1970 United States Senate election in Virginia

1970 United States Senate election in Virginia

← 1966 (special) November 3, 1970 1976 →
 
Nominee Harry F. Byrd Jr. George Rawlings Ray L. Garland
Party Independent Democratic Republican
Popular vote 506,237 294,582 144,765
Percentage 53.54% 31.15% 15.31%

County and Independent City Results
Byrd:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%
Rawlings:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%      70-80%
Garland:      30-40%      40-50%      50-60%

U.S. senator before election

Harry F. Byrd Jr.
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Harry F. Byrd Jr.
Independent

The 1970 United States Senate election in Virginia was held on November 3, 1970. Incumbent Senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. was re-elected to his first full term after winning a race 4 years earlier to finish the remainder of his father's term.

Having switched from Democratic to an Independent shortly before the election, Byrd became the first non-Democrat to represent the state in the Senate since 1889.