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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

1968 Senate Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Max Rafferty 1,112,947 50.05%
Republican Thomas Kuchel (incumbent) 1,043,315 46.92%
Republican James A. Ware 28,311 1.27%
Republican Phil Cammack 20,767 0.93%
Republican W.C. Jones 18,442 0.83%
Total votes 2,223,782 100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alan Cranston 1,681,825 58.99%
Democratic Anthony Beilenson 644,844 22.62%
Democratic Walter R. Buchanan 227,798 7.99%
Democratic William M. Bennett 207,720 7.29%
Democratic Charles Crail 89,023 3.12%
Total votes 2,851,210 100.00

General election

Candidates

  • Alan Cranston (Democratic)
  • Paul Jacobs (Peace & Freedom)
  • Max Rafferty (Republican)

Results

1968 United States Senate election in California[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Alan Cranston 3,680,352 51.82% Increase8.38
Republican Max Rafferty 3,329,148 46.87% Decrease9.46
Peace and Freedom Paul Jacobs 92,965 1.31% N/A
Total votes 7,102,465 100.00%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

References

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