1982 United States Senate election in Ohio

The 1982 United States Senate election in Ohio took place on November 2, 1982. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Howard Metzenbaum was re-elected to a second term in office, defeating Republican State Senator Paul Pfeifer. Along with the gubernatorial election that same year, this election is the last time Butler County voted Democratic in a statewide election.

1982 United States Senate election in Ohio

← 1976 November 2, 1982 1988 →

Nominee Howard Metzenbaum Paul Pfeifer Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,923,767 1,396,790 Percentage 56.66% 41.14%

County results Metzenbaum:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Pfeifer:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Howard Metzenbaum Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Howard Metzenbaum Democratic

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Norbert G. Dennerll, former Cleveland City Councilman
• Howard Metzenbaum, incumbent Senator

Results

Democratic primary results^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Howard Metzenbaum (incumbent)	801,785	82.70%
	Democratic	Norbert G. Dennerll Jr.	167,778	17.30%
Total votes			969,563	100.00%

Republican primary

Candidates

• John Ashbrook, U.S. Representative from Newark (died April 24)
• Walter E. Beckjord, director of Hospice of Cincinnati
• Richard H. Englefield (write-in)
• Paul Pfeifer, State Senator from Bucyrus
• Bill Ress, State Senator from New Philadelphia (write-in)

Campaign

Most polls showed U.S. Representative John Ashbrook winning the primary with a plurality, but he died on April 24 from a gastric hemorrhage.^[2]

Ashbrook supporter and State Senator Bill Ress launched a write-in campaign with the endorsement of Jean Spencer Ashbrook, the Representative's widow.

Results

Republican primary results^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Paul Pfeifer	364,579	60.03%
	Republican	Walter E. Beckjord	180,198	29.67%
	Republican	Bill Ress (write-in)	62,446	10.28%
	Republican	Richard H. Englefield	106	0.02%
Total votes			607,329	100.00%

General election

Results

1982 United States Senate election in Ohio^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Howard Metzenbaum (incumbent)	1,923,767	56.66%	7.15
	Republican	Paul Pfeifer	1,396,790	41.14%	5.48
	Independent	Alicia Merel	38,803	1.14%	N/A
	Libertarian	Philip Herzing	36,103	1.06%	N/A
	Independent	Fay Treffert Ellis (write-in)	35	0.00%	N/A
Total votes			3,395,498	100.00%
	Democratic hold		Swing

See also

• 1982 United States Senate elections