1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election

1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election

November 6, 1973
 
Nominee John N. Dalton James Harry Michael Jr. Flora Crater
Party Republican Democratic Independent
Popular vote 505,729 332,990 98,508
Percentage 53.96% 35.53% 10.51%

County and independent city results
Dalton:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Michael:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Lieutenant Governor before election

Henry Howell
Independent

Elected Lieutenant Governor

John N. Dalton
Republican

The 1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1973. Republican nominee John N. Dalton defeated Democratic nominee James Harry Michael Jr. with 53.96 percent of the vote. This was the last time until 1997 that a Republican was elected lieutenant governor of Virginia.

Background

Following the death from a brain tumor of J. Sargeant Reynolds, universally viewed as favorite to be Democratic gubernatorial nominee for 1973,[1] the lieutenant gubernatorial seat went in a 1971 special election to the fiery populist independent Henry Evans Howell, who had lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1969 and did not believe himself likely to win the party nomination again.[2] Howell, however, was always seeking the governor's office for 1973, against the opposition of former Democratic governor Mills Godwin and the old-line business and political establishment, already extremely worried by his win in the 1971 lieutenant gubernatorial special election.[3]

Nominations

The race to oppose the sitting lieutenant governor became so divisive that the Democratic Party eventually did not nominate a candidate for Governor, instead supporting Howell's independent run.[2] Fifty-four-year-old State Senator James Harry Michael of Charlottesville was established as the only Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial candidate in early April,[4] and was fully confirmed as the nominee mid-month. Michael, a moderate,[5] would refuse to endorse either Howell or his archenemy Godwin,[6] who would confirm his shift to the Republican Party in June.

The Republican nomination was early on a race between John Dalton, nephew and adopted son of 1953 and 1957 gubernatorial nominee Theodore of the mountain-valley Holton faction, and forces led by the much more conservative Richard Obershain of Richmond.[7] After a week, Obershain announced he would not run,[8] and Dalton thus emerged as the favorite against Delegate Herbert Morgan of Arlington.[9] He would easily win the nominee in a convention during the second week of June.[10]

An independent nominee, long-time lobbyist[a] and journalist Flora Crater of Falls Church,[11] would declare in April and be confirmed by June. A strongly liberal former Democrat[12] and a delegate to the previous year's party convention, Crater said she entered when Virginia failed to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.[13]

Campaign

All three candidates kept their campaigns separate from the concurrent gubernatorial battle.[14] Dalton campaigned solidly from July, and was a clear favorite early on, although by September polls saw Michael catching up.[12] The lack of major issues for the campaign,[15] however, handicapped Michael, as did the fact that there was no party man at the top of the ticket. Efforts by Michael to campaign upon his support for news sales tax exemptions on food and medicine,[16] and on his ability to work with any Governor, did not substantially effect polling. Crater, supported mainly by the Virginia Women's Political Caucus,[17] ran a low-budget campaign that attracted considerable attention due to her positions on controversial issues such as public financing of state campaigns,[18] negotiated wages for Virginia teachers,[18] the ERA and her support for a master plan for land use in the state.[19]

Polls

Source Ranking As of
Richmond Times-Dispatch[20] Likely R October 4, 1973
The Daily Advance[21] Likely R October 6, 1973
Roanoke Times[22] Likely R November 1, 1973

General election

Candidates

Major party candidates

Other candidates

Results

1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican John N. Dalton 505,729 53.96%
Democratic James Harry Michael Jr. 332,990 35.53%
Independent Flora Crater 98,508 10.51%
Majority 172,739 18.43%
Turnout 937,270 28.96% +3.34%
Republican gain from Independent Swing

