1968 United States Senate election in California

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1968 United States Senate election in California
Flag of California.svg
  1962 November 5, 1968 1974  
  Alan Cranston.jpg Max Rafferty, 1967.jpg
Nominee Alan Cranston Max Rafferty
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote3,680,3523,329,148
Percentage51.82%46.87%

1968 United States Senate election in California results map by county.svg
County results
Cranston:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Rafferty:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Thomas Kuchel
Republican

Elected U.S. senator

Alan Cranston
Democratic

The 1968 United States Senate election in California was held on November 5, 1968.

Contents

Incumbent Republican Thomas Kuchel was narrowly defeated in the June 4 primary by Superintendent of Public Instruction Max Rafferty. Rafferty would in turn go on to lose to Democratic former State Controller Alan Cranston by a close margin.

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

1968 Senate Republican primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Max Rafferty 1,112,947 50.05%
Republican Thomas Kuchel (incumbent)1,043,31546.92%
Republican James A. Ware28,3111.27%
Republican Phil Cammack20,7670.93%
Republican W.C. Jones18,4420.83%
Total votes2,223,782 100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Alan Cranston 1,681,825 58.99%
Democratic Anthony Beilenson 644,84422.62%
Democratic Walter R. Buchanan227,7987.99%
Democratic William M. Bennett207,7207.29%
Democratic Charles Crail89,0233.12%
Total votes2,851,210 100.00

General election

Candidates

Results

1968 United States Senate election in California [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Alan Cranston 3,680,352 51.82% Increase2.svg8.38
Republican Max Rafferty 3,329,14846.87%Decrease2.svg9.46
Peace and Freedom Paul Jacobs 92,9651.31%N/A
Total votes7,102,465 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

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References

  1. "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate - R Primary Race - Jun 04, 1968".
  2. "William M. Bennett, former JFK campaign chief and state political heavyweight, dies at 91". 22 February 2010.
  3. "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate - D Primary Race - Jun 04, 1968".
  4. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 5, 1968" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved March 31, 2019.