# 1966 United States Senate election in Illinois

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vte :
The 1966 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 8, 1966. Incumbent Democratic United States Senator Paul Douglas, seeking a fourth term in the United States Senate, faced off against Republican Charles H. Percy, a businessman and the 1964 Republican nominee for Governor of Illinois. A competitive election ensued, featuring campaign appearances by former vice president Richard M. Nixon on behalf of Percy. Ultimately, Percy ended up defeating Senator Douglas by a fairly wide margin, allowing him to win what would be the first of three terms in the Senate.

## Background

The primary (held on June 14) and general election coincided with those for House and state elections.
Turnout in the primaries was 27.13%, with 1,509,302 votes cast.
Turnout during the general election was 71.56%, with a total of 3,822,724 votes cast.

## Democratic primary

Incumbent Paul Douglas was renominated, running unopposed.

### Candidates

* Paul Douglas, incumbent U.S. Senator

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Paul H. Douglas (incumbent) | 840,936 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 3 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 840,939 | 100 |

## Republican primary

Businessman Charles H. Percy won the Republican primary by a large margin.

### Candidates

* Howard J. Doyle
* Charles H. Percy, businessman and 1964 Illinois gubernatorial nominee
* Lar Daly, perennial candidate

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Charles H. Percy | 605,815 | 90.64 |
| | Republican | Howard J. Doyle | 38,636 | 5.78 |
| | Republican | Lar "America First" Daly | 23,889 | 3.57 |
| | Write-in | Others | 23 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 668,363 | 100 |

## Write-in candidates

* Maxwell Primack
* Robert Sabonjian, Mayor of Waukegan

## General election
### Results

United States Senate election in Illinois, 1966 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Charles H. Percy | 2,100,449 | 54.95% | +9.75% |
| | Democratic | Paul H. Douglas (incumbent) | 1,678,147 | 43.90% | −10.73% |
| | Write-in | Robert Sabonjian | 41,965 | 1.10% | |
| | Write-in | Maxwell Primack | 1,693 | 0.04% | |
| | Write-in | Others | 470 | 0.01% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 422,302 | 11.05% | +1.61% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,822,724 | 71.56 | |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | | |