1972 United States Senate election in Illinois
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1972 United States Senate election in Illinois
| country = Illinois
| type = presidential
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1966 United States Senate election in Illinois
| previous_year = 1966
| next_election = 1978 United States Senate election in Illinois
| next_year = 1978
| election_date = November 7, 1972
| image_size = x150px
| image1 = Charles Percy (Illinois Blue Book Portrait 1971-1972).png
| nominee1 = Charles Percy
| party1 = Republican Party (United States)
| popular_vote1 = 2,867,078
| percentage1 = 62.21%
| image2 = RomanPucinski (cropped).jpg
| nominee2 = Roman Pucinski
| party2 = Democratic Party (United States)
| popular_vote2 = 1,721,031
| percentage2 = 37.35%
| map_image = 1972 United States Senate election in Illinois results map by county.svg
| map_size = 300x300px
| map_caption = County results
Percy: {{legend0|#e27f7f|50–60%}} {{legend0|#d75d5d|60–70%}} {{legend0|#d72f30|70–80%}}
| title = U.S. Senator
| before_election = Charles H. Percy
| before_party = Republican Party (United States)
| after_election = Charles H. Percy
| after_party = Republican Party (United States)
| turnout = 51.24%
}}
{{ElectionsIL}}
The 1972 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 7, 1972.{{cite web |title=OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 7, 1972 JUDICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH, 21, 1972 |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1972/1972%20GE%20and%20PE.pdf |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=26 June 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} 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 Representative from the Northwest Side of Chicago, whom he was able to defeat handily to win a second term. {{As of|2022}}, this was the last time a Republican was elected to the U.S. Senate from Illinois during a presidential election year, the last time an Illinois Republican won a Senate election by double digits, and the last time any candidate has swept every county in the state.
Background
The primary (held on March 21) and general election coincided with those for House and state elections.
Turnout in the primaries was 31.40%, with a total of 1,753,727 votes cast. Turnout during the general election was 51.24%, with 3,184,764 votes cast. Turnout in both the primary and general election was significantly less than those for coinciding statewide races.
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.
=Candidates=
- Roman Pucinski, U.S. Representative from the Northwest Side of Chicago
- Dakin Williams, prosecutor{{cite web |title=Tennessee Williams' brother dead at 89 |url=https://www.sj-r.com/article/20080522/NEWS/305229855 |website=The State Journal-Register |access-date=24 June 2020 |language=en |date=22 May 2008}}
=Results=
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Democratic primary results
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Roman C. Pucinski
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 859,890
| percentage = 70.62
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = W. Dakin Williams
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 357,744
| percentage = 29.38
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Write Ins
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| votes = 71
| percentage = 0
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 1,217,705
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
Republican primary
Incumbent Charles H. Percy was renominated without opposition in the Republican primary.
=Candidates=
- Charles H. Percy, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1967
=Results=
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Charles H. Percy (incumbent)
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 535,911
| percentage = 99.98
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Others
| party = Write-in
| votes = 111
| percentage = 0.02
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 536,022
| percentage = 100
}}
{{Election box end}}
General election
= Candidates =
- Arnold Becchetti (Communist)
- Edward C. Gross, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor)
- Roman Pucinski, U.S. Representative from the Northwest Side of Chicago (Democratic)
- Charles H. Percy, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1967 (Republican)
{{Election box begin | title=United States Senate election in Illinois, 1972{{cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1972election.pdf |format=PDF |title=Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 7, 1972 |publisher=Clerk.house.gov |access-date=April 4, 2015}}
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Charles H. Percy (incumbent)
|votes = 2,867,078
|percentage = 62.21%
|change = +7.27%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Roman Pucinski
|votes = 1,721,031
|percentage = 37.35%
|change = -6.55%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Socialist Labor Party of America
|candidate = Edward C. Gross
|votes = 13,384
|percentage = 0.29%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Communist Party USA
|candidate = Arnold Becchetti
|votes = 6,103
|percentage = 0.13%
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Write-in
|candidate = Others
|votes = 784
|percentage = 0.02%
|change =
}}
{{Election box majority
|votes = 1,146,047
|percentage = 24.87%
|change = +13.82%
}}
{{Election box turnout
|votes = 3,822,724
|percentage =
|change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link
|winner = Republican Party (United States)
|loser = Democratic Party (United States)
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Illinois elections}}
{{United States elections, 1972}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:United States Senate Election In Illinois, 1972}}