1984 United States Senate election in Tennessee


The 1984 United States Senate election in Tennessee took place on November 6, 1984, as a part of the Senate class 2 election.

Situation

Popular three-term Republican incumbent Howard Baker, who had served as United States Senate Majority Leader since 1981 decided not to seek re-election in order to concentrate on a planned bid for 1988 Republican presidential nomination. This made the seat open.

Democratic nomination

nominated Representative and future Vice President of the United States Al Gore, whose father Albert Gore, Sr. once held the other Tennessee Senate seat.

Democratic

Republican primary

Candidates:
In primary, held on August 2, Ashe easily emerged as a winner:
Although the Senate election coincided with the landslide re-election of President Reagan, who carried Tennessee by a wide margin, this time his victory did not have any coattails, as it did in 1980, and Democrats picked up three Republican seats. One of the Democratic gains was in Tennessee, where conservative Democrat Gore won in a landslide: