United States Senate election in New Hampshire, 1974
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The 1974 Election for United States Senator in New Hampshire, held on November 5, 1974, resulted in the longest contested election for the U.S. Congress in United States history.
In 1973, then incumbent Senator Norris Cotton announced he would not seek reelection. Republican strategists admitted that it would be tough for their party to hold on to the seat.
The campaign of 1974, pitted Democrat John A. Durkin, who had served as New Hampshire's Insurance Commissioner, and as Attorney General, against the conservative, widely known Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire's 1st congressional district, Louis C. Wyman. As Wyman was the more experienced politician, he was predicted by many to win handily.
Wyman won with a margin of just 355 votes.
Durkin immediately demanded a recount. The recount, completed November 27, 1974, declared Durkin the winner by a margin of 10 votes. Republican Governor Meldrim Thomson, Jr. awarded Durkin a provisional certificate of election.
Wyman promptly appealed to the New Hampshire State Ballot Law Commission. Durkin tried to defeat the appeal through legal maneuvers that eventually involved all levels of the New Hampshire court. Durkin's attorney also sought an injunction in Federal court to send the matter directly to the U.S. Senate for arbitration, but on December 18, a Federal district court denied the request.
The state ballot commission, therefore, conducted its own partial recount, and announced on December 24, 1974, that Wyman had won by just two votes. Governor Thomson rescinded Durkin’s certificate, and awarded a new credential to Wyman.
Cotton resigned the Senate seat on December 31, 1974, and Thomson appointed Wyman to fill the remainder of the term, which would expire on January 3, 1975.
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