1968 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

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1968 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina
Flag of South Carolina.svg
  1966 November 5, 1968 (1968-11-05) [1] 1970  

All 6 South Carolina seats to the United States House of Representatives
 Majority partyMinority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election51
Seats won51
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Popular vote416,181203,902
Percentage66.29%32.48%
SwingDecrease2.svg 4.31%Increase2.svg 3.17%

SC1968CD.svg
1968 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina by county.svg
South Carolina congressional districts, 1962 to 1970
1st district
2nd district
3rd district
4th district
5th district
6th district SCCongDist1962-1972.png
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.

Contents

1st congressional district

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. [2]

Democratic primary

Democratic primary
CandidateVotes%
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
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic L. Mendel Rivers (incumbent)95,478100.00.0
Majority 95,478100.00.0
Turnout 95,478
Democratic hold

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
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Albert Watson (incumbent)63,87757.6−6.7
Democratic Frank K. Sloan47,05342.4+6.7
No party Write-Ins 50.00.0
Majority 16,82415.2−13.4
Turnout 110,935
Republican hold

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
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic William J.B. Dorn (incumbent)74,10466.1+8.3
Republican John K. Grisso35,46331.7−10.5
Independent J. Harold Morton2,4892.2+2.2
No party Write-Ins 10.00.0
Majority 38,64134.4+18.8
Turnout 112,057
Democratic hold

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
CandidateVotes%
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
CandidateVotes%±%
James R. Mann 23,92356.9+25.2
E.C. Burnett, Jr.18,10743.1+15.0

General election results

South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1968
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic James R. Mann 68,43761.2−38.8
Republican Charles Bradshaw43,44038.8+38.8
Majority 24,99722.4−77.6
Turnout 111,877
Democratic hold

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
CandidateVotes%
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
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Thomas S. Gettys (incumbent)72,80574.7−24.5
Republican Hugh J. Boyd21,24621.8+21.8
Independent Bert Sumner3,4113.5+3.5
Majority 51,55952.9−45.5
Turnout 97,462
Democratic hold

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
CandidateVotes%
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
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic John L. McMillan (incumbent)58,30458.3−3.4
Republican Ray Harris39,87639.9+1.6
Independent Claude E. Harris1,8491.8+1.8
Majority 18,42818.4−5.0
Turnout 100,029
Democratic hold

See also

Notes

  1. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 1968" (PDF). clerk.house.gov. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  2. Ravenel, pp. 197-198

References