6.B. 1980 Campaign Files, 1974-1980, bulk: 1979-1980

This subseries is comprised of records created by the Senator’s staff during the course of his 1980 campaign for Senate. In 1980, Leahy ran for re-election on a platform of curbing inflation, balancing the federal budget, reducing dependence on foreign oil, advancing alternate energy (green energy), promoting rural development, and improving government accountability. Leahy formally launched his campaign in the spring of 1980, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, and faced Republican Stewart Ledbetter, Independent Anthony Doria, and Liberty Union candidate Earl Gardner in the general election. Ultimately, the contest was between Leahy and Ledbetter. The election results were extremely close: Leahy garnered 49.8% of the vote to Ledbetter’s 48.6%, and a recount was held before Leahy was declared the official winner in December 1980.

Leahy’s 1980 campaign was orchestrated by his Chief of Staff Sanford Kinzer in Washington, DC and Campaign Director Tom Guidugli, who led the campaign office in Vermont. The following individuals served on Guidugli’s campaign staff: Shirley Cota (secretary), Elizabeth Kearns (field organizer), Dale Sutherland (media coordinator and scheduler), and Peter Van Oot (researcher). Additionally, Elizabeth Slayton took a hiatus from her staff assistant position on Leahy’s permanent staff to serve as state coordinator of the campaign. Some of the records in this subseries have been identified as the files of Kinzer, Guidugli, Sutherland, and Slayton. Also included are a few files kept by Kinzer’s predecessors, Paul Bruhn and Martin Franks, in the lead up to the 1980 campaign.