1966 Maryland gubernatorial election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1966 Maryland gubernatorial election
| country = Maryland
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1962 Maryland gubernatorial election
| previous_year = 1962
| next_election = 1969 Maryland gubernatorial special election
| next_year = 1969 (special)
| election_date = November 8, 1966
| image1 = File:Spiro Agnew (MD).png
| image_size = 150x150px
| nominee1 = Spiro Agnew
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 455,318
| percentage1 = 49.50%
| image2 = 3x4.svg
| nominee2 = George P. Mahoney
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 373,543
| percentage2 = 40.61%
| image3 = 3x4.svg
| nominee3 = Hyman A. Pressman
| party3 = Independent politician
| popular_vote3 = 90,899
| percentage3 = 9.88%
| map_image = Maryland Governor Election Results by County, 1966.svg
| map_size = 295px
| map_caption = County results
Agnew: {{legend0|#ffb2b2|40-50%}} {{legend0|#e27f7f|50-60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60-70%}}
Mahoney: {{legend0|#a5b0ff|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}} {{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
| title = Governor
| before_election = J. Millard Tawes
| before_party = Democratic Party (United States)
| after_election = Spiro Agnew
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{ElectionsMD}}
The 1966 Maryland gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1966. Incumbent Democratic governor J. Millard Tawes was unable to seek a third term in office. In the election to succeed him, George P. Mahoney, a controversial segregationist, emerged from the Democratic primary due to splintered support for the two major candidates. Baltimore County Executive Spiro Agnew, was nominated by the Republican Party as their gubernatorial candidate. Mahoney and Agnew squared off, along with independent candidate Hyman A. Pressman. Ultimately, Agnew was victorious over Mahoney, with Pressman a distant third. This year was the last time that the state of Maryland elected a Republican governor until 2002. Agnew was later nominated for vice president by the Republican National Convention, per Richard Nixon's request, in 1968, an election he and Nixon won.
{{As of|2023}} this marks the last time the following Independent city and Counties have voted Republican in a gubernatorial election: Baltimore City, Montgomery, and Prince George's.
Democratic primary
=Candidates=
- George P. Mahoney, Baltimore paving contractor and perennial candidate
- Carlton R. Sickles, U.S. representative from Lanham (representing Maryland at-large)
- Thomas B. Finan, Attorney General of Maryland
- Clarence W. Miles, lawyer and community activist
- Charles J. Luthardt Sr.
- Morgan L. Amaimo, real estate broker and perennial candidate
- Ross Zimmerman Pierpont, surgeon
- Andrew J. Easter, perennial candidate
=Results=
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic Primary results{{Cite web|url=http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000174/html/am174--525.html|title=Archives of Maryland, Volume 0174, Page 0525 - Maryland Manual, 1969-70}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = George P. Mahoney
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 148,446
| percentage = 30.21
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Carlton R. Sickles
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 146,607
| percentage = 29.84
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Thomas B. Finan
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 134,216
| percentage = 27.31
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Clarence W. Miles
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 42,304
| percentage = 8.61
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Charles J. Ludhardt, Sr.
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 7,336
| percentage = 1.49
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Morgan L. Amaimo
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 6,048
| percentage = 1.23
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Ross Zimmerman Pierpont
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 4,311
| percentage = 0.88
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Andrew J. Easter
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 2,098
| percentage = 0.43
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 491,366
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
Republican primary
=Candidates=
- Spiro Agnew, Baltimore County Executive
- Andrew John Groszer Jr.
- John J. Harbaugh, Democratic candidate for the United States Senate in 1964
- Henry J. Laque Jr., perennial candidate
- Louis R. Milio, Maryland congressional candidate
=Results=
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results{{cite web |title=Maryland Manual - Governor of Maryland, Republican Party |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000174/pdf/am174--526.pdf |website=Maryland State Archives |page=526 |volume=174 |year=1969{{endash}}1970}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Spiro Agnew
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 98,531
| percentage = 83.16
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Andrew John Groszer, Jr.
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 9,987
| percentage = 8.43
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = John J. Harbaugh
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 4,322
| percentage = 3.65
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Henry J. Laque, Jr.
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 3,365
| percentage = 2.84
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Louis R. Milio
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 2,277
| percentage = 1.92
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 118,482
| percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
=Campaign=
Baltimore paving contractor and perennial candidate George P. Mahoney won the Democratic primary on a segregationist platform, which was possible due to the presence of several strong candidates. Mahoney's slogan, "Your home is your castle--protect it",{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/21/obituaries/george-mahoney-87-maryland-candidate.html|title=George Mahoney, 87, Maryland Candidate|newspaper=The New York Times|date=21 March 1989}} as well as his stance on many civil rights issues,Hardesty, Richard. [A] Veil of Voodoo. Graduate School of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, 05 May 2008. Web. prompted Baltimore City Comptroller Hyman A. Pressman to enter the race as an independent candidate. Mahoney's controversial stances caused many in the Maryland Democratic Party to split their support between Agnew, which was possible due to his socially progressive views, and Pressman, which enabled Agnew to win the election with a plurality, taking 70% of the black vote.Rule and Ruin: The Downfall of Moderation and the Destruction of the Republican Party, from Eisenhower to the Tea Party*, p. 191
=Results=
{{Election box begin | title=Maryland gubernatorial election, 1966{{Cite web|url=http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000173/html/am173--503.html|title=Archives of Maryland, Volume 0173, Page 0503 - Maryland Manual, 1967-68}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Spiro Agnew
|votes = 455,318
|percentage = 49.50%
|change = +5.15%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = George P. Mahoney
|votes = 373,543
|percentage = 40.61%
|change = -15.03%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
|party = Independent politician
|candidate = Hyman A. Pressman
|votes = 90,899
|percentage = 9.88%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate|
|party = Write-ins
|candidate =
|votes = 1
|percentage = 0.00%
|change =
}}
{{Election box majority|
|votes = 81,775
|percentage = 8.89%
|change = -2.39%
}}
{{Election box turnout|
|votes = 919,761
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
|winner = Republican Party (United States)
|loser = Democratic Party (United States)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Maryland elections}}
{{United States elections, 1966}}
{{US Third Party Election}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maryland Gubernatorial Election, 1966}}
Category:1966 United States gubernatorial elections