Senate
In 1974, Stone ran in an 11-candidate Democratic primary election. Congressman Bill Gunter finished first but Stone won a close subsequent runoff, 51% to 49%. On the Republican side, incumbent Senator Edward J. Gurney chose not to run for reelection after being indicted for taking bribes in return for his influence with the Federal Housing Administration. Millionaire Eckerd drug store chain owner, Jack Eckerd, defeated Paula Hawkins for the Republican nomination. In the general election, Stone narrowly defeated Eckerd in a race that saw The American Party candidate, John Grady, claim nearly 16% of the vote. Outgoing Senator Gurney resigned on December 31, 1974 and Stone was officially appointed senator by Governor Reubin O'Donovan Askew on January 1, 1975, two days before his term was scheduled to begin.
During Stone's term in the U.S. Senate, he was a member of the Foreign Relations Committee and was a strong advocate for the Panama Canal Torrijos-Carter Treaties. He also voted for neutron bomb funding, deregulation of natural gas, and public funding of congressional campaigns and voted against an early version of the Kemp-Roth Tax Cut and funding medically necessary abortions. In addition to the Foreign Relations Committee, Stone served on the Agriculture Committee.
When his term started, Stone was one of three Jewish members of the U.S. Senate along with Jacob K. Javits and Abraham A. Ribicoff.
Read more about this topic: Richard Stone (politician)
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