United States Senate election in South Carolina, 1968

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Fritz Hollings
Fritz Hollings

The 1968 South Carolina United States Senate election was held on November 5, 1968 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of South Carolina. Incumbent Democratic Senator Fritz Hollings easily defeated Republican state senator Marshall Parker in a rematch of the election two years earlier.

Contents

[edit] Democratic Primary

Fritz Hollings, the incumbent Senator, faced no opposition from South Carolina Democrats and avoided a primary election.

[edit] Republican Primary

Marshall Parker, the state senator from Oconee County in the Upstate, was persuaded by South Carolina Republicans to enter the race and he did not face a primary challenge.

[edit] General election campaign

After a close election loss to Fritz Hollings in 1966, the Republicans felt that Parker might have a chance at defeating Hollings by riding Nixon's coattails in the general election. However, the Republicans did not provide Parker with the financial resources to compete and he subsequently lost by a bigger margin to Hollings than two years prior.

[edit] Election results

South Carolina U.S. Senate Election, 1968
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Fritz Hollings 404,060 61.9 -10.6
Republican Marshall Parker 248,780 38.1 -10.6
No party Write-Ins 15 0.0 0.0
Majority 155,280 23.8 +21.2
Turnout 652,855 76.5 +27.4
  Democratic hold
1968 South Carolina U.S. Senate election map, by percentile by county.      65+% won by Hollings      60%-64% won by Hollings      55%-59% won by Hollings      50%-54% won by Hollings
1968 South Carolina U.S. Senate election map, by percentile by county.      65+% won by Hollings      60%-64% won by Hollings      55%-59% won by Hollings      50%-54% won by Hollings

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports and Resolutions of South Carolina to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume II. Columbia, SC: 1969, p. 19.
  • Kalk, Bruce H. (2001). The Origins of the Southern Strategy: Two-Party Competition in South. Lexington Books, p. 86.