1966 Florida gubernatorial election

none related races 1966 United States gubernatorial elections January 2025 September 2023 1966 Florida gubernatorial election Florida 1900 presidential no 1964 Florida gubernatorial election 1964 1970 Florida gubernatorial election 1970 November 8, 1966 File:Kirk cropped.jpg 150x150px Claude R. Kirk Jr. Republican Party of Florida 821,190 55.13% File:Gubernatorial candidate Robert King High speaking to supporters in Tallahassee (cropped).jpg Robert K. High Florida Democratic Party 668,233 44.86% 1966 Florida gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 300px County resultsKirk: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%High: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Governor W. Haydon Burns Democratic Party (United States) Claude Roy Kirk Jr. Republican Party (United States) 66.50% (of registered voters)Our Campaigns - FL Governor Race - Nov 08, 1966 https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=96893 2021-04-16 www.ourcampaigns.com The 1966 Florida gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 1966. During the primary election, the results from the Democratic Party were close among three of the four candidates. Thus, the top two Democrat candidates – incumbent Governor of Florida William "Haydon" Burns and Mayor of Miami Robert King High – competed in a runoff election on May 24, 1966. In an upset outcome, Robert King High was chosen over W. Haydon Burns as the Democratic Gubernatorial nominee. In contrast, the Republican primary was rather uneventful, with businessman Claude Roy Kirk Jr. easily securing the Republican nomination against Richard Muldrew. This was the first time since 1876, and the last time until 1986, that a Republican was elected governor. On Election Day – November 8 – Claude Kirk won the general election with 821,190 (55.13%) votes versus Robert High's 668,233 (44.86%) votes. As a result, Claude Kirk became the first Republican elected to the office of Governor of Florida since Ossian B. Hart in 1872. At the time of the election, the Florida Constitution did not include a provision allowing a lieutenant governor. However, after a new state constitution was adopted in 1968, Governor Kirk appointed Ray Osborne as Lieutenant Governor of Florida, the first to serve in that office since Milton H. Mabry in 1889. As of 2022, this is the last time that a Republican gubernatorial nominee has carried Broward County. Background Democratic Haydon Burns, who won the gubernatorial election in 1964, was up for re-election. Although gubernatorial elections in Florida are normally every four years, the cycle of gubernatorial elections was changed so as not to coincide with presidential election years. Thus, the Governor of Florida elected in 1964 would serve from January 5, 1965 to January 3, 1967, while the next term would last from January 3, 1967 – January 5, 1971.Michael Mello, Deathwork: Defending the Condemned, University of Minnesota Press, 2002, 0-8166-4088-2, 978-0-8166-4088-1 Democratic nomination Candidates Haydon Burns, incumbent governor Sam Foor Robert King High, Mayor of Miami and candidate for governor in 1964 Scott Kelly, State Senator from Lakeland and candidate for governor in 1964 Campaign In September 1965, a poll with a sample size exceeding 3,000 people indicated Governor Haydon Burns had an approval rating of 75%. However, by March 1966, the Governor's approval rating fell to 56%, due to Burns' alleged dishonesty, lack of integrity, and showing favoritism. In that same "confidential" poll Robert High surprisingly led Haydon Burns by 34%-28.5%, while Scott Kelly received 18.5% and 19% were left undecided. Due to the "stunning" results this poll conducted by Haydon Burns' campaign managers, they attempted to cover it up.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v-xRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DHQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7380,3057478&dq=florida+governor+election+poll&hl=en Poll Shows High Leading Burns Rowland Evans and Robert Novak March 15, 1966 Tampa Bay Times September 25, 2012 By the end of November, the three major Democratic candidates in 1964 all announced their intention to run for governor in 1966, which were incumbent governor Haydon Burns, Mayor of Miami Robert King, and State Senator Scott Kelly. Additionally, it was speculated that former governor Thomas "LeRoy" Collins would also challenge Burns in the primary,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DsUiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y7cFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2219,8060974&dq=florida+governor+election&hl=en 'Rerun' Governor's Race Seen For 1966 Jack Ledden November 28, 1965 The Palm Beach Post September 25, 2012July 2026 InternetArchiveBot but instead ran for United States Senate in 1968.http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=7053 FL US Senate March 23, 2003 Our Campaigns September 25, 2012 Eventually