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  US President - R Primaries
  RACE DETAILS
Parents > United States > U.S. Executive > Popular Vote
OfficePresident
TypePrimary Election
Filing Deadline January 01, 1968 - 12:00pm
Polls Open March 12, 1968 - 06:00am
Polls Close June 11, 1968 - 08:00pm
Term Start January 20, 1969 - 12:00pm
Term End January 20, 1973 - 12:00pm
ContributorArmyDem
Last ModifiedRob Ritchie January 14, 2018 08:44pm
Data Sources
DescriptionThe front-runner for the Republican nomination was former Vice President Richard M. Nixon, and to a great extent the story of the Republican primary campaign and nomination is the story of one opponent entering the race and dropping out.

Nixon's first challenger was Michigan Governor George W. Romney. A Gallup poll in mid-1967 showed Nixon with 39%, followed by Romney with 25%. However, in a slip of the tongue, Romney told a news reporter that he had been "brainwashed" by the military and the diplomatic corps into supporting the Vietnam War. As the year 1968 opened, Romney was opposed to further American intervention in Vietnam and had decided to run as the Republican version of Gene McCarthy (New York Times 2/18/1968). Romney's support faded slowly, and he withdrew from the race on 2/28/1968 (New York Times 2/29/1968).

Nixon won a resounding victory in the important New Hampshire primary on 3/12/1968, garnering 78% of the vote. Peace Republicans wrote in New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, who received 11% of the vote and became Nixon's new challenger. Nixon led Rockefeller in the polls throughout the primary campaign. Rockefeller defeated Nixon in the Massachusetts primary on 4/30/1968 but otherwise fared poorly in the state primaries and conventions.

By early spring, California Governor Ronald W. Reagan was Nixon's chief rival. In the Nebraska primary on 5/14/1968, Nixon won with 70% of the vote to 21% for Reagan and 5% for Rockefeller. While this was a wide margin for Nixon, Reagan replaced Rockefeller as the leading challenger. Nixon won the next primary of importance, Oregon, on 5/15/1968 with 65% of the vote and won all the following primaries except for California (6/4/1968), where only Reagan appeared on the ballot. Reagan's margin in California gave him a plurality of the nationwide primary vote, but when the Republican National Convention assembled, a UPI poll shoed that Nixon had 656 of the 667 delegates needed to win the nomination.
LAST GENERAL ELECTION
PartyDemocratic Won11/03/1964
NameLyndon B. Johnson Votes43,129,566 (61.05%)
Term01/20/1965 - 01/20/1969 Margin15,951,378 (+22.58%)
KEY RACE? 0.0000000000 Average
LEANING PREDICTIONS    Detail
MATCHUP POLL GRAPH

