1998 United States Senate election in Vermont

The 1998 United States Senate election in Vermont was held November 3, 1998. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy won reelection to a fifth term.[1]

1998 United States Senate election in Vermont

November 3, 1998
 
Nominee Patrick Leahy Fred Tuttle
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 154,567 48,051
Percentage 72.2% 22.5%


U.S. senator before election

Patrick Leahy
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Patrick Leahy
Democratic

Notably, the Republican nominee, dairy farmer and actor Fred Tuttle, had run to draw attention to the mock documentary film Man with a Plan, of which he was the star, and to ridicule Republican candidate Jack McMullen as too new to Vermont to represent it in Washington. After winning the nomination, Tuttle endorsed Leahy and all but withdrew from the race. His campaign, which had been conducted primarily from his front porch in Tunbridge, Vermont, spent only $251 during the election season and featured the slogans "Spread Fred!" and "Why Not?". Despite of his endorsement of Leahy, Tuttle still received 48,051 votes, or 22% of the total.[2]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Patrick Leahy (incumbent) 18,643 96.65%
Democratic Write-ins 647 3.35%
Total votes 19,290 100.00%

Grassroots primary

Candidates

  • Bob Melamede

Results

Grassroots Party primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Grassroots Robert Melamede 137 59.57%
Grassroots Write-ins 93 40.43%
Total votes 230 100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Fred Tuttle 28,355 53.69%
Republican Jack McMullen 23,321 44.16%
Republican Write-ins 1,137 2.15%
Total votes 52,813 100.00%

General election

Major

Minor

  • Hugh Douglas (L)
  • Jerry Levy (LU)
  • Bob Melamede (GR)
  • Barry Nelson (I)

Results

General election results[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Patrick Leahy (incumbent) 154,567 72.22% +18.05%
Republican Fred Tuttle 48,051 22.45% -20.90%
Libertarian Hugh Douglas 4,199 1.96%
Independent Barry Nelson 2,893 1.35%
Grassroots Robert Melamede 2,459 1.15%
Liberty Union Jerry Levy 1,238 0.58% -1.21%
Write-ins 629 0.29%
Majority 106,516 49.77% +38.95%
Turnout 214,036
Democratic hold Swing

See also

References

  1. "VT US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1998". Our Campaigns. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  2. Martin, Douglas (October 7, 2003). "Fred Tuttle, 84, Farmer and Celebrity, Dies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  3. William Senning (May 9, 2017). "Elections | Home | Vermont Secretary of State" (PDF). Vermont-elections.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-17. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  4. "1998 Election Statistics - Legislative Activities - Office of the Clerk". Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
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