United States Senate election in New York, 1970

United States Senate election in New York, 1970

November 3, 1970

Nominee James Buckley Richard Ottinger Charles Goodell Party Conservative (N.Y.) Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,288,190 2,171,232 1,404,472 Percentage 39.0% 37.0% 23.9%

County results

U.S. Senator before election Charles Goodell Republican Elected U.S. Senator James Buckley Conservative (N.Y.)

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The 1970 United States Senate election in New York was held on November 3, 1970. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Charles Goodell, who had been appointed to the seat by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1968 following the assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, sought a full term. Goodell was challenged by Democrat Richard Ottinger and Conservative James Buckley. Buckley prevailed.

Major candidates

Conservative

• James Buckley, attorney and brother of conservative activist William F. Buckley

The convention used a weighted voting system.

Conservative Party Convention results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative (N.Y.)	James Buckley	37,940	91.38
	Conservative (N.Y.)	Kevin P. McGovern	3,580	8.62
Total votes			41,520	100.00

Democratic

• Richard Ottinger, U.S. Congressman (1965–1971, 1975–1985)
• Paul O'Dwyer, Former New York City Council Member from Manhattan
• Ted Sorensen, Former Advisor and Speechwriter to President John F. Kennedy
• Richard D. McCarthy, U.S. Congressman (1965-1971)

Democratic Party Primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Richard Ottinger	366,789	39.61
	Democratic	Paul O'Dwyer	302,438	32.66
	Democratic	Ted Sorensen	154,434	16.68
	Democratic	Richard D. McCarthy	102,224	11.04
Total votes			925,885	100.00

Republican

• Charles Goodell, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1968 and former U.S. Congressman (1959–1968)

Republican Party Convention results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles Goodell	311	86.39
		Abstaining	49	13.61
Total votes			360	100.00

Liberal

• Charles Goodell, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1968 and former U.S. Congressman (1959–1968)
• Paul O'Dwyer, Former New York City Council Member from Manhattan
• Richard D. McCarthy, U.S. Congressman (1965-1971)
• Richard Ottinger, U.S. Congressman (1965–1971, 1975–1985)
• Ted Sorensen, Former Advisor and Speechwriter to President John F. Kennedy

The Liberal Party unanimously designated Timothy W. Costello as its Senate candidate placeholder on April 4th, 1970. A convention of the 300 member state committee was held on May 11th to designate the actual candidate.

Liberal Party Convention results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal (N.Y.)	Charles Goodell	201	67.00
	Liberal (N.Y.)	Paul O'Dwyer	48	16.00
	Liberal (N.Y.)	Richard D. McCarthy	33	11.00
	Liberal (N.Y.)	Richard Ottinger	12	4.00
	Liberal (N.Y.)	Ted Sorensen	6	2.00
Total votes			300	100.00

Results

General election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Conservative (N.Y.)	James Buckley	2,288,190	38.95
	Democratic	Richard Lawrence Ottinger	2,171,232	36.96
	Republican	Charles Goodell	1,178,679
	Liberal (N.Y.)	Charles Goodell	225,793
	total	Charles Goodell	1,404,472	23.91
	Communist	Arnold Johnson	4,097	0.07
	Socialist Workers	Kipp Dawson	3,549	0.06
	Socialist Labor	John Emanuel	3,204	0.06

