republican gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold      No election
Majority Leader before election Howard Baker Republican Elected Majority Leader Howard Baker Republican

Close

A special election was also held in Washington state in 1983 that gave Republicans a seat that was previously held by a Democrat, bringing their majority to 55–45. As of 2024, this is the last time Democrats won a U.S. Senate election in Mississippi and the last time Republicans won one in Connecticut.

More information Parties, Total ...

Parties							Total
		Democratic	Republican	Independent	Libertarian	Other
Last elections (1980)		46	53	1	0	0	100
Before these elections		45	54	1	0	0	100
Not up		26	41	0	0	0	67
Up Class 1 (1976→1982)		19	13	1	—	—	33
Incumbent retired		0	2	1	—	—	3
	Held by same party	—	1	0	—	—	1
	Replaced by other party	1 Republican replaced by 1 Democrat 1 Independent replaced by 1 Republican			—	—	2
	Result	1	2	0	—	—	3
Incumbent ran		19[lower-alpha 1]	11	0	—	—	30
	Won re-election	18	10	—	—	—	28
	Lost re-election	1 Republican replaced by 1 Democrat 1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican		—	—	—	2
	Lost renomination, but held by same party	0	0	—	—	—	0
	Result	19	11	0	—	—	30
Total elected		20	13	0	0	0	33
Net gain/loss		1		1			1
Nationwide vote		27,899,651	22,412,928	146,512	291,576	839,328	51,589,995
	Share	54.08%	43.44%	0.28%	0.57%	1.63%	100%
Result		46	54	0	0	0	100

Close

Source: Office of the Clerk^[1]

In eleven races the margin of victory was under 10%.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Arizona election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Dennis DeConcini Pete Dunn Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 411,970 291,749 Percentage 56.9% 40.3%

County results DeConcini:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Dunn:      40–50%

U.S. senator before election Dennis DeConcini Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Dennis DeConcini Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democrat Dennis DeConcini won re-election to a second term over Republican Pete Dunn, State Representative.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

California election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Pete Wilson Jerry Brown Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 4,022,565 3,494,968 Percentage 51.4% 44.8%

County results Wilson:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Brown:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election S. I. Hayakawa Republican Elected U.S. Senator Pete Wilson Republican

Close

Incumbent Republican S. I. Hayakawa decided to retire after one term. Republican Pete Wilson, Mayor of San Diego and former Assemblyman, won the open seat over Democratic Governor Jerry Brown.

Wilson was known as a fiscal conservative who supported Proposition 13, although Wilson had opposed the measure while mayor of San Diego. However, Brown ran on his gubernatorial record of building the largest state budget surpluses in California history. Both Wilson and Brown were moderate-to-liberal on social issues, including support for abortion rights. The election was expected to be close, with Brown holding a slim lead in most of the polls leading up to Election Day. Wilson hammered away at Brown's appointment of California Chief Justice Rose Bird, using this to portray himself as tougher on crime than Brown was. Brown's late entry into the 1980 Democratic presidential primary, after promising not to run, was also an issue. President Ronald Reagan made a number of visits to California late in the race to campaign for Wilson. Reagan quipped that the last thing he wanted to see was one of his home state's U.S. Senate seats falling into Democrats' hands, especially to be occupied by the man who succeeded him as governor. Despite exit polls indicating a narrow Brown victory, Wilson won by a wide margin.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Connecticut election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Lowell Weicker Toby Moffett Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 545,987 499,146 Percentage 50.4% 46.1%

County results Municipality results Weicker:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Moffett:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Tie:      40–50%

U.S. senator before election Lowell P. Weicker Jr. Republican Elected U.S. Senator Lowell P. Weicker Jr. Republican

Close

Incumbent Republican Lowell P. Weicker Jr. won re-election to a third term over Democratic member of the House Toby Moffett.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Delaware election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Bill V. Roth David N. Levinson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 105,357 84,413 Percentage 55.2% 44.2%

County results Roth:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Bill V. Roth Republican Elected U.S. Senator Bill V. Roth Republican

Close

Incumbent Republican Bill V. Roth won reelection to a third term over the state's Democratic Insurance Commissioner David N. Levinson.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Florida election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Lawton Chiles Van B. Poole Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,637,667 1,015,330 Percentage 61.7% 38.3%

County results Chiles:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Poole:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Lawton Chiles Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democrat Lawton Chiles won re-election to a third term over Republican state senator Van B. Poole.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Hawaii election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Spark Matsunaga Clarence Brown Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 245,386 52,071 Percentage 80.1% 17.0%

County results Matsunaga:      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Spark Matsunaga Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Spark Matsunaga Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democrat Spark Matsunaga won re-election to a second term^[6] over Republican Clarence Brown, a retired Foreign Service officer^[7]

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Indiana election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Richard Lugar Floyd Fithian Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 978,301 828,400 Percentage 53.8 45.6

County results Lugar:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Fithian:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Richard Lugar Republican Elected U.S. Senator Richard Lugar Republican

Close

Incumbent Republican Richard Lugar faced Democratic United States Representative Floyd Fithian in the general election. Lugar won with a margin of 54% of the vote, compared to Fithian's 46%.

