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From March to July 1968,Democratic Party voters elected delegates to the1968 Democratic National Convention for the purpose of selecting the party's nominee for president inthe upcoming election. Delegates, and the nominee they were to support at the convention, were selected through a series ofprimary elections,caucuses, and state party conventions. This was the last time that state primary elections formed a minority (12 states) of the selection process, as theMcGovern–Fraser Commission, which issued its recommendations in time for the1972 Democratic Party presidential primaries, would dramatically reform the nomination process to expand the use of popular primaries rather than caucuses.
After an inconclusive and tumultuous campaign focused on theVietnam War and marred by the Juneassassination of Robert F. Kennedy, incumbentVice PresidentHubert Humphrey was nominated at the1968 Democratic National Convention held from August 26 to August 29, 1968, inChicago, Illinois.
The campaign for the nomination began with incumbent PresidentLyndon B. Johnson expected to win re-nomination for a second consecutive election, despite low approval ratings following theTet Offensive in January 1968. His only significant challenger wasEugene McCarthy, an anti-war Senator fromMinnesota. After McCarthy nearly won theNew Hampshire primary on March 12, SenatorRobert F. Kennedy, another critic of the war and the brother of the late PresidentJohn F. Kennedy, entered the race on March 16. On March 31, Johnsonannounced that he would not seek re-election. In April, Vice PresidentHubert H. Humphrey joined the race as the establishment candidate; he did not criticize the administration's conduct of the war and avoided the popular contests for delegates.
McCarthy and Kennedy traded primary victories while Humphrey collected delegates through the closed caucus and convention systems in place in most states. Many other delegates were selected without a formal commitment to support any particular candidate. The race was upended on June 5, the night of theCalifornia andSouth Dakota primaries. Both races went for Kennedy, buthe was assassinated after his victory speech at theAmbassador Hotel. At the moment of his assassination, Kennedy trailed Humphrey in the pledged delegate count with McCarthy third. Without any obligation to vote for any candidate, most Kennedy delegates backed Humphrey over McCarthy or fell behind Kennedy supporterGeorge McGovern.
At the convention, Humphrey secured the nomination easily despiteanti-war riots outside the convention center; he went on to lose the presidential election narrowly toRichard Nixon. Humphrey would be the last Democratic nominee to be nominated despite not actively campaigning in the primaries untilKamala Harris in the2024 United States presidential election.
In 1960,John F. Kennedy won the Democratic nomination overLyndon B. Johnson. After he secured the nomination at the party convention, Kennedy offered Johnson the vice presidential nomination; the offer was a surprise, and some Kennedy supporters claimed that the nominee expected Johnson to decline.Robert F. Kennedy, the nominee's brother and campaign manager, reportedly went to Johnson's hotel suite to dissuade Johnson from accepting.[1] Johnson accepted, and the Kennedy-Johnson ticket was narrowly elected, but the 1960 campaign intensified the personal enmity between Robert F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, which dated to as early as 1953. President Kennedy named his brother to his cabinet asUnited States Attorney General.
President Kennedy wasassassinated on November 22, 1963; Johnson succeeded him with tremendous national popularity amid a wave of mourning and sympathy. Robert Kennedy remained in the cabinet for several months, creating what Johnson staffers began to refer to as "the Bobby problem": despite the personal hatred between the two, Democratic voters overwhelmingly favored Kennedy as Johnson's running mate in the 1964 election.[2] Kennedy began to plan for a nationwide campaign,[3] and in the informal New Hampshire vice-presidential primary, Kennedy defeatedHubert H. Humphrey in a landslide.[4]
In July 1964, Johnson issued an official statement ruling out any cabinet member for the vice presidency.[5] In search of a way out of the dilemma, Kennedy asked speechwriterMilton Gwirtzman to write a memo comparing two offices: 1)governor of Massachusetts and 2)U.S. senator from New York, and "which would be a better place from which to make a run for the presidency in future years?"[6] In September, Kennedy resigned as attorney general, and ran for and won election to theU.S. Senate.[7] Johnson was elected in a landslide.
United States involvement in theVietnam War began shortly after the end ofWorld War II. Beginning in 1964, President Johnson dramatically escalated American military presence after theGulf of Tonkin incident. On the recommendation of GeneralWilliam C. Westmoreland, whom Johnson had appointed to command American troops in Vietnam, U.S. manpower in Southeast Asia expanded from 16,000 in 1964 to more than 553,000 by 1969.
As U.S. involvement escalated throughout 1964 to 1966, protests against the war escalated in proportion. Several anti-war groups were founded or expanded during the period.
Amid criticism of U.S. handling of the war from both parties, President Johnson'sapproval rating sank from a high above 70 percent to below 40 percent by the1966 midterm elections. The Democratic Party had already begun to split between anti-war "doves" and pro-war "hawks," and the Republican Party gained dozens of seats in Congress.
As opposition grew in 1967, anti-war Democrats led byAllard Lowenstein andCurtis Gans formed theDump Johnson movement, which sought to challenge the President's re-election. Their first choice was Robert Kennedy, who had sufficiently established himself as a critic of the war and an effective popular campaigner. He declined, as did a series of lesser-known candidates, including SenatorGeorge McGovern. Lowenstein finally found a candidate in October 1967, when Minnesota SenatorEugene McCarthy agreed to challenge the President. At first, McCarthy merely expressed his interest, telling Lowenstein, "Somebody has to raise the flag."[8][9] On November 30, 1967, McCarthy publicly announced his campaign for the nomination.
