Apr. 14, 1964 - Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona (left in January) won the Illinois Republican Presidential primary tonight, but Senator Margaret Chase Smith of Maine (right) rolled up a surprising vote. Mrs. Smith, who got less than 3% of the vote in the Republican primary in New Hampshire and said she had spent less than $1,000 campaigning in Illinois, had about 27% as the returns were counted tonight.
Mrs. Smith said she had entered the race in a state that had been regarded as a Goldwater stronghold to give the voters a choice. Her name and Senator Goldwater’s were the only ones on the ballot.
Former Vice President Richard M. Nixon and Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge got lesser numbers of write-in votes. Both had asked their supporters in the state to refrain from conducting active campaigns on their behalf.
With 6,664 of the 10,256 precincts reporting, the vote tonight was:
Goldwater — 257,085
Smith — 107,360
Lodge — 21,839
Nixon — 10,233
Governor Rockefeller received 813 write-in votes, Governor William Scranton of Pennsylvania 686, Governor George Romney of Michigan 182, and Harold Stassen 34.
There was no immediate explanation for Mrs. Smith’s showing, except that she opened the door to anti-Goldwater voters. There have been signs of growing disillusionment with Senator Goldwater since his defeat in the New Hampshire primary, won by Mr. Lodge.
Nevertheless, Senator Goldwater hailed his victory tonight as having “provided the momentum that will be decisive in forging a great Republican victory in 1964.” He spent tonight in his Washington home. His remarks were issued in a statement at Goldwater campaign headquarters.
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