1968 United States Senate election in Arizona

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1968 United States Senate election in Arizona
Flag of Arizona.svg
  1962 November 5, 1968 1974  
  Senator Goldwater 1960.jpg Roy Elson (cropped).jpg
Nominee Barry Goldwater Roy Elson
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote274,607205,338
Percentage57.22%42.78%

1968 United States Senate election in Arizona results map by county.svg
County results
Goldwater:      50–60%     60–70%
Elson:      50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

U.S. senator before election

Carl Hayden
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Barry Goldwater
Republican

The 1968 United States Senate election in Arizona took place on November 5, 1968. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Carl Hayden, 91, decided not run for reelection to an eighth term, ending his 57-year-long career in Congress. Hayden's longtime staff member Roy Elson ran as the Democratic Party nominee to replace him. Elson was defeated by a wide margin, however, by former U.S. Senator and 1964 Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, who staged a political comeback. Prior to Goldwater's election, the seat had been held for decades by the Democratic Party under Carl Hayden, but after this election remained in Republican Party control continuously for 52 years, until Democrat Mark Kelly won in the 2020 special election.

Contents

Elson had previously challenged U.S. Senator Paul Fannin in 1964, when Goldwater vacated his seat in order to run for President against Lyndon B. Johnson.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Roy Elson 95,231 62.7%
Democratic Bob Kennedy41,39727.3%
Total votes136,628 100.0

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

United States Senate election in Arizona, 1968 [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Barry Goldwater 274,607 57.22% +12.16%
Democratic Roy Elson205,33842.78%−12.16%
Majority69,26914.43%+4.55%
Turnout 479,945
Republican gain from Democratic Swing

See also

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References

  1. "Our Campaigns - AZ US Senate - D Primary Race - Sep 10, 1968".
  2. "Our Campaigns - AZ US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1968".