Results by county or independent city

1973 Virginia lieutenant gubernatorial election by county or independent city[23]
John Nichols Dalton
Republican
James Harry Michael Jr.
Democratic
Flora M. Crater
Independent
Various candidates
Write-ins
Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # % # %
Accomack County 3,322 45.87% 3,709 51.22% 211 2.91% -387 -5.34% 7,242
Albemarle County 2,389 24.24% 6,234 63.24% 1,234 12.52% -3,845 -39.01% 9,857
Alleghany County 1,872 63.61% 930 31.60% 141 4.79% 942 32.01% 2,943
Amelia County 1,062 53.13% 862 43.12% 75 3.75% 200 10.01% 1,999
Amherst County 2,394 51.81% 2,055 44.47% 172 3.72% 339 7.34% 4,621
Appomattox County 1,535 65.32% 628 26.72% 187 7.96% 907 38.60% 2,350
Arlington County 16,865 47.43% 12,578 35.37% 6,117 17.20% 1 0.00% 4,287 12.06% 35,561
Augusta County 5,482 66.98% 1,841 22.50% 860 10.51% 1 0.01% 3,641 44.49% 8,184
Bath County 784 60.87% 432 33.54% 72 5.59% 352 27.33% 1,288
Bedford County 2,946 64.20% 1,255 27.35% 387 8.43% 1 0.02% 1,691 36.85% 4,589
Bland County 894 63.58% 478 34.00% 34 2.42% 416 29.59% 1,406
Botetourt County 2,228 58.69% 1,162 30.61% 406 10.70% 1,066 28.08% 3,796
Brunswick County 1,817 47.78% 1,894 49.80% 92 2.42% -77 -2.02% 3,803
Buchanan County 2,183 40.79% 2,807 52.45% 362 6.76% -624 -11.66% 5,352
Buckingham County 1,395 49.71% 1,318 46.97% 93 3.31% 77 2.74% 2,806
Campbell County 6,217 72.70% 1,743 20.38% 591 6.91% 4,474 52.32% 8,551
Caroline County 1,149 40.63% 1,508 53.32% 171 6.05% -359 -12.69% 2,828
Carroll County 2,802 63.99% 1,444 32.98% 133 3.04% 1,358 31.01% 4,379
Charles City County 423 35.85% 673 57.03% 84 7.12% -250 -21.19% 1,180
Charlotte County 1,892 63.40% 998 33.45% 94 3.15% 894 29.96% 2,984
Chesterfield County 14,800 69.43% 5,085 23.85% 1,432 6.72% 9,715 45.57% 21,317
Clarke County 802 50.50% 631 39.74% 155 9.76% 171 10.77% 1,588
Craig County 462 49.36% 437 46.69% 37 3.95% 25 2.67% 936
Culpeper County 1,931 53.25% 1,369 37.76% 326 8.99% 562 15.50% 3,626
Cumberland County 686 35.79% 1,181 61.61% 50 2.61% -495 -25.82% 1,917
Dickenson County 2,320 42.78% 2,890 53.29% 213 3.93% -570 -10.51% 5,423
Dinwiddie County 2,073 49.90% 1,961 47.21% 118 2.84% 2 0.05% 112 2.70% 4,154
Essex County 946 64.31% 463 31.48% 62 4.21% 483 32.83% 1,471
Fairfax County 47,427 51.27% 28,096 30.38% 16,972 18.35% 2 0.00% 19,331 20.90% 92,497
Fauquier County 2,544 61.60% 1,098 26.59% 488 11.82% 1,446 35.01% 4,130
Floyd County 1,312 66.06% 596 30.01% 78 3.93% 716 36.05% 1,986
