1964 United States Senate election in California

none March 2026 September 2023 June 2020 1964 United States Senate election in California California presidential no 1958 United States Senate election in California 1958 1970 United States Senate election in California 1970 November 3, 1964 George Murphy (R-CA).jpg George Murphy Republican Party (US) 3,628,552 51.54% Portrait of Pierre Salinger.jpg Pierre Salinger Democratic Party (US) 3,411,915 48.46% 1964 United States Senate election in California results map by county.svg 300px County resultsMurphy: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70%Salinger: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% U.S. Senator Pierre Salinger Democratic Party (US) George Murphy Republican Party (US) The 1964 United States Senate election in California was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic Senator Clair Engle, who had been first elected in 1958, underwent surgery for a brain tumor in August 1963. Facing a primary challenge from Alan Cranston and deteriorating health, he withdrew from the race in April 1964. The primary election was won by Pierre Salinger, Press Secretary to President Lyndon Johnson. When Engle died in July, Salinger was appointed as interim senator in his place. Salinger lost election to a full six-year term to Republican George Murphy, a retired Hollywood star. This was the only Senate seat Republicans gained in 1964. Democratic primary Candidates Emanuel Braude Walter Buchanan, candidate for U.S. Representative in 1934 and 1962 Demos Cordeiro Alan Cranston, California Controller Harold E. Fields Lynn Johnston, candidate for U.S. Representative in 1963 George H. McLain, perennial candidate, nativist, and pensioner advocate Henry A. Mermel Mark Morris Guido Joseph Pavia, resident of Napa Pierre Salinger, White House Press Secretary Declined to run Stanley Mosk, California Attorney General (appointed to California Supreme Court) Withdrew Clair Engle, incumbent Senator (died July 30) Campaign On August 24, 1963, Senator Clair Engle underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor, which left him partially paralyzed, forcing him to miss several Senate sessions. Despite this, he was expected to recover and proceeded with his re-election campaign. By March 1964, California State Controller Alan Cranston had entered the race and received the endorsement of the California Democratic Council. On April 13, 1964, Engle's illness was evident as he attempted to introduce a resolution to delay construction of the Bodega Bay Nuclear Power Plant. He was given permission to speak but was physically unable, and a colleague presented the resolution instead. Engle officially ended his re-election campaign on April 28, 1964, just four days after undergoing his second operation in eight months.December 2023 He chose not to endorse either Cranston or Salinger. A major point of contention during the primary and general elections was Salinger's eligibility to run. Though he was born in San Francisco and attended high school there, he was working at the White House at the time and officially a resident of Virginia, meaning he could not vote for himself. Results 1964 Democratic U.S. Senate primary CA US Senate - D Primary https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=382924 OurCampaigns 12 November 2019 Democratic Party (United States) Pierre Salinger 1,177,517 44.26% Democratic Party (United States) Alan Cranston 1,037,748 39.01% Democratic Party (United States) George H. McLain 180,405 6.78% Democratic Party (United States) Clair Engle (incumbent) (withdrawn) 119,967 4.51% Democratic Party (United States) Lynn W. Johnston 43,744 1.64% Democratic Party (United States) Walter R. Buchanan 24,903 0.91% Democratic Party (United States) Guido Joseph Pavia 16,562 0.62% Democratic Party (United States) Harold E. Fields 16,061 0.60% Democratic Party (United States) Demos Cordeiro 15,696 0.59% Democratic Party (United States) Mark Morris 12,357 0.46% Democratic Party (United States) Emanuel Braude 10,064 0.38% Democratic Party (United States) Henry A. Mermel 6,092 0.23% 2,660,306 100.00% Republican primary Candidates Fred Hall, former Governor of Kansas Leland M. Kaiser, San Francisco financierGoldwater Wins Support Of California G.O.P. Unit; GOLDWATER WINS BACKING ON COAST https://www.nytimes.com/1964/03/16/archives/goldwater-wins-support-of-california-gop-unit-goldwater-wins.html The New York Times 16 Mar 1964 1 George Murphy, actor, film executive, and former President of the Screen Actors Guild Campaign At the California Republican Assembly convention in March, which was overwhelmingly attended by supporters of Barry Goldwater, Murphy was endorsed over Kaiser. During the convention, former Governor of Kansas Fred Hall entered the race, denouncing the influence of the John Birch Society and "the ultra-right wing of the conservatives." Both Kaiser and Murphy were regarded as conservative, Goldwater-friendly candidates, while Hall was a moderate who identified as "a Rockefeller candidate." Results 1964 Republican U.S. Senate primary CA US Senate - R Primary https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=641401 OurCampaigns 17 June 2020 Republican Party (United States) George Murphy 1,121,591 54.13% Republican Party (United States) Leland M. Kaiser 689,323 33.27% Republican Party (United States) Fred Hall 261,036 12.60% 2,071,950 100.00% General election Results General election results Our Campaigns - CA US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1964 https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=24086 OurCampaigns 12 November 2019 Republican Party (United States) George Murphy 3,628,552 51.54% 8.61 Democratic Party (United States) Pierre Salinger (incumbent) 3,411,915 48.46% 8.55 7,040,467 100.00 See also 1964 United States Senate elections References Further reading Anderson Totton J. Lee Eugene C. The Western Political Quarterly 18 2 1965 45174 University of Utah https://www.jstor.org/stable/445290 The 1964 Election in California 10.1177/1065912965018002-204 445290 subscription 1964 California United States Senate