The G.O.P. kept the Senate, but disaster was a step away
It was almost as if all the campaigning, speechmaking and handshaking had never occurred, and those thousands of cloying or clawing television commercials and bumper stickers had never appeared. After an estimated outlay of some $130 million by Republican and Democratic candidates, the lineup of the Senate had not changed a bit. The breakdown remained 54 Republicans and 46 Democrats. The G.O.P. had feared that it might lose the chamber it had seized in 1980, or at least see its margin over the Democrats narrowed. "Needless to say," said Bob Packwood of Oregon, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, "I'm relieved."
Incumbency proved to be the most decisive factor. Only two veterans, Democrat Howard Cannon of Nevada and Republican Harrison Schmitt of New Mexico, lost their races; on Election Day in 1980 ten Senators were beaten, and seven were defeated in 1978. Yet, examined more closely, the overall numbers do not give much solace to the Republicans. Of the 19 Democratic incumbents, 13 won with 60% or better, while four others attracted between 57% and 59% of the vote. But only one of the eleven G.O.P. incumbents, John Heinz of Pennsylvania, drew 60%. Indeed, four moderate Republicans, Lowell Weicker of Connecticut, John Danforth of Missouri, John Chafee of Rhode Island and Robert Stafford of Vermont, squeaked by with a mere 51%.
Simply put, Democratic candidates tried to tie their G.O.P opponents to Reagan and his programs, while most, but not all, of the Republicans scrambled to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the White House. Among the Democrats re-elected handily were Minority Leader Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Henry Jackson of Washington and John Stennis of Mississippi, the 81year-old dean of the Senate now starting his seventh term. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, greeted on election night by supporters chanting, " '84! '84! '84!," beat Republican Raymond Shamie, 61% to 39%. On the Republican side, Orrin Hatch of Utah and Malcolm Wallop of Wyoming, both considered in trouble at the polls early on, won easily. Some of the major races:
CALIFORNIA. From the start, one key issue dominated the race to succeed retiring Republican Senator S.I. Hayakawa: the personality and programs of Governor Jerry Brown. After eight fractious years in Sacramento and enough spacey ideas to earn him the nickname "Governor Moonbeam," Brown last June started out in the polls 22 points behind his Republican opponent, Mayor Pete Wilson of San Diego.
The ensuing campaign did neither candidate proud. The Governor tried to pick up votes by highlighting his position on the state's nuclear-freeze initiative, but alienated many voters with a heavyhanded TV spot. After a small boy said he wanted "to go on living," a mushroom cloud filled the screen and an announcer intoned: "Pete Wilson opposes the nuclear-arms freeze. Jerry Brown supports it. Vote for your life. Elect Jerry Brown to the U.S. Senate."