After the 1980 census, the Indiana General Assembly redistricted Indiana's congressional districts, pushing Democratic representative Floyd Fithian's district into more conservative territory.^[9] After redistricting, Fithian, the three term incumbent of Indiana's 2nd congressional district, decided to run for Secretary of State of Indiana, but withdrew from the primary to ultimately run for the United States Senate. He challenged fellow Democrat and one term Indiana State Senator Michael Kendall of Jasper, Indiana, who Fithian earlier encouraged to run for the Senate.^[10] Kendall, who represented Indiana's 47th Senate district and formed the Notre Dame Students for Robert Kennedy organization during the 1968 presidential election,^[11] was seen a young progressive alternative to Fithian, who he called the "ideological twin of Richard Lugar."^[12] After the bitterly contested primary, Fithian prevailed over Kendall, winning with 59% of the vote.^[13]

Incumbent United States Senator Richard Lugar won the republican nomination in an uncontested primary on May 4, 1982.^[14]

In the general election, Lugar faced Fithian and American Party candidate Raymond James.^[1]

On November 5, 1982, Lugar defeated Fithian and James in the general election, winning 74 of Indiana's 93 counties.^[15]

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Maine election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee George J. Mitchell David F. Emery Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 279,819 179,882 Percentage 60.9% 39.1%

County results Mitchell:      50–60%      60–70% Emery:      50-60%

U.S. senator before election George J. Mitchell Democratic Elected U.S. Senator George J. Mitchell Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democrat George J. Mitchell, originally appointed to the seat after Edmund Muskie resigned, won re-election to his full six-year term over Republican U.S. Representative David F. Emery, earning 61% of the vote to Emery's 39%. Mitchell would serve two more terms in the Senate, eventually serving as Senate Majority Leader.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Maryland election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Paul Sarbanes Lawrence Hogan Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 707,356 407,334 Percentage 63.5% 36.5%

County results Sarbanes:      50–60%      60–70%      80–90% Hogan:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Paul Sarbanes Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democrat Paul Sarbanes won re-election to a second term in office. He defeated the Republican former Representative from Maryland's 5th district and Prince George's County Executive Lawrence Hogan.^[16]

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Massachusetts election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Ted Kennedy Ray Shamie Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,247,084 784,602 Percentage 60.8% 38.3%

County Results Municipality Results County results Kennedy:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100% Shamie:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Ted Kennedy Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democrat Ted Kennedy won re-election to his fifth (his fourth full) term over Republican Ray Shamie, a millionaire businessman and metalwork entrepreneur.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Michigan election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Don Riegle Philip Ruppe Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,728,793 1,223,288 Percentage 57.74% 40.85%

County results Riegle:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Ruppe:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Don Riegle Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Don Riegle Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democrat Don Riegle won re-election to a second term, defeating Republican challenger Philip Ruppe, a former U.S. Representative from Houghton.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Minnesota election

← 1978 1988 →

Nominee David Durenberger Mark Dayton Party Ind.-Republican Democratic (DFL) Popular vote 949,207 840,401 Percentage 52.6% 46.6%

County results Durenberger:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Dayton:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election David Durenberger Ind.-Republican Elected U.S. Senator David Durenberger Ind.-Republican

Close

Incumbent Republican David Durenberger won re-election to his second term over Democratic businessman Mark Dayton.^[17]

Dayton, 35, self-financed his campaign. Married to a Rockefeller and heir to a department store, his net worth was an estimated $30 million. Durenberger, who in 1978 and won the special election to finish the term of the late Hubert Humphrey, was largely unknown. He was considered a moderate, but supported Reagan's tax cuts. Dayton ran against Reaganomics. He has also campaigned against tax breaks for the wealthy and even promised "to close tax loopholes for the rich and the corporations—and if you think that includes the Daytons, you're right."^[18] By the end of September, the senate election already became the most expensive election of all time, with over $8 million being spent. Dayton spent over $5 million,^[19] while Durenberger spent over $2 million.^[20]

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Mississippi election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee John C. Stennis Haley Barbour Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 414,099 230,927 Percentage 64.2% 35.8%

