2,699,652 2,618,661 44.9% 43.5% Start date November 4, 1980 | 2,618,661 664,544 43.5% 11.1% | |
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The 1980 United States Senate election in New York was held on November 4, 1980. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Jacob K. Javits was defeated in the primary, and Republican Al D'Amato won the three way election.
Contents
Democratic
Liberal
Results
Nominated: Al D'Amato, Presiding Supervisor of the Town of Hempstead
Campaign
Javits's refusal to adjust politically to the rightward movement of his party as well as his 1979 diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) led to a primary challenge. Javits was defeated in the primary by Hempstead Presiding Supervisor Al D'Amato on September 9.
D'Amato, also running on the Conservative line, proceeded to defeat Democratic U.S. Representative Elizabeth Holtzman and Javits, who ran on the Liberal Party ticket. In the traditionally liberal state of New York, Javits split the Democratic vote with Holtzman to give D'Amato a close victory.