1966 United States Senate elections in Michigan

The 1966 United States Senate elections in Michigan were held on November 7, 1966. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Robert P. Griffin, who had been appointed to the seat in May to fill the vacancy left by the death of Patrick V. McNamara, was re-elected to a full term in office. Griffin defeated Democratic former Governor G. Mennen Williams in the regularly scheduled election, as well as the concurrent special election to complete McNamara's unfinished term.

1966 United States Senate election in Michigan

← 1960 November 8, 1966 1972 →

Nominee Robert P. Griffin G. Mennen Williams Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,363,530 1,069,484 Percentage 55.90% 43.85%

County results Griffin:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Williams:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Robert P. Griffin Republican Elected U.S. Senator Robert P. Griffin Republican

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Jerome P. Cavanagh, Mayor of Detroit
• G. Mennen Williams, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State for Africa Affairs and former Governor of Michigan (1949–1961)

Results

Primary results by county

Williams

•   Williams—80–90%
•   Williams—70–80%
•   Williams—60–70%
•   Williams—50–60%

Cavanagh

•   Cavanagh—50–60%

1966 U.S. Senate election in Michigan^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	G. Mennen Williams	437,438	60.10%
	Democratic	Jerome P. Cavanagh	290,465	39.90%
	Write-in		2	0.00%
Total votes			727,905	100.00%

General election

Results

1966 U.S. Senate election in Michigan^[2][3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Robert P. Griffin (incumbent)	1,363,530	55.90%
	Democratic	G. Mennen Williams	1,069,484	43.85%
	Socialist Labor	James Sim	6,166	0.25%
Total votes			2,439,180	100.00%

Special election

1966 U.S. Senate special election in Michigan^[3][4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Robert P. Griffin (incumbent)	1,321,222	56.01%
	Democratic	G. Mennen Williams	1,031,138	43.71%
	Socialist Labor	James Sim	6,444	0.27%
Total votes			2,358,804	100.00%

See also

• 1966 United States Senate elections