1982 United States Senate election in New Mexico
{{short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1982 United States Senate election in New Mexico
| country = New Mexico
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1976 United States Senate election in New Mexico
| previous_year = 1976
| next_election = 1988 United States Senate election in New Mexico
| next_year = 1988
| election_date = November 2, 1982
| image_size = 150x150px
| image1 = Senator Jeff Bingaman in 1985.png
| nominee1 = Jeff Bingaman
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 217,682
| percentage1 = 53.77%
| image2 = File:Sen Harrison Schmitt.jpg
| nominee2 = Harrison Schmitt
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 187,128
| percentage2 = 46.23%
| map_image = 1982 United States Senate election in New Mexico results map by county.svg
| map_size = 230px
| map_caption = County results
Bingaman: {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584cde|70–80%}}
Schmitt: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}}
| title = U.S. Senator
| before_election = Harrison Schmitt
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Jeff Bingaman
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsNM}}
The 1982 United States Senate election in New Mexico took place on November 2, 1982. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Harrison Schmitt was running for re-election to a second term, but lost to Democrat Jeff Bingaman. As of 2022, this is the last time an incumbent senator lost re-election in New Mexico.
Democratic primary
= Candidates =
- Jeff Bingaman, Attorney General of New Mexico
- Jerry Apodaca, former Governor of New Mexico
- Virginia Keehan
= Results =
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary results{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=210033|title= NM US Senate - D Primary|date=12 Feb 2018|access-date=5 May 2022|website=OurCampaigns.com}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jeff Bingaman
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 91,780
| percentage = 54.36
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jerry Apodaca
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 66,598
| percentage = 39.44
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Virginia Keehan
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 10,466
| percentage = 6.20
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 168,844
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
=Candidates=
- Jeff Bingaman, Attorney General of New Mexico (Democratic)
- Harrison Schmitt, incumbent U.S. Senator first elected in 1976 and former astronaut (Republican)
=Campaign=
Bingaman ran advertisements that criticized Schmitt's views on a minimum Social Security and mining on federally protected land. Schmitt countered these ads by criticizing Bingaman's work as attorney general, citing the handling of the 1980 state prison riot and asking the governor to pardon an inmate that was on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List. Another ad that Bingaman ran asked, "What on Earth has he done for you lately?"{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1910599_1910769_1910767-3,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719082143/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1910599_1910769_1910767-3,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 19, 2009|title=The Astronauts Who Went to the Moon - The 40th Anniversary of the Moon Landing - TIME|date=July 16, 2009|work=Time}}
The two negative ads that Schmitt ran were received poorly and later pulled.
=Results=
The turnout was approximately 70%.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/03/us/schmitt-loses-new-mexico-senate-seat.html|title=Schmitt Loses New Mexico Senate Seat|last1=Reinhold|first1=Robert|newspaper=New York Times|access-date=June 7, 2018|date=November 3, 1982|page=A23}}
{{Election box begin | title=United States Senate election in New Mexico, 1982{{cite web |title=Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1982 |url=https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1982election.pdf |publisher=Clerk of the House of Representatives |page=26}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Jeff Bingaman
| votes = 217,682
| percentage = 53.77%
| change = +11.07%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Harrison Schmitt (incumbent)
| votes = 187,128
| percentage = 46.23%
| change = -10.59%
}}
{{Election box majority
| votes = 30,554
| percentage = 7.55%
| change = -6.57%
}}
{{Election box turnout
| votes = 404,810
| percentage =
| change =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
| loser = Republican Party (United States)
| swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
Aftermath
Schmitt thought the media was biased against him during the campaign.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20691004/manitowoc_heraldtimes/|title=Schmitt prepares to leave office|newspaper=Manitowoc Herald-Times|location=Manitowoc, Wisconsin|date=November 29, 1982|page=7|via=Newspapers.com|agency=Associated Press}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{United States elections, 1982}}
Category:1982 New Mexico elections
{{NewMexico-election-stub}}