1968 United States Senate election in California

1968 United States Senate election in California

← 1962 November 5, 1968 1974 →

Nominee Alan Cranston Max Rafferty Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 3,680,352 3,329,148 Percentage 51.82% 46.87%

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

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

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[]

• Phil Cammack
• W.C. Jones
• Thomas Kuchel, incumbent U.S. Senator and Assistant Minority Leader
• Max Rafferty, California Superintendent of Public Instruction since 1963
• James A. Ware, perennial candidate for office from Los Angeles

Results[]

Democratic primary[]

Candidates[]

• Anthony Beilenson, State Senator from Beverly Hills
• William M. Bennett, member of the California Public Utilities Commission^[2]
• Walter Buchanan, perennial candidate
• Charles Crail
• Alan Cranston, former California State Controller

Results[]

General election[]

Candidates[]

Major party candidates

• Alan Cranston, Democratic
• Max Rafferty, Republican

Other candidates

• Paul Jacobs, Peace & Freedom

Results[]

1968 United States Senate election in California^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Alan Cranston	3,680,352	51.82%	8.38
	Republican	Max Rafferty	3,329,148	46.87%	9.46
	Peace and Freedom	Paul Jacobs	92,965	1.31%	N/A
Total votes			7,102,465	100.00%
	Democratic gain from Republican		Swing

References[]