1972 United States Senate election in Illinois

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 2020, this is the last time a Republican was elected to the U.S. Senate from Illinois during a presidential election year.

1972 United States Senate election in Illinois
November 7, 1972
Turnout51.24%
 
Nominee Charles Percy Roman Pucinski
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 2,867,078 1,721,031
Percentage 62.21% 37.35%
County Results
Percy:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%
U.S. senator before election

Charles H. Percy
Republican

 Elected U.S. Senator

Charles H. Percy
Republican

Elections in Illinois

Election information

The primary (held on March 21) and general election coincided with those for House and state elections.[1]

Turnout

Turnout in the primaries was 11.58%, with a total of 646,951 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

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

Results
Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Roman C. Pucinski 468,727 79.54
Democratic W. Dakin Williams 120,596 20.46
Total votes 589,323 100

Republican primary

Incumbent Charles H. Percy was renominated without opposition in the Republican primary.

Candidates

Results
Republican primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles H. Percy 57,628 100
Total votes 57,628 100

Other nominees

General election
United States Senate election in Illinois, 1972[1][3]
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
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See also
  • United States Senate elections, 1972

References
  1. "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.
  2. "Tennessee Williams' brother dead at 89". The State Journal-Register. May 22, 2008. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  3. "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
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