May 6, 1972:
As Jesse Helms was winning on the GOP side, Rep. Galifianakis was en route to toppling Sen. Jordan in Dem primary. But he needed 2 buttons to do it.
Conservative broadcaster Jesse Helms, a former Democrat, makes his first bid for elective office a success, easily winning the three-way Republican Senate primary in North Carolina.
It is more complicated on the Democratic side, where Sen. B. Everett Jordan is outpolled by Rep. Nick Galifianakis, but neither candidate receives the required majority to avoid a runoff. Galifianakis, whose name is so long he needed two buttons to spell it out, said Jordan was too conservative and out of touch for N.C., but what probably aided him were voter concerns over Jordan's age (75) and health. The two Democrats will go into a June 3 primary runoff, which Galifianakis will win.
In November, Helms will defeat Galifianakis, becoming the first popularly elected Republican senator from North Carolina in history. He will be re-elected four times before retiring in 2002.
categories: Today In Campaign History
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