1968 United States Senate election in Ohio

The 1968 United States Senate election in Ohio took place on November 5, 1968. Incumbent Senator Frank Lausche ran for re-election to a third term, but lost the Democratic primary to former U.S. Representative John J. Gilligan. Before losing the primary to the more solidly liberal Gilligan, Lausche had one of the most conservative voting record among Senate Democrats, leaving the Democratic Party very disappointed. In the general election, Gilligan lost to Republican Ohio Attorney General William Saxbe in a close race. Saxbe's victory increased the number of Senate Republicans in the 91st Congress. He would serve 5 years in the Senate before being nominated by President Richard Nixon to be U.S Attorney General, he resigned the seat after being confirmed. Gilligan, who in January 1974 was serving as the Governor of Ohio, named Saxbe's successor.

1968 United States Senate election in Ohio

← 1962 November 5, 1968 1974 →
 
Nominee William B. Saxbe John J. Gilligan
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,928,964 1,814,152
Percentage 51.53% 48.47%

County results

Saxbe:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Gilligan:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Frank J. Lausche
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

William Saxbe
Republican

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

Democratic primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John J. Gilligan 544,814 55.40%
Democratic Frank Lausche (incumbent) 438,588 44.60%
Total votes 983,402 100.00%

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

  • Albert Edward Payne
  • William B. Saxbe, Attorney General of Ohio
  • William L. White, perennial candidate from Newark
Republican primary results[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William B. Saxbe 575,178 82.31%
Republican William L. White 71,191 10.91%
Republican Albert Edward Payne 52,393 7.50%
Total votes 698,762 100.00%

Results edit

1968 United States Senate election in Ohio[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican William B. Saxbe 1,928,964 51.53%  13.09
Democratic John J. Gilligan 1,814,152 48.47%  13.09
Independent Richard Wingerter (write-in) 2 0.00% N/A
Independent Eugene P. Okey (write-in) 1 0.00% N/A
Socialist Labor Peter M. Kapitz (write-in) 1 0.00% N/A
Total votes 3,743,120 100.0%

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Our Campaigns - OH US Senate - D Primary Race - May 07, 1968". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - OH US Senate - R Primary Race - May 07, 1968". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  3. ^ "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 5, 1968" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  4. ^ "Our Campaigns - OH US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1968". www.ourcampaigns.com.