United States Senate election in Montana, 1982

United States Senate election in Montana, 1982

November 2, 1982

Nominee John Melcher Larry R. Williams Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 174,861 133,789 Percentage 54.46% 41.67%

U.S. senator before election John Melcher Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John Melcher Democratic

The 1982 United States Senate election in Montana took place on November 2, 1982. Incumbent United States Senator John Melcher, who was first elected to the Senate in 1976, opted to run for re-election. He won the Democratic primary after he faced a tough intraparty challenger, and advanced to the general election, where he faced Larry R. Williams, an author and the Republican nominee, and Larry Dodge, the Libertarian nominee. Though his margin was reduced significantly from his initial election, Melcher still comfortably won re-election to his second and final term in the Senate.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• John Melcher, incumbent United States Senator
• Michael Bond, housing contractor
• Henry Hardy, retired railroad worker

Campaign

During his first term in the Senate, Melcher's relative conservatism for a Democrat prompted a primary challenger in Michael Bond, a housing contractor who campaigned on his opposition to nuclear war. Bond attacked Melcher for voting to increase spending on nuclear arms, and pledged to reduce military spending to $60 billion and to use the savings to reduce interest rates. During the campaign, Bond came under fire from the state branches of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans for turning in his draft card in 1967 to protest the Vietnam War, who put out a statement, saying, "There is no place in the U.S. Senate for any draft dodger, draft card burner or draft protester of any kind."

Results

Democratic Party primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jack Melcher (inc.)	83,539	68.27
	Democratic	Mike Bond	33,565	27.43
Total votes			122,369	100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

• Larry R. Williams, 1978 Republican nominee for the United States Senate
• Willie Dee Morris, attorney

Results

Republican Primary results
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Larry Williams	49,615	88.11
	Republican	Willie Dee Morris	6,696	11.89
Total votes			56,311	100.00

General election

Results

United States Senate election in Montana, 1982

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	John Melcher (inc.)	174,861	54.46%	-9.69%
	Republican	Larry Williams	133,789	41.67%	+5.83%
	Libertarian	Larry Dodge	12,412	3.87%
Majority			41,072	12.79%	-15.52%
Turnout			321,445
	Democratic hold		Swing