Like other states in the Midwest, Illinois had been severely affected by racial tension during the presidency of Lyndon Johnson.[2] This situation played a role in Charles H. Percy's comfortable Senate win, as he defeated Democrat Paul Douglas. It is worth noting that Illinois, particularly the Metro East region, was affected less by racial tension compared to states located to its east.[3]
By the time the election campaign was in full swing at the end of the summer, Democratic nominee and incumbent Vice-President Hubert Humphrey was clearly in serious trouble, and early polling suggested he would have little chance in the state.[4] Humphrey was further hindered by the refusal of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley Sr. to help him.[5]
The failure of Nixon’s “50 State Strategy” in 1960 led him to focus on a few electoral-vote-rich states, of which Illinois was one of the most critical.[6] Humphrey lost further in polling during September,[7] and at the end of the first week of October Nixon had a substantial lead.[8] Nevertheless, when the Vice-President campaigned alongside rival former and future Alabama Governor George Wallace,[9] he would gain sharply so that state became extremely close at the beginning of November.
Primaries
Turnout
Turnout in the preference vote of the primaries was 0.67%, with a total of 34,241 votes cast.[10][11] Turnout in the general election was 81.39%, with a total of 4,619,749 votes cast.[10] Both major parties held non-binding state-run preferential primaries on June 11. All candidates were write-ins.[10][12]
The 1968 Illinois Democratic presidential primary was held on June 11, 1968 in the U.S. state of Illinois as one of the Democratic Party's state primaries ahead of the 1968 presidential election.
The preference vote was a "beauty contest". Delegates were instead selected by direct vote in each congressional districts on delegate candidates.[10] While he received 33.66% of the vote, Ted Kennedy was not an active candidate for the nomination. The primary occurred the week after his brother Robert F. Kennedy (who had been running for president) was assassinated. Additionally, while he still received some votes, incumbent president Lyndon B. Johnson had already ruled himself out for the nomination.
The 1968 Illinois Republican presidential primary was held on June 11, 1968 in the U.S. state of Illinois as one of the Republican Party's state primaries ahead of the 1968 presidential election.
In this election, all candidates were write-ins.[10]
The preference vote was a "beauty contest". Delegates were instead selected by direct vote in each congressional districts on delegate candidates.[10]
Republican candidate Richard Nixon won the state of Illinois by a narrow margin of 2.93%.[14] The winning of Illinois was the moment that sealed a close and turbulent election for Nixon,[15][16] who in the last counting did much better in massively populated Cook County than Goldwater or Nixon himself in 1960.[15]
Nixon won ninety of Illinois’ 102 counties, with Humphrey winning only Cook and St. Clair Counties with absolute majorities, although he carried several other Metro East and southern Illinois counties where he was helped by the backing of unions and a strong vote for Wallace taking much Nixon support. Wallace’s segregationism also went down very poorly in many cities of that latter urban region.[17]
^Although he was born in California and he served as a U.S. Senator from California, in 1968 Richard Nixon’s official state of residence was New York, because he moved there to practice law after his defeat in the 1962 California gubernatorial election. During his first term as president, Nixon re-established his residency in California. Consequently, most reliable reference books list Nixon’s home state as New York in the 1968 election and his home state as California in the 1972 (and 1960) election.
References
^Kleppner, Paul; The Evolution of American Electoral Systems, pp. 183, 201 ISBN0313213798
^Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 398-399 ISBN9780691163246
^Edwards, Owen Dudley; ‘No Escape Route for Humphrey on All Those Nasty Issues’; The Irish Times, 21 August 1968, p. 5
^Healy, Robert; ‘Politics: It’s Still too Early To Pick Winner’; The Boston Globe, September 8, 1968, p. 6A
^Mergel, Sarah Katherine; ‘A Report Card for Richard Nixon: Conservative Intellectuals and the President’ (thesis), p. 66. Published by The George Washington University, 2007
^Janson, Donald; ‘Humphrey Losing Illinois Support: Wallace, With Rally Slated for Tomorrow, Is Factor’; The New York Times, September 29, 1968, p. 69
^‘Electoral Vote: Nixon 359, HHH 46’; The Boston Globe, October 7, 1968, p. 24
^Janson, Donald; ‘Humphrey and Wallace to Stage Rival Rallies Friday in Chicago’; The New York Times, October 30, 1968, p. 30
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