Results by county

County	Buckley%	Buckley#	Ottinger%	Ottinger#	Goodell%	Goodell#	Others%	Others#	Total
Albany	26.73%	34,898	44.42%	57,996	28.85%	37,661
Allegany	30.47%	4,457	19.17%	2,804	50.36%	7,366
Bronx	35.78%	132,848	46.32%	171,958	17.90%	66,461
Broome	32.64%	24,369	33.98%	25,371	33.38%	24,918
Cattaraugus	24.55%	6,674	24.63%	6,695	50.81%	13,811
Cayuga	47.05%	13,655	31.14%	9,037	28.81%	6,311
Chautauqua	22.76%	11,917	23.64%	12,377	53.60%	28,067
Chemung	42.93%	13,946	30.98%	10,065	26.09%	8,475
Chenango	40.92%	6,531	27.42%	4,377	31.66%	5,053
Clinton	25.35%	5,168	39.09%	7,968	35.56%	7,248
Columbia	42.54%	8,599	25.90%	5,234	31.56%	6,379
Cortland	44.95%	6,517	26.08%	3,782	28.97%	4,200
Delaware	37.19%	5,919	26.12%	4,158	36.69%	5,839
Dutchess	51.64%	37,171	25.76%	18,539	22.60%	16,269
Erie	27.34%	106,878	38.89%	152,038	33.77%	131,995
Essex	33.65%	4,417	27.36%	3,591	39.00%	5,119
Franklin	26.18%	3,421	38.89%	5,082	34.93%	4,564
Fulton	35.00%	6,774	34.04%	6,587	30.96%	5,992
Genesee	29.76%	6,185	29.86%	6,205	40.38%	8,394
Greene	42.34%	6,419	27.41%	4,155	30.25%	4,585
Hamilton	44.83%	1,267	23.35%	660	31.81%	899
Herkimer	39.69%	9,263	30.58%	7,138	29.73%	6,938
Jefferson	31.14%	8,659	30.56%	8,498	38.30%	10,648
Kings (Brooklyn)	33.21%	213,184	47.56%	305,272	19.23%	123,473
Lewis	29.30%	2,315	29.94%	2,365	40.76%	3,220
Livingston	35.63%	6,472	27.18%	4,936	37.19%	6,754
Madison	46.84%	9,039	25.00%	4,969	28.16%	5,596
Monroe	39.57%	103,281	32.12%	83,839	28.31%	73,893
Montgomery	33.90%	7,324	39.25%	8,480	26.86%	5,803
Nassau	45.65%	259,048	32.84%	186,375	21.51%	122,056
New York (Manhattan)	23.35%	104,774	49.05%	220,103	27.60%	123,853
Niagara	32.55%	24,583	36.20%	27,343	31.25%	23,607
Oneida	41.65%	37,891	32.52%	29,586	25.83%	23,504
Onondaga	28.32%	33,365	41.49%	48,877	30.19%	35,573
Ontario	41.76%	11,191	29.18%	7,819	29.06%	7,786
Orange	46.96%	32,279	26.40%	18,143	26.64%	18,308
Orleans	36.65%	4,458	28.55%	3,473	34.79%	4,232
Oswego	41.43%	13,162	28.53%	9,065	30.04%	9,542
Otsego	38.53%	7,593	28.44%	5,605	33.03%	6,510
Putnam	51.32%	11,826	36.12%	8,322	12.56%	2,894
Queens	43.69%	288,537	38.94%	257,179	17.37%	114,719
Rensselaer	31.86%	20,048	35.35%	22,242	32.79%	20,634
Richmond (Staten Island)	62.01%	54,592	24.45%	21,667	13.54%	11,996
Rockland	48.13%	37,399	32.18%	25,006	19.69%	15,299
St. Lawrence	30.82%	10,100	31.88%	10,449	37.30%	12,226
Saratoga	36.38%	15,882	28.87%	12,604	34.76%	15,175
Schenectady	33.77%	21,820	35.53%	22,961	30.70%	19,840
Schoharie	35.21%	3,467	32.93%	3,243	31.86%	3,138
Schuyler	45.87%	2,606	22.50%	1,278	31.63%	1,797
Seneca	40.84%	4,454	31.25%	3,408	27.90%	3,043
Steuben	42.69%	13,890	21.11%	6,868	36.20%	11,776
Suffolk	51.79%	169,276	27.40%	89,569	20.81%	68,003
Sullivan	37.77%	7,871	33.51%	6,985	28.72%	5,986
Tioga	38.53%	5,707	29.29%	4,388	32.18%	4,766
Tompkins	46.09%	10,120	22.01%	4,832	31.90%	7,005
Ulster	49.08%	27,004	25.97%	14,290	24.95%	13,730
Warren	40.97%	7,242	24.91%	4,404	34.12%	6,031
Washington	34.55%	6,214	28.76%	5,173	36.70%	6,601
Wayne	40.59%	9,628	26.31%	6,240	33.10%	7,852
Westchester	45.22%	160,155	36.70%	129,992	18.07%	64,014
Wyoming	34.35%	4,072	27.05%	3,207	38.60%	4,577
Yates	44.00%	3,112	22.14%	1,566	33.85%	2,394
Totals	38.95%	2,288,190	36.96%	2,171,232	23.91%	1,404,472	0.18%	10,850	5,874,744

See also

• United States Senate elections, 1970