The 1970 United States Senate special election in Alaska was held on November 3, 1970, to fill a seat in the United States Senate following the December 1968 death of Democrat Bob Bartlett, who had been Alaska's senior Senator since statehood in 1959. Republican Ted Stevens was appointed to the seat temporarily on December 24, 1968, to serve until the election could be held.
Stevens faced-off against Democrat Wendell P. Kay for the right to serve the remainder of Bartlett's term, which expired on January 3, 1973. Stevens won the special election, receiving 59.6% of the vote versus 40.4% won by Kay. This election marked the first time in Alaska's history that it elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate, the last remaining U.S. state to do so. Stevens would go on to win re-election to six full terms, winning easily, until his defeat in 2008.
Campaign
Stevens spent most of the campaign in Washington D.C., Kay angrily trying to convince Stevens to debate, with Stevens portraying himself as a busy legislator who was taking care of Alaska's interests in the Capitol while Kay flung accusations. Stevens was noted for his solid organization, with many suborganizations such as 'Women for Stevens', and hosting frequent strategy meetings with supporters in nearly every community in the state. To encourage support from small business owners, Stevens asked the Small Business Administration to hold development conferences throughout the state.
Stevens had lost the 1962 Senate race and 1968 Republican Senate primary, there were concerns about Stevens' electability in the campaign. Kay attacked Stevens on his support of the Nixon administration, calling on him to publicly defend his record, in an attempt to overcome Stevens' large lead in support. Kay attacked Stevens & Nixon on failing to handle unemployment, the high cost of living, inflation, native land claims, the pipeline permit, continued war and pollution control. Kay released detailed "position papers" on each of these issues, in one of which he demanded a "substantial reordering of national priorities", placing local community issues ahead of financing the Vietnam War or the construction of supersonic transport.
Kay's loss was quite stark, especially considering Bill Egan's reclaiming of the governor's office and Nick Begich's election in the 1970 U.S. House race, as well as similar Democratic gains in local offices. Many Democrats quietly supported Stevens over concerns that Kay was too liberal, and Stevens had cultivated constituent issues quite skillfully while in office. Most importantly, Kay's primary challenge to Governor Egan was seen as a major factor in his re-election loss for a third term in 1966 to Republican Walter Hickel.
Primary election
Candidates
Republican
- Fritz Singer
- Ted Stevens, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1968, former Solicitor of the Interior & U.S. Attorney
Democratic
- Joe Josephson, state senator
- Wendell P. Kay, Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives