1956 United States Senate election in California

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1956 United States Senate election in California
Flag of California.svg
  1954 (special) November 6, 1956 1962  
  Thomas Kuchel.jpg Richard Richards, 1958.jpg
Nominee Thomas Kuchel Richard Richards
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote2,892,9182,445,816
Percentage53.96%45.62%

1956 United States Senate election in California results map by county.svg
County results
Kuchel:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
     70–80%     80–90%
Richards:     40–50%     50–60%

U.S. senator before election

Thomas Kuchel
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Thomas Kuchel
Republican

The 1956 United States Senate election in California was held on November 6, 1956.

Contents

Incumbent Republican Thomas Kuchel, who had won a 1954 special election to fill the vacant seat left by Vice President Richard Nixon, was re-elected to a full term in office over Democratic State Senator Richard Richards.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

1956 Republican U.S. Senate primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Thomas Kuchel (inc.) 1,332,074 80.45%
Democratic Sam Yorty (cross-filing)247,30013.66%
Republican Raymond R. Pritchard47,5153.23%
Republican Tilden W. Johnson30,2432.05%
Total votes1,472,745 100.00%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

1956 Democratic U.S. Senate primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Richard Richards 1,004,336 53.36%
Republican Thomas Kuchel (inc.) (cross-filing)494,06626.25%
Democratic Sam Yorty383,81320.39%
Total votes1,882,215 100.00%

General election

Results

1956 United States Senate election in California [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Thomas Kuchel (inc.) 2,892,918 53.96% Increase2.svg0.75
Democratic Richard Richards2,445,81645.62%Increase2.svg0.11
Prohibition Ray Gourley22,4100.42%N/A
Total votes5,361,144 100.00%
Republican hold Swing
California counties shift 1954 (special)-1956 senate.svg
California counties trend 1954 (special)-1956 senate.svg

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References

  1. "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate - R Primary Race - Jun 05, 1956". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  2. "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate - D Primary Race". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  3. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1956" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. 1957. Retrieved June 19, 2020.