Fluvanna County 428 28.61% 991 66.24% 77 5.15% -563 -37.63% 1,496
Franklin County 2,834 56.03% 1,896 37.49% 328 6.48% 938 18.54% 5,058
Frederick County 1,849 42.85% 2,014 46.67% 452 10.48% -165 -3.82% 4,315
Giles County 2,244 55.49% 1,507 37.27% 293 7.25% 737 18.22% 4,044
Gloucester County 1,907 55.20% 1,206 34.91% 342 9.90% 701 20.29% 3,455
Goochland County 1,243 45.77% 1,353 49.82% 120 4.42% -110 -4.05% 2,716
Grayson County 1,689 50.71% 1,574 47.25% 68 2.04% 115 3.45% 3,331
Greene County 404 34.98% 618 53.51% 133 11.52% -214 -18.53% 1,155
Greensville County 958 41.42% 1,251 54.09% 104 4.50% -293 -12.67% 2,313
Halifax County 2,605 59.38% 1,603 36.54% 179 4.08% 1,002 22.84% 4,387
Hanover County 6,966 63.39% 3,002 27.32% 1,021 9.29% 3,964 36.07% 10,989
Henrico County 30,029 69.82% 9,561 22.23% 3,414 7.94% 3 0.01% 20,468 47.59% 43,007
Henry County 4,190 62.03% 1,733 25.66% 832 12.32% 2,457 36.37% 6,755
Highland County 446 64.92% 218 31.73% 23 3.35% 228 33.19% 687
Isle of Wight County 2,898 59.41% 1,818 37.27% 162 3.32% 1,080 22.14% 4,878
James City County 2,131 56.92% 905 24.17% 708 18.91% 1,226 32.75% 3,744
King George County 785 54.97% 436 30.53% 207 14.50% 349 24.44% 1,428
King and Queen County 507 43.48% 590 50.60% 69 5.92% -83 -7.12% 1,166
King William County 974 53.22% 760 41.53% 96 5.25% 214 11.69% 1,830
Lancaster County 1,723 56.34% 1,243 40.65% 92 3.01% 480 15.70% 3,058
Lee County 2,858 48.92% 2,735 46.82% 249 4.26% 123 2.11% 5,842
Loudoun County 4,327 53.43% 2,959 36.54% 813 10.04% 1,368 16.89% 8,099
Louisa County 1,100 37.87% 1,593 54.84% 211 7.26% 1 0.03% -493 -16.97% 2,905
Lunenburg County 1,584 63.26% 847 33.83% 73 2.92% 737 29.43% 2,504
Madison County 727 39.23% 923 49.81% 203 10.96% -196 -10.58% 1,853
Mathews County 1,400 60.22% 816 35.10% 109 4.69% 584 25.12% 2,325
Mecklenburg County 3,459 59.72% 2,161 37.31% 172 2.97% 1,298 22.41% 5,792
Middlesex County 914 53.14% 699 40.64% 107 6.22% 215 12.50% 1,720
Montgomery County 6,405 65.94% 2,384 24.54% 924 9.51% 4,021 41.40% 9,713
Nelson County 648 31.43% 1,315 63.77% 98 4.75% 1 0.05% -667 -32.35% 2,062
New Kent County 777 54.45% 564 39.52% 86 6.03% 213 14.93% 1,427
Northampton County 1,846 50.97% 1,638 45.22% 138 3.81% 208 5.74% 3,622
Northumberland County 1,478 60.75% 869 35.72% 85 3.49% 1 0.04% 609 25.03% 2,433
Nottoway County 2,165 57.70% 1,514 40.35% 73 1.95% 651 17.35% 3,752
Orange County 992 39.44% 1,032 41.03% 491 19.52% -40 -1.59% 2,515
