| Elections in West Virginia |
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The 1982 United States Senate election in West Virginia took place on November 7, 1982. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert Byrd won re-election to a fifth term.
Candidates
Democratic
- Robert Byrd, incumbent U.S. Senator
Republican
- Cleve Benedict, U.S. Congressman first elected in 1980
Campaign
Benedict, a freshman congressman, made great note of Byrd's record of high office in the Ku Klux Klan, his avoidance of service in World War II, and the fact that Byrd, then alone among members of Congress, owned no home in the state he represented. His campaign represented the last serious and well-funded effort to unseat Byrd, spending $1,098,218. Byrd was Minority Leader at the time.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Robert Byrd (incumbent) | 387,170 | 68.49% | |
| Republican | Cleve Benedict | 173,910 | 30.76% | |
| Socialist Workers | William B. Howland | 4,234 | 0.75% | |
| Total votes | 565,314 | 100.00% | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
See also
References
- ^ "WV US Senate Race - Nov 02, 1982". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 8, 2013.