1984 United States Senate election in Tennessee

For related races, see 1984 United States Senate elections.

The 1984 United States Senate election in Tennessee took place on November 6, 1984, to select the U.S. Senator from the state of Tennessee. Popular three-term Republican incumbent Howard Baker, who had served as United States Senate Majority Leader since 1981 (Minority Leader from 1977 to 1981) decided not to seek re-election in order to concentrate on a planned bid for the 1988 Republican presidential nomination (which did not happen, as he later accepted a White House Chief of Staff position under President Ronald Reagan). This left the seat open.

1984 United States Senate election in Tennessee

November 6, 1984

Nominee Al Gore Victor Ashe Ed McAteer Party Democratic Republican Independent Popular vote 1,000,607 557,016 87,234 Percentage 60.72% 33.80% 5.29%

County results Gore:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Ashe:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Howard Baker Republican Elected U.S. Senator Al Gore Democratic

In the general election, Democratic candidate Al Gore, son of former senator Albert Gore Sr., won easily, flipping the Republican held seat to Democratic hands.

Democratic Primary

Democrats nominated Representative and future Vice President of the United States Al Gore, whose father, Albert Gore, Sr., had once held Tennessee's other Senate seat.

Results

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Al Gore	476,582	100.00%
Total votes			476,582	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• State Senator Victor Ashe
• Jack McNeil
• Hubert David Patty

Results

In the primary, held on August 2, Ashe easily emerged as a winner.

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Victor Ashe	145,744	86.47%
	Republican	Jack McNeil	17,970	10.66%
	Republican	Herbert David Patty	4,777	2.83%
	Republican	Write-in	49	0.03%
Total votes			168,540	100%

General election

Al Gore 1984 campaign poster

Although the Senate election coincided with the landslide re-election of President Reagan, who carried Tennessee by a wide margin, this time his victory did not have any coattails, as it did in 1980, and Democrats picked up three Republican seats. One of the Democratic gains was in Tennessee, where conservative Democrat Gore won in a landslide:

General election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Al Gore	1,000,607	60.72%
	Republican	Victor Ashe	557,016	33.80%
	Independent	Ed McAteer	87,234	5.29%
	Independent	Khalil-Ullah Al-Muhaymin	3,179	0.19%
Total votes			1,648,036	100.00%
	Democratic gain from Republican

See also

• 1984 United States Senate elections
• 1984 United States presidential election in Tennessee