pped ▁the ▁ 5 5 % ▁mark ▁only ▁eight ▁times ▁in ▁his ▁ 1 8 ▁con gression al ▁elections ▁and ▁was ▁only ▁over ▁ 6 0 % ▁three ▁times . ▁He ▁was ▁nearly ▁defeated ▁in ▁numerous ▁elections ▁starting ▁with ▁his ▁first ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁for ▁con gression al ▁district ▁ 2 9 ▁with ▁ 5 5 . 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁He ▁would ▁then ▁ear n ▁ 5 8 . 6 %, ▁ 5 1 . 1 %, ▁and ▁ 5 2 . 3 % ▁in ▁' 6 4 , ▁' 6 6 , ▁and ▁' 6 8 ▁respectively ▁before ▁running ▁for ▁the ▁US ▁Senate . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁con gress ▁by ▁winning ▁ 5 6 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁in ▁district ▁ 3 8 . ▁He ▁would ▁then ▁have ▁his ▁three ▁easiest ▁campaign s ▁by ▁winning ▁ 6 2 . 6 % ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁ 6 1 . 6 % ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁and ▁ 6 2 . 9 % ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁the ▁Ron ald ▁Re agan ▁lands lide ▁almost ▁forced ▁him ▁from ▁office ▁and ▁he ▁strugg led ▁to ▁hold ▁on ▁with ▁ 5 2 . 5 % ▁against ▁Republican ▁John ▁Paul ▁St ark . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁four ▁consecutive ▁elections ▁against ▁St ark , ▁another ▁modern ▁era ▁record . ▁Brown ▁would ▁triumph ▁with ▁ 5 4 % ▁in