1972 Congressional Election

August 18, 2010 by DickH Posted in History 1 Comment

When Richard Nixon selected Brad Morse to be the Under Secretary General of the United Nations in 1972, it made for a wild election to select the next Representative for the Fifth Congressional District.

The Democratic Primary results (district wide vote totals follow candidate name; Lowell vote follows in parenthesis:

  1. John Kerry of Lowell – 20,771 – (2298)
  2. Paul Sheehy of Lowell – 15,641 – (7429)
  3. Anthony DiFruscia of Lawrence – 12,222 – (704)
  4. John Desmond of Lowell – 10,213 – (4787)
  5. Robert Kennedy of Lowell – 5632 – (2476)
  6. Frederick Finnegan of Chelmsford – 2558 – (1395)
  7. Glenn Cooper of Lowell – 2282 – (483)
  8. Daniel Kiley of Lawrence – 2221 – (139)
  9. Helen Gilbride Droney of Lowell – 2124 – (774)

The Republican Primary:

  1. Paul Cronin of Andover – 10,812 – (803)
  2. Ellen Sampson of Lowell – 4330 – (1455)
  3. Armand Morissette of Lowell – 2486 – (1324)
  4. George Macheras of Lowell – 790 – (218)

The general election:

  1. Paul Cronin (Republican) – 110,970 – (20,747)
  2. John Kerry (Democrat) – 92,847 – (17,227)
  3. Roger Durkin (Independent) – 3803 – (666)

One Response to 1972 Congressional Election

  1. Marie says:

    I worked in my dear friend and Lowell High School colleague Lulla Droney’s campaign. I was 30 year old teacher with a 1-year old and a 2 1/2 year old on my summer break. It was my first brush with high-powered political consultants – in her campaign it was “Matt Reece Associates.” I ran the coffees and had my own “black book” of instructions and procedures. My brother Bill Kirwin was her scheduler. We had a great time with volunteers of all ages! I still remember Helen confronting John Kerry at a press conference over the supposed campaign “dirty tricks” in the basement of the now-gone building at Central and Prescott Streets where the Kerry and DiFrusia headquarters were both located. Cam Kerry and Tom Valalley were “caught” in the basement near the phone connections… “John how could you?” she shouted dramatically! Great political theater. The experience has kept me involved in local, state and national politics until this day. Let’s face it – I’m a political junkie!