1962 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

The 1962 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 6, 1962, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The primary elections were held on June 12 and the runoff elections were held two weeks later on June 26. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 2nd congressional district was retained by the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation thus remained solely Democratic.

1962 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina

← 1960 November 6, 1962 (1962-11-06)[1] 1964 →

All 6 South Carolina seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Last election 6 0
Seats won 6 0
Seat change Steady Steady
Popular vote 225,714 36,808
Percentage 85.98% 14.02%
Swing Decrease 13.99% Increase 14.02%

District results

1st congressional district

edit

Incumbent Democratic Congressman L. Mendel Rivers of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1941, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

edit
South Carolina's 1st congressional district election results, 1962
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic L. Mendel Rivers (incumbent) 39,176 100.0 0.0
Majority 39,176 100.0 0.0
Turnout 39,176
Democratic hold

2nd congressional district special election

edit

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John J. Riley of the 2nd congressional district died on January 1, 1962. A special election was called and his widow, Corinne Boyd Riley, won the Democratic primary on February 13 and the special election on April 10 to serve out the remainder of the term.

Democratic primary

edit
Democratic primary
Candidate Votes %
Corinne Boyd Riley 10,277 69.0
Martha Fitzgerald 4,607 31.0

General election results

edit
South Carolina's 2nd congressional district special election results, 1962
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Corinne Boyd Riley 3,626 99.9 −0.1
No party Write-Ins 2 0.1 +0.1
Majority 3,624 99.8 −0.2
Turnout 3,628
Democratic hold

2nd congressional district

edit

Incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Corinne Boyd Riley of the 2nd congressional district succeeded her husband, John J. Riley, in office upon his death in 1962. She did not seek re-election and Democratic state Representative Albert Watson won the open seat against Republican Floyd Spence.

Democratic primary

edit
Democratic primary
Candidate Votes %
Albert Watson 21,137 33.9
Frank C. Owens 15,531 24.9
Leonard A. Williamson 13,899 22.3
Al Cook 9,947 15.9
Gerard Hartzog 1,849 3.0
Democratic primary runoff
Candidate Votes % ±%
Albert Watson 17,644 51.8 +17.9
Frank C. Owens 16,398 48.2 +23.3

General election results

edit
South Carolina's 2nd congressional district election results, 1962
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Albert Watson 39,149 52.8 −47.1
Republican Floyd Spence 34,947 47.2 +47.2
Majority 4,202 5.6 −94.2
Turnout 74,096
Democratic hold

3rd congressional district

edit

Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1951, was unopposed in his bid for re-election.

General election results

edit
South Carolina's 3rd congressional district election results, 1962
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic William J.B. Dorn (incumbent) 34,545 100.0 0.0
No party Write-Ins 11 0.0 0.0
Majority 34,534 100.0 0.0
Turnout 34,556
Democratic hold

4th congressional district

edit

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Robert T. Ashmore of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1953, won the Democratic primary was unopposed in the general election.

Democratic primary

edit
Democratic primary
Candidate Votes %
Robert T. Ashmore 39,334 70.8
James Workman 14,131 25.4
Marion Tyus 2,089 3.8

General election results

edit
South Carolina's 4th congressional district election results, 1962
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Robert T. Ashmore (incumbent) 47,044 100.0 0.0
Majority 47,044 100.0 0.0
Turnout 47,044
Democratic hold

5th congressional district

edit

Incumbent Democratic Congressman Robert W. Hemphill of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1957, defeated Republican challenger Robert M. Doster.

General election results

edit
South Carolina's 5th congressional district election results, 1962
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Robert W. Hemphill (incumbent) 28,989 93.9 −6.1
Republican Robert M. Doster 1,861 6.0 +6.0
No party Write-Ins 18 0.1 +0.1
Majority 27,128 87.9 −12.1
Turnout 30,868
Democratic hold

6th congressional district

edit

Incumbent Democratic Congressman John L. McMillan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1939, defeated G. Stanley Bryant in the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election.

Democratic primary

edit
Democratic primary
Candidate Votes %
John L. McMillan 46,726 81.4
G. Stanley Bryant 10,655 18.6

General election results

edit
South Carolina's 6th congressional district election results, 1962
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic John L. McMillan (incumbent) 36,811 100.0 0.0
No party Write-Ins 3 0.0 0.0
Majority 36,808 100.0 0.0
Turnout 36,814
Democratic hold

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1962" (PDF). clerk.house.gov. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  • Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. pp. 112, 121, 125–126.
  • "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: 1963, p. 149.
  • "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: 1963, pp. 16–17.