United States Senate election in Montana, 1982

United States Senate election in Montana, 1982

November 2, 1982

Nominee John Melcher Larry R. Williams Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 174,861 133,789 Percentage 54.46% 41.67%

U.S. Senator before election John Melcher Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John Melcher Democratic

Elections in Montana
Federal government Presidential Elections 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Presidential Primaries Democratic primaries 2008 Republican caucuses 2008 2012 U. S. Senate elections 1918 1922 1924 1928 1930 1934 1934 (special) 1936 1940 1942 1946 1948 1952 1954 1958 1960 1964 1966 1970 1972 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2000 2002 2006 2008 2012 2014 U. S. House elections 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2017 (special)
State government Gubernatorial elections 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016
Ballot measures 2004 Initiative 96

The 1982 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 2, 1982. Incumbent United States Senator John Melcher, who was first elected to the Senate in 1976, opted to run for re-election. He won the Democratic primary after he faced a tough intraparty challenger, and advanced to the general election, where he faced Larry R. Williams, an author and the Republican nominee, and Larry Dodge, the Libertarian nominee. Though his margin was reduced significantly from his initial election, Melcher still comfortably won re-election to his second and final term in the Senate.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• John Melcher, incumbent United States Senator
• Michael Bond, housing contractor
• Henry Hardy, retired railroad worker

Campaign

During his first term in the Senate, Melcher's relative conservatism for a Democrat prompted a primary challenger in Michael Bond, a housing contractor who campaigned on his opposition to nuclear war. Bond attacked Melcher for voting to increase spending on nuclear arms, and pledged to reduce military spending to $60 billion and to use the savings to reduce interest rates.^[1] During the campaign, Bond came under fire from the state branches of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans for turning in his draft card in 1967 to protest the Vietnam War, who put out a statement, saying, "There is no place in the U.S. Senate for any draft dodger, draft card burner or draft protester of any kind."^[2]

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Larry R. Williams, 1978 Republican nominee for the United States Senate
• Willie Dee Morris, attorney

Results

General election

Results

References