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1968 United States Senate election in North Carolina

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The North Carolina United States Senate election of 1968 was held on 5 November 1968 as part of the nationwide elections to the Senate. The general election was fought between the Democratic incumbent Sam Ervin and the Republican nominee Robert Somers. Ervin won re-election to a third full term, with over 60% of the vote.[1] This was the last time any incumbent was re-elected in this seat until 2010.[2] To date, this is also the last time a Democrat was re-elected as a senator in North Carolina.[3]

1968 United States Senate election in North Carolina
← 1962 November 5, 1968 1974 →
 
Nominee Sam Ervin Robert Somers
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 870,406 566,834
Percentage 60.56% 39.44%
County results
Ervin:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%
Somers:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
U.S. senator before election

Sam Ervin
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Sam Ervin
Democratic

This is the last time that a Senate candidate was voted for and elected to the United States Senate in North Carolina at the same time that a presidential candidate of a different political party was voted for in North Carolina and had won North Carolina.

Primaries

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Democratic primary

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22.2% of the voting age population participated in the Democratic primary.[4]

Democratic primary results (U.S. Senate) – May 4, 1968 [5][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sam Ervin (incumbent) 499,392 78.25%
Democratic Charles Pratt 60,362 9.46%
Democratic John Gathings Sr. 48,357 7.58%
Democratic Fred Brummitt 30,126 4.72%

Republican primary

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4.6% of the voting age population participated in the Republican primary.[4]

Republican primary results (U.S. Senate) – May 4, 1968 (first round)[7][6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert Somers 48,351 36.62%
Republican J.L. Zimmerman 43,644 33.06%
Republican Edwin Tenney Jr. 40,023 30.32%
Republican primary results (U.S. Senate) – June 1, 1968 (runoff) [6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert Somers 8,816 60.59%
Republican J.L. Zimmerman 5,734 39.41%

General election

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The general election was held on November 5, 1968.[8]

1968 North Carolina U.S. Senate election – November 5, 1968 [1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sam Ervin 870,406 60.56%
Republican Robert Somers 566,934 39.44%

References

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  1. ^ a b "1968 Senatorial General Election Results - North Carolina". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. October 13, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  2. ^ Craver, Richard (November 3, 2010). ""Burr 'breaks curse' with re-election win"". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  3. ^ "U.S. Senate: States in the Senate | North Carolina Senators". www.senate.gov. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Steed, Moreland & Baker 1980, p. 28.
  5. ^ "Our Campaigns - NC US Senate - D Primary Race - May 04, 1968".
  6. ^ a b c North Carolina Manual 1969 (Report). N.C. Department of the Secretary of State. 1969. pp. 331–334. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  7. ^ "Our Campaigns - NC US Senate - R Runoff Race - Jun 01, 1968".
  8. ^ Wicker, Tom (November 5, 1968). "Nation Will Vote Today: Close Presidential Race Predicted in Late Polls". The New York Times. Retrieved September 27, 2023.

Works cited

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