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| Turnout | 51.24% | ||||||||||||||||
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 County results Percy: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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| Elections in Illinois |
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The 1972 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 7, 1972.[1] Incumbent Republican United States Senator Charles H. Percy sought re-election to the United States Senate. Percy was opposed by Democratic nominee Roman Pucinski, a United States Congressman from Illinois's 11th congressional district, whom he was able to defeat handily to win a second term. As of 2022[update], this was the last time a Republican was elected to the U.S. Senate from Illinois during a presidential election year, the last time an Illinois Republican won a Senate election by double digits, and the last time any candidate has swept every county in the state. This election was the fourth consecutive time in which a United States Senate election in Illinois took place two years after a previous United States Senate election in Illinois after 1966, 1968 and 1970.
Election information[edit]
The primary (held on March 21) and general election coincided with those for House and state elections.[1]
Turnout[edit]
Turnout in the primaries was 31.40%, with a total of 1,753,727 votes cast.[1]
Turnout during the general election was 51.24%, with 3,184,764 votes cast.[1]
Turnout in both the primary and general election was significantly less than those for coinciding statewide races.[1]
Democratic primary[edit]
Congressman Roman Pucinski defeated Dakin Williams in the Democratic primary. Williams was a prosecutor who was the younger brother of playwright Tennessee Williams.[2]
Candidates[edit]
- Roman Pucinski, United States Congressman from Illinois's 11th congressional district
- Dakin Williams, prosecutor[2]
Results[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Roman C. Pucinski | 859,890 | 70.62 | |
| Democratic | W. Dakin Williams | 357,744 | 29.38 | |
| Democratic | Write Ins | 71 | 0 | |
| Total votes | 1,217,705 | 100 | ||
Republican primary[edit]
Incumbent Charles H. Percy was renominated without opposition in the Republican primary.
Candidates[edit]
- Charles H. Percy, incumbent United States Senator
Results[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles H. Percy (incumbent) | 535,911 | 99.98 | |
| Write-in | Others | 111 | 0.02 | |
| Total votes | 536,022 | 100 | ||
Other nominees[edit]
- Edward C. Gross (Socialist Labor), perennial candidate
- Arnold Becchetti (Communist)
General election[edit]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles H. Percy (incumbent) | 2,867,078 | 62.21% | +7.27% | |
| Democratic | Roman Pucinski | 1,721,031 | 37.35% | -6.55% | |
| Socialist Labor | Edward C. Gross | 13,384 | 0.29% | ||
| Communist | Arnold Becchetti | 6,103 | 0.13% | ||
| Write-in | Others | 784 | 0.02% | ||
| Majority | 1,146,047 | 24.87% | +13.82% | ||
| Turnout | 3,822,724 | ||||
| Republican hold | Swing | ||||
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 7, 1972 JUDICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH, 21, 1972" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved June 26, 2020.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Tennessee Williams' brother dead at 89". The State Journal-Register. May 22, 2008. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
- ^ "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved April 4, 2015.