The 1968 United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina were held on November 5, 1968, to select six Representatives for two-year terms from the state of South Carolina. The primary elections were held on June 11 and the runoff elections were held two weeks later on June 25. All five incumbents who ran were re-elected and the open seat in the 5th district was retained by the Democrats. The composition of the state delegation remained five Democrats and one Republican.
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All 6 South Carolina seats to the United States House of Representatives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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District results
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Incumbent Democratic Congressman L. Mendel Rivers of the 1st congressional district, in office since 1941, defeated black attorney George A. Payton, Jr. in the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election. Charleston County Republican Party chairman James B. Edwards was prepared to run in the general election had George A. Payton, Jr. won the Democratic primary.[2]
Democratic primary | ||
---|---|---|
Candidate | Votes | % |
L. Mendel Rivers | 65,817 | 77.7 |
George A. Payton, Jr. | 18,933 | 22.3 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | L. Mendel Rivers (incumbent) | 95,478 | 100.0 | 0.0 | |
Majority | 95,478 | 100.0 | 0.0 | ||
Turnout | 95,478 | ||||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Republican Congressman Albert Watson of the 2nd congressional district, in office since 1963, defeated Democratic challenger Frank K. Sloan.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Albert Watson (incumbent) | 63,877 | 57.6 | -6.7 | |
Democratic | Frank K. Sloan | 47,053 | 42.4 | +6.7 | |
No party | Write-Ins | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Majority | 16,824 | 15.2 | -13.4 | ||
Turnout | 110,935 | ||||
Republican hold |
Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Jennings Bryan Dorn of the 3rd congressional district, in office since 1951, defeated Republican challenger John Grisso.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | William J.B. Dorn (incumbent) | 74,104 | 66.1 | +8.3 | |
Republican | John K. Grisso | 35,463 | 31.7 | -10.5 | |
Independent | J. Harold Morton | 2,489 | 2.2 | +2.2 | |
No party | Write-Ins | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Majority | 38,641 | 34.4 | +18.8 | ||
Turnout | 112,057 | ||||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Robert T. Ashmore of the 4th congressional district, in office since 1953, opted to retire. James R. Mann won the Democratic primary and defeated Republican challenger Charles Bradshaw in the general election.
Democratic primary | ||
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Candidate | Votes | % |
James R. Mann | 17,035 | 31.7 |
E.C. Burnett, Jr. | 15,089 | 28.1 |
Nick A. Theodore | 14,361 | 26.7 |
Leo Hill | 7,218 | 13.4 |
Democratic primary runoff | |||
---|---|---|---|
Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
James R. Mann | 23,923 | 56.9 | +25.2 |
E.C. Burnett, Jr. | 18,107 | 43.1 | +15.0 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | James R. Mann | 68,437 | 61.2 | -38.8 | |
Republican | Charles Bradshaw | 43,440 | 38.8 | +38.8 | |
Majority | 24,997 | 22.4 | -77.6 | ||
Turnout | 111,877 | ||||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Thomas S. Gettys of the 5th congressional district, in office since 1964, defeated Fred R. Sheheen in the Democratic primary and Republican Hugh J. Boyd in the general election.
Democratic primary | ||
---|---|---|
Candidate | Votes | % |
Thomas S. Gettys | 53,448 | 72.9 |
Fred R. Sheheen | 19,890 | 27.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Thomas S. Gettys (incumbent) | 72,805 | 74.7 | -24.5 | |
Republican | Hugh J. Boyd | 21,246 | 21.8 | +21.8 | |
Independent | Bert Sumner | 3,411 | 3.5 | +3.5 | |
Majority | 51,559 | 52.9 | -45.5 | ||
Turnout | 97,462 | ||||
Democratic hold |
Incumbent Democratic Congressman John L. McMillan of the 6th congressional district, in office since 1939, defeated Richard G. Dusenbury in the Democratic primary and Republican Ray Harris in the general election.
Democratic primary | ||
---|---|---|
Candidate | Votes | % |
John L. McMillan | 47,611 | 65.9 |
Richard G. Dusenbury | 24,679 | 34.1 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | John L. McMillan (incumbent) | 58,304 | 58.3 | -3.4 | |
Republican | Ray Harris | 39,876 | 39.9 | +1.6 | |
Independent | Claude E. Harris | 1,849 | 1.8 | +1.8 | |
Majority | 18,428 | 18.4 | -5.0 | ||
Turnout | 100,029 | ||||
Democratic hold |