12/01/1964 07/01/1968

CANDIDATES
Photo
Name Gov. Ronald Reagan V.P. Richard M. Nixon Gov. James A. Rhodes Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller Unpledged Sen. Eugene J. "Gene" McCarthy University President Harold E. Stassen
PartyRepublican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican
Votes1,696,632 (37.93%) 1,679,443 (37.54%) 614,492 (13.74%) 164,340 (3.67%) 140,639 (3.14%) 44,520 (1.00%) 31,655 (0.71%)
Margin0 (0.00%) -17,189 (-0.38%) -1,082,140 (-24.19%) -1,532,292 (-34.25%) -1,555,993 (-34.78%) -1,652,112 (-36.93%) -1,664,977 (-37.22%)
Predict Avg.0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Finances$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
MATCHUP POLLS
Gallup 
07/01-07/01		 7.00% (+1.0) 60.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 23.00% (-1.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 1.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
03/01-03/01		 6.00% (-5.0) 60.00% (+11.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 24.00% (+2.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (-1.0)
Gallup 
02/15-02/15		 11.00% (+3.0) 49.00% (-2.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 22.00% (-3.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 1.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
02/01-02/01		 8.00% (+0.0) 51.00% (+9.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 25.00% (-2.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
01/01-01/01		 8.00% (-5.0) 42.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 27.00% (+12.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
11/01-11/01		 13.00% (-1.0) 42.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 15.00% (-3.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
ENDORSEMENTS
Endorsements
Grasshopper
AENM Angry Russian
R Hikikomori Blitzkrieg!
F Blue Republican
R J. Strom Thurmond
WASH Pennsylvanian
R William E. "Bill" Miller
D EastTexasDem
R Newt Gingrich [L]
Veg Thomas Walker
MORE CANDIDATES
Photo
Name Gov. John A. Volpe Gov. George C. Wallace Sen. Robert F. Kennedy Nixon-Rockefeller Others V.P. Hubert H. Humphrey, Jr. (I) Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson
PartyRepublican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican
Votes31,465 (0.70%) 15,291 (0.34%) 14,524 (0.33%) 12,102 (0.27%) 6,676 (0.15%) 5,698 (0.13%) 4,824 (0.11%)
Margin-1,665,167 (-37.22%) -1,681,341 (-37.58%) -1,682,108 (-37.60%) -1,684,530 (-37.66%) -1,689,956 (-37.78%) -1,690,934 (-37.80%) -1,691,808 (-37.82%)
Predict Avg.0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Finances$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
MATCHUP POLLS
Gallup 
07/01-07/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
03/01-03/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
02/15-02/15		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
02/01-02/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
01/01-01/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
11/01-11/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
ENDORSEMENTS
Endorsements
MORE CANDIDATES
Photo
Name Gov. George W. Romney Americus "Mike" Liberator Gov. Raymond P. Shafer Gov. William W. Scranton Sen. Charles H. Percy Barry M. Goldwater Mayor John V. Lindsay
PartyRepublican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican
Votes4,447 (0.10%) 1,302 (0.03%) 1,223 (0.03%) 724 (0.02%) 689 (0.02%) 598 (0.01%) 591 (0.01%)
Margin-1,692,185 (-37.83%) -1,695,330 (-37.90%) -1,695,409 (-37.90%) -1,695,908 (-37.91%) -1,695,943 (-37.91%) -1,696,034 (-37.91%) -1,696,041 (-37.91%)
Predict Avg.0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Finances$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
MATCHUP POLLS
Gallup 
07/01-07/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 2.00% (-3.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 4.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
03/01-03/01		 0.00% (-7.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 5.00% (+1.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (-3.0)
Gallup 
02/15-02/15		 7.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 4.00% (+1.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 3.00% (+1.0)
Gallup 
02/01-02/01		 7.00% (-5.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 3.00% (-2.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 2.00% (+1.0)
Gallup 
01/01-01/01		 12.00% (-2.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 5.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 1.00% (-2.0)
Gallup 
11/01-11/01		 14.00% (+1.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 5.00% (-1.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 3.00% (+2.0)
ENDORSEMENTS
Endorsements
R Leonard W. Hall
R Wilbur N. Renk
R Kyle
WASH Pennsylvanian
LBT PA Historian
R Rockefeller Republican
MORE CANDIDATES
Photo
Name Willis E. Stone Paul C. Fisher Herbert F. Hoover David Watumull William W. Evans Pat Paulsen Elmer W. Coy
PartyRepublican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican Republican
Votes527 (0.01%) 374 (0.01%) 247 (0.01%) 161 (0.00%) 151 (0.00%) 104 (0.00%) 73 (0.00%)
Margin-1,696,105 (-37.91%) -1,696,258 (-37.92%) -1,696,385 (-37.92%) -1,696,471 (-37.92%) -1,696,481 (-37.92%) -1,696,528 (-37.92%) -1,696,559 (-37.92%)
Predict Avg.0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Finances$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
MATCHUP POLLS
Gallup 
07/01-07/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
03/01-03/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
02/15-02/15		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
02/01-02/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
01/01-01/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
11/01-11/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
ENDORSEMENTS
Endorsements
R Moving to Miami
MORE CANDIDATES
Photo
Name Don DuMont Minority Leader Everett M. Dirksen Sen. Mark O. Hatfield Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.
PartyRepublican Republican Republican Republican
Votes39 (0.00%) 0 (0.00%) 0 (0.00%) 0 (0.00%)
Margin-1,696,593 (-37.92%) -1,696,632 (-37.93%) -1,696,632 (-37.93%) -1,696,632 (-37.93%)
Predict Avg.0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Finances$0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
MATCHUP POLLS
Gallup 
07/01-07/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 1.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
03/01-03/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (-1.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
02/15-02/15		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 1.00% (-1.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
02/01-02/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 2.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
01/01-01/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 2.00% (-1.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
Gallup 
11/01-11/01		 0.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0) 3.00% (+0.0) 0.00% (+0.0)
ENDORSEMENTS
Endorsements
D InspectorMorse

NEWS
Date Category Headline Article Contributor
Jan 24, 2025 08:50pm News Harold Stassen 1968 presidential campaign  Not Available Chronicler 

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