County results Stennis:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Barbour:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election John C. Stennis Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John C. Stennis Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democrat John C. Stennis won re-election to his seventh term over Republican Haley Barbour, a political operative who campaigned for U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Missouri election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee John Danforth Harriett Woods Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 784,876 758,629 Percentage 50.8% 49.2%

County Results Danforth:      50-60%      60-70% Woods:      50–60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election John Danforth Republican Elected U.S. Senator John Danforth Republican

Close

Incumbent John Danforth, originally elected in the 1976 United States Senate election in Missouri, ran for a second term. In the general election, he narrowly defeated state senator Harriett Woods by just over a percentage point. Danforth would go on to serve two more terms in the Senate.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Montana election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee John Melcher Larry R. Williams Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 174,861 133,789 Percentage 54.5% 41.7%

County results Melcher:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Williams:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election John Melcher Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John Melcher Democratic

Close

Incumbent John Melcher, who was first elected to the Senate in 1976, opted to run for re-election. He won the Democratic primary after he faced a tough intraparty challenger, and advanced to the general election, where he faced Larry R. Williams, an author and the Republican nominee, and Larry Dodge, the Libertarian nominee. Though his margin was reduced significantly from his initial election, Melcher still comfortably won re-election to his second and final term in the Senate.

During his first term in the Senate, Melcher's relative conservatism for a Democrat prompted a primary challenger in Michael Bond, a housing contractor who campaigned on his opposition to nuclear war. Bond attacked Melcher for voting to increase spending on nuclear arms, and pledged to reduce military spending to $60 billion and to use the savings to reduce interest rates.^[22] During the campaign, Bond came under fire from the state branches of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans for turning in his draft card in 1967 to protest the Vietnam War, who put out a statement, saying, "There is no place in the U.S. Senate for any draft dodger, draft card burner or draft protester of any kind."^[23]

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Nebraska election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Edward Zorinsky Jim Keck Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 363,350 155,760 Percentage 66.6% 28.6%

County results Zorinsky:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Keck:      40–50%      50–60% Tie:      40–50%

U.S. senator before election Edward Zorinsky Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Edward Zorinsky Democratic

Close

Incumbent Democrat Edward Zorinsky won re-election.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

Nevada election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Chic Hecht Howard Cannon Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 120,377 114,720 Percentage 50.1% 47.7%

County results Hecht:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Cannon:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Howard Cannon Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Chic Hecht Republican

Close

Incumbent Democrat Howard Cannon ran for re-election to a fifth term, but lost to Republican State Senator Chic Hecht.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

New Jersey election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Frank Lautenberg Millicent Fenwick Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,117,549 1,047,626 Percentage 50.9% 47.8%

Lautenberg:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Fenwick:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Nicholas F. Brady Republican Elected U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg Democratic

Close

Democrat Frank Lautenberg won for the seat held by retiring incumbent Republican Senator Nicholas Brady. Lautenberg won the seat with a margin of 3.2% over member of the House Millicent Fenwick.

Cresitello dropped out of the race on May 27 but remained on the June 8 primary ballot.^[26]

The seat had been occupied by Democrat Harrison A. Williams, who resigned on March 11, 1982, after being implicated in the Abscam scandal. After Williams' resignation, Republican Governor Thomas Kean appointed Republican Nicholas F. Brady to the seat. Brady served in the Senate through the primary and general elections but did not run for the seat himself.

In the general election, Lautenberg faced popular Republican member of the House Millicent Fenwick. She ran on a very progressive platform and polls in the Summer of 1982 put her ahead by 18 points. Even Lautenberg quipped that she was "the most popular candidate in the country."^[28] Lautenberg spent more of his own money, eventually out-spending Fenwick two-to-one. He emphasised President Reagan's unpopularity, reminded the voters that she would be a vote for a Republican majority in the Senate and called Fenwick, who was 72, "eccentric" and "erratic" but denied that he was referring to her age.^[28][29] He did however point out that she would be almost 80 at the end of her first term and was therefore unlikely to gain much seniority in the Senate.^[28] Coincidentally, the age issue would be used against Lautenberg in his own re-election bid in 2008.

Lautenberg won by 51% to 48%, in what was considered a major upset.^[28] Brady, who had just a few days left in his appointed term, resigned on December 27, 1982, allowing Lautenberg to take office several days before the traditional swearing-in of senators, which gave him an edge in seniority over the other freshman senators.

Quick Facts Nominee, Party ...

New Mexico election

← 1976 1988 →

Nominee Jeff Bingaman Harrison Schmitt Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 217,682 187,128 Percentage 53.8% 46.2%

County results Bingaman:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Schmitt:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Harrison Schmitt Republican Elected U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman Democratic

Close

Incumbent Republican Harrison Schmitt was running for re-election to a second term, but lost to Democrat Jeff Bingaman, Attorney General of New Mexico.