1974 United States Senate election in Utah

The 1974 United States Senate election in Utah took place on November 5, 1974 alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

1974 United States Senate election in Utah

← 1968 November 5, 1974 1980 →

Nominee Jake Garn Wayne Owens Bruce Bangerter Party Republican Democratic American Popular vote 210,299 185,377 24,966 Percentage 49.99% 44.07% 5.94%

County results Garn:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Owens:      40–50%      50–60%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Wallace F. Bennett Republican Elected U.S. Senator Jake Garn Republican

Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Wallace F. Bennett did not run for re-election to a fifth term, but retired. Republican nominee Jake Garn defeated Democratic nominee Wayne Owens. This is the last Senate election that Salt Lake County voted Democratic.

Nominations

Democratic nomination

Candidates

• Donald Holbrook, attorney^[1]
• Wayne Owens, U.S. Congressman for Utah's 2nd congressional district

Results

Owens defeated Holbrook at the state convention on July 12 to 13 with over 70% of the vote and therefore avoided a primary.

Democratic convention, 12 to 13 July 1974^[2][3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Wayne Owens	1,088	70.4%
	Democratic	Donald L. Holbrook	458	29.6%
Total votes			1,546

Republican nomination

Candidates

• Jake Garn, incumbent Mayor of Salt Lake City
• Dale R. Hawkins, Weber State College professor^[4]
• Paul S. Knowlton, wholesaler^[5]
• Byron Rampton, former State Senator^[6]

Results

Garn won over 70% of the vote at the state convention on July 27 and therefore avoided a primary.

Republican convention, 27 July 1974^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jake Garn	1,750	88.1%
	Republican	Dale R. Hawkins	153	7.7%
	Republican	Byron Rampton	81	4.1%
	Republican	Paul S. Knowlton	3	0.2%
Total votes			1,987

American Party nomination

Candidates

• Bruce Bangerter, American Independent nominee for Utah's 2nd congressional district in 1972
• Kenneth R. Larsen^[7]

Eliminated at convention

• Louie Youngkeit^[8]

Results

American Party primary, 10 September 1974^[9][10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	American	Bruce Bangerter	2,254	50.9%
	American	Kenneth R. Larsen	2,173	49.1%
Total votes			4,427

General election

Candidates

• Bruce Bangerter^[11][12] (American)
• Jake Garn, incumbent Mayor of Salt Lake City (Republican)
• Wayne Owens, incumbent U.S. Congressman (Democratic)

Results

1974 United States Senate election in Utah^{[13][14][15][16]}

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jake Garn	210,299	49.99
	Democratic	Wayne Owens	185,377	44.07
	American	Bruce Bangerter	24,966	5.94
Majority			24,922	5.92
Turnout			420,642
	Republican hold

See also

• 1974 United States Senate elections