On This Day

Senate votes to turn Panama Canal over to Panama on Dec 31, 1999

The United States Senate election of 1978 in Massachusetts was held on November 7, 1978, with the incumbent Republican Senator Edward Brooke being defeated by Democratic Congressman Paul...

The United States Senate election of 1978 in Massachusetts was held on November 7, 1978, with the incumbent Republican Senator Edward Brooke being defeated by Democratic Congressman Paul Tsongas.

Primary elections nominating Tsongas and Brooke were held on September 19.

Brooke was dogged throughout the campaign by questions surrounding his 1975 divorce and an ongoing Senate Ethics investigation. Additionally, he faced a competitive primary challenge that may have weakened his standing ahead of the general election. Paul Tsongas's swearing-in or inauguration marked the first time since 1937 that Democrats held both United States Senate seats from Massachusetts.

Historical Significance

The United States Senate election of 1978 in Massachusetts was held on November 7, 1978, with the incumbent Republican Senator Edward Brooke being defeated by Democratic Congressman Paul Tsongas.

Events Before

  1. Erroll Garner dies

    Erroll Garner dies

  2. Belgium undergoes a major municipal reorganization and reapportions 2,359 communities into 596

    Belgium undergoes a major municipal reorganization and reapportions 2,359 communities into 596

  3. Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs incorporate Apple Computer, Inc.

    Apple Inc., originally Apple Computer, Inc., is an American multinational corporation that creates and markets consumer electronics and attendant computer software, and is a digital distributor of…

  4. American film director Martin Scorsese (34) divorces Julia Cameron (28) after 1 year of marriage

    Megalopolis is a 2024 American epic science fiction drama film written, directed, and produced by Francis Ford Coppola.

  5. Miniseries "Roots" premieres on ABC

    Miniseries "Roots" premieres on ABC

Events After

  1. International Year of the Child begins (declared by UNESCO)

    International Year of the Child begins (declared by UNESCO)

  2. Village People's "Y.M.C.A." becomes their only UK #1 single; at its peak, it sells over 150,000 copies per day

    Village People's "Y.M.C.A." becomes their only UK #1 single; at its peak, it sells over 150,000 copies per day

  3. BBC landmark nature series "Life on Earth" presented by David Attenborough first shown on BBC One

    Life on Earth: A Natural History by David Attenborough is a British television natural history series made by the BBC in association with Warner Bros. Television and Reiner Moritz Productions.

  4. Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran after 15 years in exile

    Ruhollah Khomeini's return to Iran on 1 February 1979, after 14 years in exile, was an important event in the Iranian Revolution.

  5. Actor Max Von Sydow (49) divorces actress Christina Olin after 28 years of marriage

    Actor Max Von Sydow (49) divorces actress Christina Olin after 28 years of marriage

More from the 1970s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 18, 1978?
The United States Senate election of 1978 in Massachusetts was held on November 7, 1978, with the incumbent Republican Senator Edward Brooke being defeated by Democratic Congressman Paul Tsongas. Primary elections nominating Tsongas and Brooke were held on September 19. Brooke was dogged throughout the campaign by questions surrounding his 1975 divorce and an ongoing Senate Ethics investigation.
Why is Senate votes to turn Panama Canal over to Panama on Dec 31, 1999 significant?
The United States Senate election of 1978 in Massachusetts was held on November 7, 1978, with the incumbent Republican Senator Edward Brooke being defeated by Democratic Congressman Paul Tsongas.

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