1984 United States Senate election in Illinois
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1984 United States Senate election in Illinois
| country = Illinois
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1978 United States Senate election in Illinois
| previous_year = 1978
| next_election = 1990 United States Senate election in Illinois
| next_year = 1990
| election_date = November 6, 1984
| image_size = x150px
| image1 = Senator Paul Simon (3x4).jpg
| nominee1 = Paul Simon
| party1 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 2,397,165
| percentage1 = 50.07%
| image2 = Senator Charles Percy (3x4).jpg
| nominee2 = Charles Percy
| party2 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 2,308,039
| percentage2 = 48.21%
| map_image = {{switcher |300x300px|County results |300px|Township results|default=1}}
| map_caption = Simon: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}} {{legend0|#584CDE|70–80%}} {{legend0|#3933E5|80–90%}} {{legend0|#0D0596|<90%}}
Percy: {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#D72F30|70–80%}} {{legend0|#C21B18|80–90%}}
Tie/No Data: {{legend0|#AE8BB1|Tie}} {{legend0|#808080|No Data}}
| title = U.S. Senator
| before_election = Charles H. Percy
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Paul Simon
| after_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| turnout = 73.99%
}}
{{Elections in Illinois}}
The 1984 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 6, 1984. Incumbent Republican Senator Charles H. Percy ran for re-election to a fourth term in the United States Senate. Senator Percy was opposed by Democratic nominee Paul Simon, who was a United States Congressman from Illinois's 22nd congressional district. The campaign between Percy and Simon was contentious and brutally fought, and ended up with Simon ousting Percy by fewer than 90,000 votes, which was, at the time, considered an upset. Incidentally, Percy's son-in-law Jay Rockefeller was elected Senator from West Virginia in the same election cycle.
Background
The election coincided with those for other federal offices (president and House), as well as state elections.
The primaries were held March 20. Turnout in the primaries was 36.67%, with a total of 2,219,583 votes cast.{{cite web |title=OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 20, 1984 |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1984/1984%20PE.PDF |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=24 April 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Turnout in the general election was 73.99%, with 4,787,335 votes cast.{{cite web |title=OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 6, 1984 |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1984/1984%20GE.PDF |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=24 April 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Democratic primary
=Candidates=
- Roland Burris, Illinois State Comptroller
- Philip J. Rock, state senator from Oak Park
- Gerald M. Rose, member of the LaRouche movement
- Alex Seith, nominee for Senate in 1978 and candidate in 1980
- Paul Simon, U.S. Representative from Makanda
=Results=
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 1984 Democratic Senate primary
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Paul Simon
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 556,757
| percentage = 35.56
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Roland W. Burris
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 360,182
| percentage = 23.01
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Alex Seith
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 327,125
| percentage = 20.90
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Philip J. Rock
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 303,397
| percentage = 19.38
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Gerald M. Rose
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 17,985
| percentage = 1.15
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Others
| party = Write-in
| votes = 49
| percentage = 0.00
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 1,565,495
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
Republican primary
=Candidates=
- Richard J. Castic
- Tom Corcoran, U.S. Representative from Ottawa
- V. A. Kelley
- Charles H. Percy, incumbent senator since 1967
- John E. Roche, candidate for governor in 1982
=Results=
{{Election box begin no change
| title = 1984 Republican Senate primary
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Charles H. Percy (incumbent)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 387,865
| percentage = 59.30
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Tom Corcoran
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 239,847
| percentage = 36.67
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = John E. Roche
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 13,533
| percentage = 2.07
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = V. A. Kelley
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 9,236
| percentage = 1.41
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Richard J. Castic
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 3,607
| percentage = 0.55
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Others
| party = Write-in
| votes = 45
| percentage = 0.01
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 654,088
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
=Candidates=
- Ishmael Flory, perennial candidate (Communist)
- Steve I. Givot (Libertarian)
- Nelson Gonzalez (Socialist Workers)
- Charles H. Percy, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1967 (Republican)
- Marjorie H. Pries (Independent)
- Paul Simon, U.S. Representative from Makanda (Democratic)
=Results=
The election was very close. Simon prevailed by only 89,126 votes, or 1.86%. Incumbent Percy did well throughout the state, including the Chicago collar counties. Nevertheless, in the heavily populated and Democratic Cook County, which encompasses the city of Chicago and the majority of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, Simon ran ahead of Percy by over 300,000 votes. Simon also won most counties in southwestern Illinois, a traditionally Democratic region.{{Cite web|url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=17&year=1984&f=0&elect=0&off=3|title=1984 Senatorial General Election Results - Illinois|date=2 March 2013|website=Dave Leip's Atlas of US Presidential Elections|access-date=3 Dec 2018}} Percy led early on and well into the night, but as Cook County began to count all of its votes, Simon pulled ahead. Simon won despite then-president Reagan winning the state easily. Percy called Simon at around 5 A.M. the next day and conceded. Percy also congratulated Simon on his hard-earned victory. Simon was sworn in on January 3, 1985, and served in the Senate until January 3, 1997, when he retired. Simon was later succeeded by Dick Durbin, a close friend and fellow Democrat.
{{Election box begin
| title = United States Senate election in Illinois, 1984{{cite web | url= http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1984election.pdf | title=Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1984 | author=Clerk of the United States House of Representatives | publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office | year=1985}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Paul Simon
| votes = 2,397,165
| percentage = 50.07%
| change = +4.60%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Charles Percy (incumbent)
| votes = 2,308,039
| percentage = 48.21%
| change = -5.13%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Steve I. Givot
| votes = 59,777
| percentage = 1.25%
| change = +0.74%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Citizens Party (United States)
| candidate = Marjorie H. Pries
| votes = 12,366
| percentage = 0.26%
| change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Socialist Workers Party (United States)
| candidate = Nelson Gonzalez
| votes = 4,913
| percentage = 0.10%
| change = -0.40%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
| party = Communist Party USA
| candidate = Ishmael Flory
| votes = 4,802
| percentage = 0.10%
| change =
}}
{{Election box candidate
| party = Write-ins
| candidate =
| votes = 273
| percentage = 0.01%
| change =
}}
{{Election box majority
| votes = 89,126
| percentage = 1.86%
| change = -6.00%
}}
{{Election box turnout
| votes = 4,787,335
| percentage = 73.99%
| change =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link
| winner = Democratic Party (United States)
| loser = Republican Party (United States)
| swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Illinois elections}}
{{United States elections, 1984}}