During his Senate campaign, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled that television stations had to play his ads because of the fairness doctrine. His ads included the word "nigger." Stoner also ran for lieutenant governor in 1974 and the US Senate in 1980. His best showing was 73,000 votes (10%) in his campaign for lieutenant governor in 1974, when he sought to succeed Lester G. Maddox in Georgia's second- highest constitutional office. Maddox lost the gubernatorial nomination that year to former legislator George D. Busbee.