Skip to content

1980 U.S. Senate election results

Results of all 34 Senate races in 1980 (seats won: Republican 22, Democratic 12); 12 changed party. Winners, margins and every candidate.

Download CSV
  • Republican 22
  • Democratic 12
Alabama: Jeremiah Andrew Denton REP +3.1 gainAlaska: Frank Murkowski REP +7.8 gainArizona: Barry Goldwater REP +1.1Arkansas: Dale Bumpers DEM +18.2California: Alan Cranston DEM +19.4Colorado: Gary Hart DEM +1.6Connecticut: Christopher J. Dodd DEM +13.4DelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFlorida: Paula Fickes Hawkins REP +3.3 gainGeorgia: Mack Mattingly REP +1.7 gainHawaii: Daniel K. Inouye DEM +59.5Idaho: Steven Douglas Symms REP +1.0 gainIllinois: Alan J. Dixon DEM +13.5Indiana: Dan Quayle REP +7.6 gainIowa: Chuck Grassley REP +8.0 gainKansas: Bob Dole REP +27.5Kentucky: Wendell H. Ford DEM +30.3Louisiana: Russell B. Long DEM +18.9MaineMaryland: Charles McCurdy Mathias REP +32.3MassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouri: Thomas F. Eagleton DEM +4.3MontanaNebraskaNevada: Paul Laxalt REP +21.4New Hampshire: Warren Bruce Rudman REP +4.3 gainNew JerseyNew MexicoNew York: Alfonse M. D'Amato REP +5.8North Carolina: John P. East REP +0.6 gainNorth Dakota: Mark Andrews REP +41.3Ohio: John Glenn DEM +40.6Oklahoma: Don Nickles REP +9.9Oregon: Bob Packwood REP +8.1Pennsylvania: Arlen Specter REP +2.4Rhode IslandSouth Carolina: Ernest F. Hollings DEM +40.7South Dakota: Ellis James Abdnor REP +18.8 gainTennesseeTexasUtah: Edwin Jacob Garn REP +48.2Vermont: Patrick J. Leahy DEM +1.3VirginiaWashington: Slade Gorton REP +8.4 gainWest VirginiaWisconsin: Bob Kasten REP +1.9 gainWyomingVermont: Patrick J. Leahy DEM +1.3New Hampshire: Warren Bruce Rudman REP +4.3 gainMassachusettsRhode IslandConnecticut: Christopher J. Dodd DEM +13.4New JerseyDelawareMaryland: Charles McCurdy Mathias REP +32.3District of Columbia
States with a race in 1980, coloured by the winning party and shaded by margin. Grey: no race.

Seats that changed party

All races

StateSeatWinnerPartyMarginBefore
Alabama Class III Jeremiah Andrew Denton Republican 3.1 Democratic flip
Alaska Class III Frank Murkowski Republican 7.8 Democratic flip
Arizona Class III Barry Goldwater Republican 1.1 Republican
Arkansas Class III Dale Bumpers Democratic 18.2 Democratic
California Class III Alan Cranston Democratic 19.4 Democratic
Colorado Class III Gary Hart Democratic 1.6 Democratic
Connecticut Class III Christopher J. Dodd Democratic 13.4 Democratic
Florida Class III Paula Fickes Hawkins Republican 3.3 Democratic flip
Georgia Class III Mack Mattingly Republican 1.7 Democratic flip
Hawaii Class III Daniel K. Inouye Democratic 59.5 Democratic
Idaho Class III Steven Douglas Symms Republican 1.0 Democratic flip
Illinois Class III Alan J. Dixon Democratic 13.5 Democratic
Indiana Class III Dan Quayle Republican 7.6 Democratic flip
Iowa Class III Chuck Grassley Republican 8.0 Democratic flip
Kansas Class III Bob Dole Republican 27.5 Republican
Kentucky Class III Wendell H. Ford Democratic 30.3 Democratic
Louisiana Class III Russell B. Long Democratic 18.9 Democratic
Maryland Class III Charles McCurdy Mathias Republican 32.3 Republican
Missouri Class III Thomas F. Eagleton Democratic 4.3 Democratic
Nevada Class III Paul Laxalt Republican 21.4 Republican
New Hampshire Class III Warren Bruce Rudman Republican 4.3 Democratic flip
New York Class III Alfonse M. D'Amato Republican 5.8 Republican
North Carolina Class III John P. East Republican 0.6 Democratic flip
North Dakota Class III Mark Andrews Republican 41.3 Republican
Ohio Class III John Glenn Democratic 40.6 Democratic
Oklahoma Class III Don Nickles Republican 9.9 Republican
Oregon Class III Bob Packwood Republican 8.1 Republican
Pennsylvania Class III Arlen Specter Republican 2.4 Republican
South Carolina Class III Ernest F. Hollings Democratic 40.7 Democratic
South Dakota Class III Ellis James Abdnor Republican 18.8 Democratic flip
Utah Class III Edwin Jacob Garn Republican 48.2 Republican
Vermont Class III Patrick J. Leahy Democratic 1.3 Democratic
Washington Class III Slade Gorton Republican 8.4 Democratic flip
Wisconsin Class III Bob Kasten Republican 1.9 Democratic flip

Source: FiveThirtyEight election-results; each race page links the official source it was compiled from.