1974 United States Senate election in Iowa

The 1974 United States Senate election in Iowa took place on November 5, 1974. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Harold E. Hughes retired. The open seat was won by U.S. Representative John C. Culver, defeating Republican State Representative David M. Stanley. As of 2022^[update], this was the most recent election in which a Democrat, or anyone other than Chuck Grassley, has won the Class 3 Senate seat in Iowa.

1974 United States Senate election in Iowa

← 1968 November 5, 1974 1980 →

Nominee John Culver David M. Stanley Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 462,947 420,546 Percentage 52.04% 47.28%

County results Culver:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Stanley:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%

U.S. senator before election Harold E. Hughes Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John C. Culver Democratic

Republican primary

Candidates

• George Milligan, State Senator from Des Moines
• David M. Stanley, State Representative from Muscatine and nominee for Senate in 1968

Results

Primary results by county:

  Stanley

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  Milligan

•   50–60%

Republican primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David M. Stanley	87,464	66.93%
	Republican	George Milligan	43,206	33.06%
	Write-in	All others	6	0.01%
Total votes			130,676	100.00%

General election

Results

1974 United States Senate election in Iowa^[2][3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John C. Culver	462,947	52.04%	1.79
	Republican	David M. Stanley	420,546	47.28%	2.41
	American Independent	Lorin Oxley	6,028	0.68%	N/A
	Write-ins		40	0.00%	N/A
Total votes			889,561	100.00%
	Democratic hold		Swing

See also

• 1974 United States Senate elections