Page County 1,876 57.00% 1,258 38.23% 157 4.77% 618 18.78% 3,291
Patrick County 1,123 54.94% 735 35.96% 186 9.10% 388 18.98% 2,044
Pittsylvania County 5,511 58.05% 3,516 37.03% 466 4.91% 1 0.01% 1,995 21.01% 9,494
Powhatan County 1,025 51.72% 876 44.20% 81 4.09% 149 7.52% 1,982
Prince Edward County 2,008 58.34% 1,096 31.84% 338 9.82% 912 26.50% 3,442
Prince George County 1,222 47.70% 1,186 46.29% 154 6.01% 36 1.41% 2,562
Prince William County 7,717 55.45% 3,251 23.36% 2,947 21.18% 1 0.01% 4,466 32.09% 13,916
Pulaski County 4,061 64.61% 1,841 29.29% 383 6.09% 2,220 35.32% 6,285
Rappahannock County 538 53.80% 378 37.80% 84 8.40% 160 16.00% 1,000
Richmond County 1,021 61.40% 577 34.70% 63 3.79% 2 0.12% 444 26.70% 1,663
Roanoke County 10,569 61.24% 5,235 30.33% 1,451 8.41% 3 0.02% 5,334 30.91% 17,258
Rockbridge County 1,705 60.87% 822 29.35% 274 9.78% 883 31.52% 2,801
Rockingham County 6,792 70.39% 1,936 20.06% 919 9.52% 2 0.02% 4,856 50.33% 9,649
Russell County 3,281 46.72% 3,402 48.45% 339 4.83% -121 -1.72% 7,022
Scott County 2,717 51.01% 2,284 42.88% 325 6.10% 433 8.13% 5,326
Shenandoah County 3,795 64.79% 1,696 28.96% 366 6.25% 2,099 35.84% 5,857
Smyth County 2,970 51.64% 2,214 38.50% 567 9.86% 756 13.15% 5,751
Southampton County 2,244 57.55% 1,498 38.42% 157 4.03% 746 19.13% 3,899
Spotsylvania County 1,665 48.98% 1,312 38.60% 422 12.42% 353 10.39% 3,399
Stafford County 2,008 47.87% 1,662 39.62% 525 12.51% 346 8.25% 4,195
Surry County 790 52.32% 627 41.52% 93 6.16% 163 10.79% 1,510
Sussex County 1,442 46.22% 1,452 46.54% 226 7.24% -10 -0.32% 3,120
Tazewell County 3,466 51.61% 2,410 35.88% 840 12.51% 1,056 15.72% 6,716
Warren County 1,438 44.37% 1,369 42.24% 434 13.39% 69 2.13% 3,241
Washington County 3,708 49.61% 3,104 41.53% 663 8.87% 604 8.08% 7,475
Westmoreland County 1,286 58.67% 661 30.16% 245 11.18% 625 28.51% 2,192
Wise County 2,745 37.50% 3,959 54.08% 616 8.42% -1,214 -16.58% 7,320
Wythe County 2,680 60.39% 1,544 34.79% 214 4.82% 1,136 25.60% 4,438
York County 4,241 58.42% 2,098 28.90% 921 12.69% 2,143 29.52% 7,260
Alexandria City 7,722 44.68% 5,907 34.18% 3,650 21.12% 2 0.01% 1,815 10.50% 17,281
Bedford City 863 61.51% 443 31.58% 97 6.91% 420 29.94% 1,403
Bristol City 883 44.28% 1,000 50.15% 111 5.57% -117 -5.87% 1,994
Buena Vista City 650 60.63% 353 32.93% 69 6.44% 297 27.71% 1,072
Charlottesville City 1,779 18.37% 6,518 67.32% 1,385 14.30% -4,739 -48.95% 9,682
