1974–75 United States Senate elections in New Hampshire
Open-knowledge reference entry
The 1974–75 elections for United States Senator in New Hampshire, first held November 5, 1974 and held again September 16, 1975, were part of the longest contested election for the Congress in United States history.
First regular election: November 1974
In 1974, then-incumbent Senator Norris Cotton announced he would not seek reelection. Republican strategists admitted that it would be tough for their party to hold on to the seat.
The campaign of 1974 pitted Democrat John A. Durkin, who had served as New Hampshire's Insurance Commissioner and as Attorney General, against Republican Louis C. Wyman, a conservative, widely known member of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire's 1st congressional district. As Wyman was the more experienced politician, he was predicted by many to win handily.
Wyman won the initial count with a margin of just 355 votes.
Republican primary
Candidates
Leslie R. Babb
Louis Wyman, U.S. Representative from Manchester
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates
Carmen C. Chimento
John A. Durkin, former State Insurance Commissioner and Assistant State Attorney General
Laurence Radway, former State Representative from Hanover
Dennis J. Sullivan, mayor of Nashua
Results
General election
First recount
Durkin immediately demanded a recount. The recount, completed November 27, 1974, declared Durkin the winner by a margin of 10 votes. Republican Governor Meldrim Thomson Jr. awarded Durkin a provisional certificate of election.
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