1968 United States Senate election in Alaska

The 1968 United States Senate election in Alaska took place on November 5, 1968. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Ernest Gruening ran for a second full term in office but finished behind Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives Mike Gravel. Gruening launched an write-in bid for the seat in the general election, but finished third to Gravel and Republican former Anchorage mayor Elmer Rasmuson.

Gravel would later lose the primary in 1980 to Gruening's grandson Clark.

Future Senator Ted Stevens also ran in the primary, but lost to Rasmuson by around 1,000 votes. When incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Bartlett died that December, Governor Wally Hickel appointed Stevens to the vacant seat.

Primary election[]

Democratic[]

Mike Gravel, former State Representative and Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives from Anchorage
Ernest Gruening, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1959

Results[]

U.S. Senate Democratic primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Gravel	17,971	52.9
	Democratic	Ernest Gruening (incumbent)	16,015	47.1
Total votes			33,986	100.00

Republican[]

Elmer Rasmuson, former Mayor of Anchorage and member of the University of Alaska Board of Regents
Ted Stevens, State Representative and nominee for Senate in 1962

Results[]

U.S. Senate Republican primary results^[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Elmer Rasmuson	10,320	53.1
	Republican	Ted Stevens	9,111	46.9
Total votes			19,431	100.00

General election[]

1968 United States Senate election in Alaska^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Mike Gravel	36,527	45.13%
	Republican	Elmer Rasmuson	30,286	37.42%
	Write-in	Ernest Gruening (incumbent)	14,118	17.44%
Total votes			80,931	100.00%
	Democratic hold		Swing

References[]

[OC-1] "Our Campaigns - AK US Senate - Open Primary Race - Aug 27, 1968".

[2] "Our Campaigns - AK US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1968".

[1]

[2]

v t (1966 ←) 1968 United States elections (→ 1970)
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Portal:Politics Third party (United States) Third party officeholders in the United States Third-party members of the United States House of Representatives

1968 United States Senate election in Alaska

Contents

Primary election[]

Democratic[]

Results[]

Republican[]

Results[]

General election[]

See also[]

References[]