The 1984 United States Senate election in Idaho was held on November 6. Incumbent Senator Jim McClure was re-elected to a third term in office.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Senator McClure was unopposed for re-nomination by the Republican Party.

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Pete Busch, retired military officer, Vietnam War veteran
  • Louis Hatheway, heavy equipment operator and real estate broker

Results

1984 Democratic U.S. Senate primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Pete Busch 27,871 62.02%
Democratic Louis Hatheway 17,065 37.98%
Total votes 44,936 100.00%
  • Primary held on May 22

Independents and third parties

Libertarian

  • Donald Billings

General election

Campaign

The campaign was largely uneventful given McClure's large lead in polls and the Republican tendency of Idaho.

During the campaign, Pete Busch was involved in a minor plane crash. Two years later in April 1986, Busch and his wife died in a similar crash while running for Congress.[2][3]

Results

General election results[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim McClure (incumbent) 293,193 72.19% Increase3.75
Democratic Pete Busch 105,591 26.00% Decrease5.56
Libertarian Donald Billings 7,384 1.82% Increase1.82
Total votes 406,168 100.00%
Republican hold Swing

See also

References

  1. ^ "ID US Senate - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  2. ^ "Officials Confirm Three Dead In Crash Of Plane Carrying Candidates". Associated Press. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
  3. ^ "Plane crash in eastern Idaho kills Democratic candidates". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 12, 1986. p. A6.
  4. ^ "ID US Senate Race". OurCampaigns. Retrieved August 15, 2019.
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