1972 United States Senate election in Illinois

1972 United States Senate election in Illinois
Turnout	51.24%
	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

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 2021, this is the last time a Republican was elected to the U.S. Senate from Illinois during a presidential election year, and the last time an Illinois Republican won a Senate election by double digits.

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 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[]

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[]

Roman Pucinski, United States Congressman from Illinois's 11th congressional district
Dakin Williams, prosecutor^[2]

Results[]

Democratic primary results^[1]
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[]

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

Candidates[]

Charles H. Percy, incumbent United States Senator

Results[]

Republican primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Charles H. Percy	535,911	99.98
	Write-in	Others	111	0.02
Total votes			536,022	100

Other nominees[]

Edward C. Gross (Socialist Labor), perennial candidate
Arnold Becchetti (Communist)

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

References[]

^ ^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.

[results-1] ^ ^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]}

[sj-r-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.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t Elections in Illinois
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Special	2nd Congressional, 1995 14th Congressional, 2008 5th Congressional, 2009 2nd Congressional, 2013 18th Congressional, 2015 Comptroller, 2016
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Other state executive offices	Attorney General 2018 Secretary of State 2022 Comptroller 2016
State Senate	2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
State House	2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
State judicial	1936 1938 1940 1942 1948 1960 1962 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
Statewide ballot referendums	Cutback Amendment (1980) Illinois Governor Recall Amendment (2010) Illinois Public Pension Amendment (2012) Marsy's Law (2014) Illinois Right to Vote Amendment (2014) Illinois Fair Tax (2020)
Chicago mayoral	1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 (Mar) 1844 (Apr) 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1876 (Apr) 1876 (Jul) 1877 1879 1881 1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1893 (Apr) 1893 (Dec) 1895 1897 1899 1901 1903 1905 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1935 1939 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1977 1979 1983 1987 1989 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Chicago City Council	1923 1927 1929 2015 2019
Other municipal	1924 Cicero
Cook County	1946 1980 (State's Attorney) 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022

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1972 United States Senate election in Illinois

Contents

Election information[]

Turnout[]

Democratic primary[]

Candidates[]

Results[]

Republican primary[]

Candidates[]

Results[]

Other nominees[]

General election[]

See also[]

References[]