The 1970 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on November 3, 1970, to elect the next governor of Tennessee. Incumbent Democratic Governor Buford Ellington was term-limited and was prohibited by the Constitution of Tennessee from seeking another term. Republican nominee Winfield Dunn, defeated Democratic opponent John Jay Hooker with 52.0% of the vote.
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County results Winfield: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Hooker: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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With this win, Dunn became the first Republican to win a Tennessee gubernatorial election in fifty years.
Primary elections were held on August 6, 1970.[1]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | John Jay Hooker | 261,580 | 44.33 | |
Democratic | Stan Snodgrass | 193,199 | 32.74 | |
Democratic | Robert L. Taylor | 90,009 | 15.25 | |
Democratic | Mary Anderson | 29,175 | 4.94 | |
Democratic | Ralph W. Emerson | 12,608 | 2.14 | |
Democratic | James A. Newton | 3,490 | 0.59 | |
Total votes | 590,061 | 100.00 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Winfield Dunn | 81,475 | 33.26 | |
Republican | Maxey Jarman | 70,420 | 28.74 | |
Republican | Bill Jenkins | 50,910 | 20.78 | |
Republican | Claude Robertson | 40,547 | 16.55 | |
Republican | Hubert David Patty | 1,647 | 0.67 | |
Total votes | 244,999 | 100.00 |
Major party candidates
Other candidates
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Winfield Dunn | 575,777 | 51.95% | ||
Democratic | John Jay Hooker | 509,521 | 45.98% | ||
American | Douglas L. Heinsohn | 22,945 | 2.07% | ||
Majority | 66,256 | ||||
Turnout | 1,108,247 | ||||
Republican gain from Democratic | Swing |