Chesapeake City 8,592 48.13% 6,597 36.95% 2,664 14.92% 1,995 11.17% 17,853
Clifton Forge City 823 62.49% 412 31.28% 82 6.23% 411 31.21% 1,317
Colonial Heights City 2,569 65.96% 953 24.47% 373 9.58% 1,616 41.49% 3,895
Covington City 1,317 62.18% 631 29.79% 170 8.03% 686 32.39% 2,118
Danville City 5,909 67.89% 2,141 24.60% 654 7.51% 3,768 43.29% 8,704
Emporia City 840 56.80% 605 40.91% 34 2.30% 235 15.89% 1,479
Fairfax City 2,086 51.96% 1,143 28.47% 786 19.58% 943 23.49% 4,015
Falls Church City 1,196 43.11% 1,057 38.10% 521 18.78% 139 5.01% 2,774
Franklin City 945 59.25% 572 35.86% 78 4.89% 373 23.39% 1,595
Fredericksburg City 1,352 47.34% 976 34.17% 527 18.45% 1 0.04% 376 13.17% 2,856
Galax City 793 57.67% 560 40.73% 22 1.60% 233 16.95% 1,375
Hampton City 10,617 56.58% 4,889 26.05% 3,259 17.37% 5,728 30.52% 18,765
Harrisonburg City 2,636 71.65% 634 17.23% 409 11.12% 2,002 54.42% 3,679
Hopewell City 2,569 55.31% 1,606 34.57% 469 10.10% 1 0.02% 963 20.73% 4,645
Lexington City 875 60.68% 439 30.44% 128 8.88% 436 30.24% 1,442
Lynchburg City 7,594 68.82% 2,689 24.37% 751 6.81% 4,905 44.45% 11,034
Martinsville City 2,346 71.00% 666 20.16% 292 8.84% 1,680 50.85% 3,304
Nansemond City 3,842 48.77% 3,610 45.82% 425 5.39% 1 0.01% 232 2.94% 7,878
Newport News City 12,368 48.93% 10,235 40.49% 2,674 10.58% 1 0.00% 2,133 8.44% 25,278
Norfolk City 18,712 44.20% 17,613 41.60% 6,010 14.20% 1,099 2.60% 42,335
Norton City 411 43.26% 418 44.00% 121 12.74% -7 -0.74% 950
Petersburg City 3,819 44.86% 4,232 49.71% 451 5.30% 11 0.13% -413 -4.85% 8,513
Portsmouth City 10,482 47.67% 10,032 45.63% 1,473 6.70% 450 2.05% 21,987
Radford City 2,115 68.05% 843 27.12% 150 4.83% 1,272 40.93% 3,108
Richmond City 25,525 47.92% 24,070 45.19% 3,671 6.89% 3 0.01% 1,455 2.73% 53,269
Roanoke City 9,617 55.32% 6,610 38.02% 1,158 6.66% 3,007 17.30% 17,385
Salem City 3,161 63.85% 1,397 28.22% 393 7.94% 1,764 35.63% 4,951
South Boston City 1,005 67.13% 433 28.92% 59 3.94% 572 38.21% 1,497
Staunton City 3,201 65.13% 1,235 25.13% 479 9.75% 1,966 40.00% 4,915
Suffolk City 1,540 63.82% 755 31.29% 118 4.89% 785 32.53% 2,413
Virginia Beach City 20,971 60.37% 8,722 25.11% 5,042 14.52% 1 0.00% 12,249 35.26% 34,736
Waynesboro City 2,753 66.47% 973 23.49% 416 10.04% 1,780 42.97% 4,142
Williamsburg City 1,247 58.03% 433 20.15% 469 21.82% 778[b] 36.20% 2,149
Winchester City 1,916 45.25% 1,905 44.99% 413 9.75% 11 0.26% 4,234
Totals 505,729 53.96% 332,990 35.53% 98,508 10.51% 43 0.00% 172,739 18.43% 937,270