a fourth person, Tallahassee publisher Sam Foor, decided to enter the race, though he was not considered a "serious contender".https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cEc0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=vWUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5931,863097&dq=sam+foor&hl=en Six Vie For Governor Nominations United Press International May 3, 1966 Sarasota Herald-Tribune September 25, 2012 28.3% of the voting age population participated in the Democratic primary.Steed Moreland Baker 1980 26 Both the Democratic and Republican primary election took place on May 3, 1966. The results of the Democratic primary were Haydon Burns with 372,451 votes (35.35%), Robert High with 338,281 votes (32.11%), Scott Kelly with 331,580 votes (31.47%), and Sam Foor with 11,343 votes (1.08%). Because none of the four candidates received at a majority of votes, a runoff election was held between Haydon Burns and Robert King, the top two candidates, on May 24, 1966. After the run-off election, Robert High defeated Haydon Burns by a margin of 596,471-509,271 (53.94%-46.065). Thus, Robert King High was the Democratic nominee for the 1966 gubernatorial election in Florida. Results thumb|Democratic Primary Runoff by county #678cd7 High #8da9e2 50–60% #678cd7 60–70% #4170cd 70–80% #3358a2 80–90% #81d0d0 Burns #81d0d0 50–60% #53bfbf 60–70% #1eafaf 70–80% Democratic primary - May 3, 1966Congressional Quarterly 1998 106America Votes 7 81https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=136002 FL Governor, 1966 - D Primary Our Campaigns 23 April 2022 Haydon Burns (incumbent) Democratic Party (United States) 372,451 35.35 Robert King High Democratic Party (United States) 338,281 32.11 Scott Kelly Democratic Party (United States) 331,580 31.47 Sam Foor Democratic Party (United States) 11,343 1.08 1,053,655 100.00% Democratic primary runoff - May 24, 1966Congressional Quarterly 1998 106America Votes 7 81https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=136003 FL Governor, 1966 - D Runoff Our Campaigns 23 April 2022 Robert King High Democratic Party (United States) 596,471 53.94 Haydon Burns (incumbent) Democratic Party (United States) 509,271 46.06 1,105,742 100.00% Republican nomination Candidates Claude Kirk, Businessman and Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 1964 Richard Muldrew, Brevard County commissioner 3.5% of the voting age population participated in the Republican primary.Steed Moreland Baker 1980 26 Results Republican primary - May 3, 1966Congressional Quarterly 1998 106America Votes 7 81https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=763784 FL Governor, 1966 - R Primary Our Campaigns 23 April 2022 Claude Roy Kirk Republican Party (United States) 100,838 80.81 Richard Muldrew Republican Party (United States) 23,953 19.91 124,791 100.00% General election After a bitter Democratic primary election, defeated incumbent governor Haydon Burns refused to endorse nominee Robert High. However, High was able to draw endorsements from major Florida newspapers, labor unions, and other Democratic politicians in Florida. High made unpopular proposals, such as a severance tax on phosphate and tightening the sales tax on all products except food and drugs. Republican nominee Claude Kirk promised to veto new taxes and abolish a program calling for several millions of dollars in additional taxation. Kirk also noted that a vote for him would be a vote against inflation and warned voters about the "Johnson–Humphrey-High Administration". The general election campaign was described as "dreary", with a projected voter turnout of less than 65%.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DaskAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PaEFAAAAIBAJ&dq=florida%20governor%20election%20poll&pg=2136%2C2740387 Is It High Or Kirk? Ballot To Tell Tale United Press International November 8, 1966 Palm Beach Daily News September 24, 2012July 2026 InternetArchiveBot Results 1966 Florida gubernatorial electionCongressional Quarterly 1998 47America Votes 7 74https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=96893 FL Governor, 1966 Our Campaigns 23 April 2022 Republican Party (US) Claude Roy Kirk 821,190 55.13 Democratic Party (US) Robert King High 668,233 44.86 Scattering 238 0.02 152,957 10.27 1,489,661 Republican Party (US) Democratic Party (US) References Bibliography Congressional Elections, 1946-1996 Washington, D.C. Congressional Quarterly Inc. 1998 1-56802-248-4 Congressional Quarterly 1998 Scammon Richard M. America Votes 7: a handbook of contemporary American election statistics, 1966 Washington, D.C. Governmental Affairs Institute 1968 https://archive.org/details/americavotes7han00scam/mode/2up America Votes 7 Steed Robert Moreland Laurence Baker Tod Party Politics in the South Praeger Publishers 1980 0030565863 See also Democratic Party (United States) Republican Party (United States) 1966 Gubernatorial Florida Category:November 1966 in the United States