1980 United States Senate election in Alabama

The 1980 United States Senate election in Alabama took place on November 4, 1980, alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Donald Stewart, elected in a special election to finish the term of the seat left vacant by the death of Senator James B. Allen, decided to run for a full term, but was defeated in the primary by Jim Folsom, who lost the general election to Republican Jeremiah Denton.

1980 United States Senate election in Alabama

← 1978 (special) November 4, 1980 1986 →

Nominee Jeremiah Denton Jim Folsom Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 650,363 610,175 Percentage 50.15% 47.05%

County results Denton:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Folsom:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Donald Stewart Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Jeremiah Denton Republican

Denton was the first Republican elected to the Senate from Alabama since the end of Reconstruction in 1879 and the first Republican elected since the passage of the 17th Amendment requiring the direct election of senators. He would lose reelection in 1986 to Democratic nominee Richard Shelby, who later joined the Republican Party in 1994.^[1]