South Carolina congressional districts, 1962 to 1970
1st district
2nd district
3rd district
4th district
5th district
6th district
The 1968 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 5, 1968, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The primary elections were held on June 11 and the runoff elections were held two weeks later on June 25. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 5th district was retained by the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation remained five Democrats and one Republican.
Incumbent Democratic Congressman L. Mendel Rivers of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1941, defeated black attorney George A. Payton, Jr. in the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election. Charleston County Republican Party chairman James B. Edwards was prepared to run in the general election had George A. Payton, Jr. won the Democratic primary.[1]
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
L. Mendel Rivers
65,817
77.7
George A. Payton, Jr.
18,933
22.3
General election results[]
South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1968
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
L. Mendel Rivers (incumbent)
95,478
100.0
0.0
Majority
95,478
100.0
0.0
Turnout
95,478
Democratichold
2nd congressional district[]
Incumbent Republican Congressman Albert Watson of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1963, defeated Democratic challenger Frank K. Sloan.
General election results[]
South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1968
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Republican
Albert Watson (incumbent)
63,877
57.6
-6.7
Democratic
Frank K. Sloan
47,053
42.4
+6.7
No party
Write-Ins
5
0.0
0.0
Majority
16,824
15.2
-13.4
Turnout
110,935
Republicanhold
3rd congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1951, defeated Republican challenger John Grisso.
General election results[]
South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1968
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
William J.B. Dorn (incumbent)
74,104
66.1
+8.3
Republican
John K. Grisso
35,463
31.7
-10.5
Independent
J. Harold Morton
2,489
2.2
+2.2
No party
Write-Ins
1
0.0
0.0
Majority
38,641
34.4
+18.8
Turnout
112,057
Democratichold
4th congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Robert T. Ashmore of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1953, opted to retire. James R. Mann won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican challenger Charles Bradshaw in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
James R. Mann
17,035
31.7
E.C. Burnett, Jr.
15,089
28.1
Nick A. Theodore
14,361
26.7
Leo Hill
7,218
13.4
Democratic primary runoff
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
James R. Mann
23,923
56.9
+25.2
E.C. Burnett, Jr.
18,107
43.1
+15.0
General election results[]
South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1968
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
James R. Mann
68,437
61.2
-38.8
Republican
Charles Bradshaw
43,440
38.8
+38.8
Majority
24,997
22.4
-77.6
Turnout
111,877
Democratichold
5th congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Thomas S. Gettys of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1964, defeated Fred R. Sheheen in the Democratic primary and Republican Hugh J. Boyd in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
Thomas S. Gettys
53,448
72.9
Fred R. Sheheen
19,890
27.1
General election results[]
South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1968
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
Thomas S. Gettys (incumbent)
72,805
74.7
-24.5
Republican
Hugh J. Boyd
21,246
21.8
+21.8
Independent
Bert Sumner
3,411
3.5
+3.5
Majority
51,559
52.9
-45.5
Turnout
97,462
Democratichold
6th congressional district[]
Incumbent Democratic Congressman John L. McMillan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1939, defeated Richard G. Dusenbury in the Democratic primary and Republican Ray Harris in the general election.
Democratic primary[]
Democratic primary
Candidate
Votes
%
John L. McMillan
47,611
65.9
Richard G. Dusenbury
24,679
34.1
General election results[]
South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1968
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
±%
Democratic
John L. McMillan (incumbent)
58,304
58.3
-3.4
Republican
Ray Harris
39,876
39.9
+1.6
Independent
Claude E. Harris
1,849
1.8
+1.8
Majority
18,428
18.4
-5.0
Turnout
100,029
Democratichold
See also[]
United States House elections, 1968
United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1968