Analysis

As generally expected in the months preceding the election, Dalton won a convincing victory by 18.43 percentage points, sufficient that he would have won clearly without the Crater candidacy that was expected to hurt Michael.[12] Dalton carried all except twenty-one counties and all except four cities, including longtime Democratic strongholds like Norfolk, Portsmouth and Richmond, whilst Michael's strength was largely confined to his home area around Charlottesville and a few coal counties in the southwest. Crater won about twice the generally predicted vote percentage,[17] doing best in her Northern Virginia home and in the Tidewater, where she ran second ahead of Michael in Williamsburg.

Notes

  1. ^ Crater had lobbied to save public schools in Virginia, for reforms in Fairfax County government, and was at the time of her candidacy lobbying for the Equal Rights Amendment.[11]
  2. ^ In this county or city where Crater ran second ahead of Michael, margin given is Dalton vote minus Crater vote and percentage margin Dalton percentage minus Crater percentage.

References

  1. ^ Kelley, George M. (August 31, 1970). "Reynolds Suffering from Brain Tumor". The Roanoke Times. Landmark News Service. p. 1.
  2. ^ a b Sweeney, James R. (2022). "Armageddon Revisited: The 1973 Gubernatorial Election in Virginia". The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. 130 (4). Virginia Historical Society: 290–347.
  3. ^ Peirce, Neal R. (1975). The Border South States; people, politics, and power in the five Border South States. New York City: Norton. pp. 64–65. ISBN 9780393055313.
  4. ^ a b "Sen. Michael Is Lone Demo Candidate for Lieutenant Governor". The Daily News-Leader. Staunton, Virginia. April 4, 1973. p. 15.
  5. ^ Atkinson, Frank B. (2006). "Armageddon, Virginia Style". The Dynamic Dominion: Realignment and the Rise of Two-Party Competition in Virginia, 1945-1980 (Revised ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 308. ISBN 9780742552081.
  6. ^ "Michael Qualifies in Race for Lieutenant Governor". The News and Advance. Lynchburg, Virginia. April 14, 1973. p. 8.
  7. ^ "Cooke May Provide Clues to Decision Today". The Daily News Leader. Staunton, Virginia. Associated Press. p. 9.
  8. ^ Latimer, James (April 7, 1973). "Obenshain Will Not Run for Lieutenant Governor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. B-1.
  9. ^ "Arlington GOP to Back Godwin". Richmond Times-Dispatch. May 15, 1973. p. B-4.
  10. ^ "Lt. Governor Nominee: John Dalton Easy First Ballot Winner". Bristol Herald-Courier. June 10, 1973. p. 1.
  11. ^ a b c Kelly, Sandra (April 5, 1973). "Versatile Woman Running for State Office". The Roanoke Times. p. 18.
  12. ^ a b c "Virginia Commentary – The Impact of Flora". The Daily Progress. Charlottesville, Virginia. September 16, 1973. p. 4.
  13. ^ "Women Activist Candidates Are Racing for State Posts". The Birmingham News. May 30, 1973. p. 25.
  14. ^ Osborne, Ozzie (June 13, 1973). "20 Seek House Seat as Independents". The World-News. Roanoke City. pp. 25, 30.
  15. ^ Jones, Edward (October 1, 1973). "Harry Michael: No Glamorous Issues". The Free Lance-Star. Fredericksburg, Virginia. p. 19.
  16. ^ "Michael Calls for Review of Taxes on Food and Drugs". The News & Advance. Lynchburg. The Associated Press. September 27, 1973. p. 21.
  17. ^ a b Sabato, Larry J. (1974). "Virginia Politics in 1973: The State Elections" (PDF). University of Virginia Newsletter. Vol. 50, no. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2015.
  18. ^ a b Kelly, Sandra (October 7, 1973). "Va. Citizens Responsive: Mrs. Crater". The Roanoke Times. p. B—2.
  19. ^ "Lt. Governor Hopefuls Voice Differing Views". The News-Virginian. Waynesboro, Virginia. October 24, 1971. p. 1.
  20. ^ Latimer, James (October 4, 1973). "Howell Poll Gives Him 9.5% Lead". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. 1.
  21. ^ "'77 Speculation Begins for Miller and Dalton". The Daily Advance. Lynchburg. October 6, 1973. p. 16.
  22. ^ "Poll Favors Dalton and Miller". Roanoke Times. November 1, 1973. p. 1.
  23. ^ a b "1973 Lieutenant Governor General Election". Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia. 1973. Retrieved June 2, 2021.