Alan J. Dixon overwhelmingly won the Democratic primary.
Candidates •
Alan J. Dixon,
Illinois Secretary of State •
Anthony R. Martin-Trigona, candidate for U.S. Senator in
1978 •
Alex Seith, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator in 1978 • Robert Ash Wallace, businessman and chairman of the board of PSM International Corporation • Dakin Williams, prosecutor, candidate for U.S. Senator in
1972 and 1974, candidate for Illinois Governor in
1978 Campaign Alex Seith, who had won the Democratic nomination for Senator two years earlier, almost winning the 1978 race in what would have been a major
upset, laid hopes of capturing the nomination again.
Anthony R. Martin-Trigona, a political activist who had unsuccessfully sought the nomination for senate in 1978, again ran for the nomination. Robert Ash "Bob" Wallace made use of his friendship with boxer
Muhammad Ali, featuring him in campaign ads and having him make campaign appearances. Dakin Williams was a prosecutor, and was the younger brother of famous playwright
Tennessee Williams. He had been a candidate for the Democratic nomination of Illinois' other US Senate seat in 1972, and had unsuccessfully sought the nomination for this seat in 1974. He had also been a candidate for governor in 1978.
Results == Republican primary ==