Editing Jesse Helms (section)

===1984 re-election campaign===
{{Main|1984 United States Senate election in North Carolina}}

Halfway through Reagan's term, Helms was talked about as a prospective presidential candidate in 1984 in case Reagan chose to stand down after his first term.<ref>{{cite news |first=James |last=Reston |author-link=James Reston |title=Will Reagan Run in '84? |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=September 19, 1982 |page=202 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Howell |last=Raines |author-link=Howell Raines |title=In the Wings, if Reagan Doesn't Run |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 20, 1982 |page=B12 }}</ref> There was also speculation that Helms would run for the [[Governor of North Carolina|Governorship]], being vacated by [[Jim Hunt]].<ref>{{cite news |title=North Carolina; Huntsmen against Helsmen |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |date=March 19, 1983 |page=50 }}</ref> However, the President stood for re-election, and Helms ran once more for his Senate seat—facing Governor Hunt—and becoming the top target among the incumbent Senate Republicans.<ref name="Democrats aim to regain" />

Unlike in 1978, Helms faced an opponent in the primary, George Wimbish, but won with 90.6% of the vote, while Hunt received 77% in his.<ref name="SouthNow 46" /> During the general election campaign, Hunt accused Helms of having the most "anti-Israel record of any member of the U.S. Senate".<ref name="Link 318" /> Helms pledged during the campaign that he would retain his chairmanship of the Agriculture committee.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nicholas |last=Ashford |title=Cross-voting foils coat-tails effect for Reagan |work=[[The Times]] |page=6 |date=November 8, 1984 }}</ref>

In the most expensive Senate campaign up to that time, Helms narrowly defeated Hunt, taking 1,156,768 (51.7%) to Hunt's 1,070,488 (47.8%).<ref name="SouthNow 46" />