1982 United States Senate election in Indiana
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1982 United States Senate election in Indiana
| country = Indiana
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1976 United States Senate election in Indiana
| previous_year = 1976
| next_election = 1988 United States Senate election in Indiana
| next_year = 1988
| election_date = November 2, 1982
| image_size = 125x136px
| image1 = Richard Lugar 1977 congressional photo.jpg
| nominee1 = Richard Lugar
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 978,301
| percentage1 = 53.83%
| image2 = Floyd Fithian.png
| nominee2 = Floyd Fithian
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 828,400
| percentage2 = 45.58%
| map_image = 1982 United States Senate election in Indiana results map by county.svg
| map_size = 250px
| map_caption = County results
Lugar: {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40-50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}
Fithian: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
| title = U.S. Senator
| before_election = Richard Lugar
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Richard Lugar
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsIN}}
The 1982 United States Senate election in Indiana was held on November 2, 1982. Incumbent Republican United States Senator Richard Lugar faced Democratic United States Representative Floyd Fithian in the general election. Lugar won with a margin of 54% of the vote, compared to Fithian's 46%. This was Lugar's closest election out of his 6 senate elections for the class 1 seat.
Republican primary
= Candidates =
- Richard Lugar, incumbent U.S. Senator
= Results =
Incumbent United States Senator Richard Lugar won the republican nomination in an uncontested primary on May 4, 1982.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/17/us/politics/republicans-press-richard-lugar-in-primary-fight.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 | title =Once Every 36 Years, Primary Fight for Indiana Senator | work =nytimes.com | author =Monica Davey | date =April 17, 2012 | access-date =February 22, 2013}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Richard Lugar (Incumbent)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 498,248
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 498,248
| percentage =
}}
{{Election box end}}
Democratic primary
= Candidates =
- Floyd Fithian, U.S. Representative from Tippecanoe County
- Michael Kendall, State Senator from Jasper
= Campaign =
After the 1980 Census, the Indiana General Assembly redistricted Indiana's congressional districts, pushing Democratic representative Floyd Fithian's district into more conservative territory.{{cite web | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jul-04-me-passings4.3-story.html | title =Floyd Fithian, 76; Congressman, Farmer, Purdue Professor | work =latimes.com | date =July 4, 2003 | access-date =February 22, 2013}} After redistricting, Fithian, the three term incumbent of Indiana's 2nd congressional district, decided to run for Secretary of State of Indiana, but withdrew from the primary to ultimately run for the United States Senate. He challenged fellow Democrat and one term Indiana State Senator Michael Kendall of Jasper, Indiana, who Fithian earlier encouraged to run for the Senate.{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19820505&id=TeVPAAAAIBAJ&pg=4304,5218468 | title =Senate Candidates Chosen in Indiana | work =Toledo Blade | author =Associated Press | author-link =Associated Press | date =May 5, 1982 | access-date =February 22, 2013}} Kendall, who represented Indiana's 47th Senate district and formed the Notre Dame Students for Robert F. Kennedy organization during the 1968 presidential election,{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yy5y0_q2KgQC&q=Michael+Kendall+indiana+senate&pg=PA40 | title =Robert F. Kennedy and the 1968 Indiana Primary | publisher =Indiana University Press | author =Ray E. Boomhower | year= 2008 | isbn =978-0253007759 | access-date =February 22, 2013}} was seen a young progressive alternative to Fithian, who he called the "ideological twin of Richard Lugar."{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19820505&id=TeVPAAAAIBAJ&pg=4304,5218468 | title =Senate Candidates Chosen in Indiana | newspaper=Toledo Blade | agency =Associated Press | date =May 5, 1982 | access-date =February 22, 2013}} After the bitterly contested primary, Fithian prevailed over Kendall, winning with 59% of the vote.{{cite web | url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=241679 | title =IN US Senate – D Primary | publisher =ourcampaigns.com | date =June 13, 2005 | access-date =February 22, 2013}}
= Results =
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary results
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Floyd Fithian
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 262,644
| percentage = 59.5
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Michael Kendall
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 178,702
| percentage = 40.5
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 441,346
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
In the general election, Lugar faced Fithian and American Party candidate Raymond James.{{cite web | url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1982election.pdf | title =Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 1982 | publisher =clerk.house.gov | author =Thomas A. Ladd, Benjamin J. Guthrie | date =May 5, 1983 | access-date =February 22, 2013}}
On November 5, 1982, Lugar defeated Fithian and James in the general election, winning 74 of Indiana's 93 counties.{{cite web | url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=3448 | title =IN US Senate | publisher =ourcampaigns.com | date =June 15, 2011 | access-date =February 22, 2013}}
{{Election box begin no change| title= United States Senate election in Indiana, 1982}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Richard Lugar (Incumbent)
| votes = 978,301
| percentage = 53.8
| change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Floyd Fithian
| votes = 828,400
| percentage = 45.6
| change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = American Party (1969)
| candidate = Raymond James
| votes = 10,568
| percentage = 0.6
| change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing
| winner = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}