Contents

1974 Nevada gubernatorial election

1974 Nevada gubernatorial election

← 1970 November 5, 1974 (1974-11-05) 1978 →

Nominee Mike O'Callaghan Shirley Crumpler James Houston Party Democratic Republican Independent American Popular vote 114,114 28,959 26,285 Percentage 67.38% 17.10% 15.52%

County results O'Callaghan:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

Governor before election Mike O'Callaghan Democratic Elected Governor Mike O'Callaghan Democratic

Elections in Nevada
Federal government U.S. President 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 Dem GOP 1916 Dem GOP 1920 Dem GOP 1924 Dem GOP 1928 Dem GOP 1932 Dem GOP 1936 Dem GOP 1940 Dem GOP 1944 Dem GOP 1948 Dem GOP 1952 Dem GOP 1956 Dem GOP 1960 Dem GOP 1964 Dem GOP 1968 Dem GOP 1972 Dem GOP 1976 Dem GOP 1980 Dem GOP 1984 Dem GOP 1988 Dem GOP 1992 Dem GOP 1996 Dem GOP 2000 Dem GOP 2004 Dem GOP 2008 Dem GOP 2012 Dem GOP 2016 Dem GOP 2020 Dem GOP 2024 Dem GOP U.S. Senate 1865 1867 1869 1873 1875 1879 1881 1885 1887 1891 1893 1897 1899 1902 1903 1905 1909 1911 1913 (Sp) 1914 1916 1918 (Sp) 1920 1922 1926 1928 1932 1934 1938 1940 1942 (Sp) 1944 1946 1950 1952 1954 (Sp) 1956 1958 1962 1964 1968 1970 1974 1976 1980 1982 1986 1988 1992 1994 1998 2000 2004 2006 2010 2012 2016 2018 2022 2024 U.S. House 1864 1865 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2nd 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Special elections 2nd district, 2011
State government General 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Gubernatorial 1864 1866 1870 1874 1878 1882 1886 1890 1894 1898 1902 1906 1910 1914 1918 1922 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 Nevada Senate 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Nevada Assembly 2020 2022 2024
Ballot measures 2002 and 2016 2002 Nevada Question 2 2016 Nevada Question 2
Henderson Mayoral 2017 2022
Las Vegas Mayoral 1909 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1935 1939 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2024
North Las Vegas Mayoral 2013 2017 2022
Reno Mayoral 1868 1870 1874 1878 1882 1886 1890 1894 1898 1902 1906 1910 1914 1918 1922 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
None of These Candidates Nevada portal
v t e

The 1974 Nevada gubernatorial election occurred on November 5, 1974. Incumbent Democrat Mike O'Callaghan successfully ran for re-election to a second term as Governor of Nevada, defeating Republican nominee Shirley Crumpler and Independent American nominee James Hay Houston.

Campaign[edit]

Democratic primary[edit]

There was no Democratic primary as the Nevada Democratic Party fully committed fully behind incumbent governor Mike O'Callaghan and expected an easy re-election due to O'Callaghan being young, just 45 at the time, and running a scandal-less first term, as well as being generally charismatic and likeable.^[1]

Republican primary[edit]

Four Republicans sought their party's nod for nomination with two front runners; Bill Bickerstaff from Sparks and Shirley Crumpler a 39-year-old Las Vegas based real estate developer and tax consultant.^[2] Crumpler would win and was the first woman ever nominated for Governor of Nevada and was also the first Republican woman ever nominated for Governor in the nation.^[1][3][4]

Other[edit]

The Independent American Party of Nevada nominated James R. Houston, a wealthy 38‐year‐old silver speculator, for governor.^[1]

General election[edit]

The central issue of the general election was the fact Crumpler was a woman, with Crumpler stating in an interview with The New York Times that convincing voters that a woman can handle the burden of holding political office just as much as a man to be "the hard part" of her campaign.^[1] Crumpler centered her campaign on accusing O'Callaghan of neglecting his constituents during his election campaign, and that he only implements policy for popularity boosts for re-election.^[5] O'Callaghan would defeat Crumpler by nearly 40% of the vote.^[6]

Results[edit]

Nevada gubernatorial election, 1974^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Mike O'Callaghan (inc.)	114,114	67.38%	19.28%
	Republican	Shirley Crumpler	28,959	17.10%	26.71%
	Independent American	James Ray Houston	26,285	15.52%	11.84%
	N/A	Undervotes	142	0.08%	0.45%
Total votes			169,473	100%
	Democratic hold		Swing	3.42%

References[edit]