Kennedy continued to demur, despite pressure from his aides to enter the race and worry that anti-war allies, likeGeorge McGovern, would begin to make commitments to McCarthy.[10] On January 30, he again indicated to the press that he had no plans to campaign against Johnson.[11]
In early February 1968, after theTet Offensive in Vietnam, Kennedy received an anguished letter from writerPete Hamill, noting that poor people in theWatts area of Los Angeles had hung pictures of Kennedy's brother, President John F. Kennedy, in their homes. Hamill's letter reminded Robert Kennedy that he had an "obligation of staying true to whatever it was that put those pictures on those walls."[12] There were other factors that influenced Kennedy's decision to enter the presidential primary race. On February 29, 1968, theKerner Commission issued a report on theracial unrest that had affected American cities during theprevious summer. The Kerner Commission blamed "white racism" for the violence, but its findings were largely dismissed by the Johnson administration.[12]
On March 10, Kennedy told his aide, Peter Edelman, that he had decided to run and had to "figure out how to get McCarthy out of it."[13][14] However, Kennedy hesitated to enter the race with McCarthy still in and agreed to McCarthy's request to delay an announcement of his intentions until after the New Hampshire primary.[13]
The following political leaders were candidates for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination:
| Candidate | Born | Most recent office | Home state | Campaign Withdrawal date | Popular vote | Contests won | Delegates won | Running mate | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubert Humphrey | .jpg) | May 27, 1911 (age 57) Wallace, South Dakota | Vice President of the United States (1965–1969) |  Minnesota |  (Campaign) Secured nomination:August 29, 1968 | 166,463 (2.2%) | 0[d] | 1759.25 (67.4%) | Edmund Muskie |  | |
| Candidate | Born | Most recent office | Home state | Campaign Withdrawal date | Popular vote | Contests won | Delegates won | Running mate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eugene McCarthy | .jpg) | March 29, 1916 (age 52) Watkins, Minnesota | U.S. Senator fromMinnesota (1959–1971) | Minnesota |  (Campaign) Declared: November 30, 1967 Defeated at convention: August 29, 1968 | 2,914,933 (38.7%) | 6 | 601 (23.0%) | None | |
| George McGovern | _(3x4-1).jpg) | July 19, 1922 (age 45) Avon, South Dakota | U.S. Senator fromSouth Dakota (1963–1981) |  South Dakota | (Campaign) Announced: July 23, 1968[e] Defeated at convention: August 29, 1968 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 146.5 (5.6%) | None | |
These candidates participated in multiple state primaries or were included in multiple major national polls.
| Candidate | Born | Most recent office | Home state | Campaign Withdrawal date | Popular vote | Contests won | Running mate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lyndon B. Johnson | .jpg) | August 27, 1908 (age 59) Stonewall, Texas | President of the United States (1963–1969) |  Texas | (Campaign) Withdrew: March 31, 1968 (endorsed Humphrey) | 383,590 (5.10%) | 1 | Hubert Humphrey | |
| Robert F. Kennedy |  | November 20, 1925 (age 42) Brookline, Massachusetts | U.S. Senator fromNew York (1965–1968) |  New York |  (Campaign) Declared: March 16, 1968 Assassinated: June 5, 1968 | 2,305,148 (30.6%) | 5 | None | |
The following candidates ran only in their home state or district's primary or caucuses for the purpose of controlling its delegate slate at the convention and did not appear to be considered national candidates by the media.
The following persons were listed in two or more major national polls or were the subject of media speculation surrounding their potential candidacy, but declined to actively seek the nomination.
| Poll source | Publication | Hubert Humphrey | Lyndon B. Johnson | Robert F. Kennedy | Eugene McCarthy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallup[15] | Feb. 1966 | 5% | 52% | 27% | – |
| Gallup[15] | Aug. 1966 | 6% | 38% | 40% | – |
| Gallup[15] | Jan. 1967 | 8% | 34% | 43% | – |
| Gallup[15] | Sep. 1967 | 6% | 37% | 39% | – |
| Newsweek[15] | Jan. 7, 1968 | – | 74.3% | – | 16.7% |
| Theodore H. White[15] | Jan. 10, 1968 | – | 79% | – | 12% |
| Newsweek[15] | Jan. 21, 1968 | – | 73% | – | 18% |
| U.S. News & World Report[15] | Jan. 22, 1968 | – | 66.7% | – | 24.3% |
| Newsweek[15] | Jan. 28, 1968 | – | 80% | – | 11% |
| New York Times/CBS[15] | Feb. 1, 1968 | – | 71% | – | 20% |
| Theodore H. White[15] | Feb. 10, 1968 | – | 73% | – | 18% |
| Newsweek[15] | Feb. 25, 1968 | – | 76.7% | – | 14.3% |
| U.S. News & World Report[15] | Feb. 26, 1968 | – | 76.2% | – | 14.8% |
| New York Times/CBS[15] | Feb. 29, 1968 | – | 77% | – | 14% |
| Newsweek[15] | Mar. 3, 1968 | – | 69% | – | 20% |
| U.S. News & World Report[15] | Mar. 5, 1968 | – | 65% | – | 30% |
| Theodore H. White[15] | Mar. 10, 1968 | – | 65.5% | – | 26.5% |
| March 12: New Hampshire primary | |||||
| March 16: Robert F. Kennedy enters the race | |||||
| New York Times/CBS[15] | Mar. 21, 1968 | – | 50% | – | 41% |
| U.S. News & World Report[15] | Mar. 24, 1968 | – | 39% | – | 52% |
| March 31: Johnson withdraws | |||||
| New York Times/CBS[15] | Apr. 4, 1968 | – | 12% | – | 79% |
| Gallup[15] | Apr. 9, 1968 | 31% | – | 35% | 23% |
| Gallup[15] | Apr. 23, 1968 | 25% | – | 28% | 33% |
| April 27: Hubert Humphrey enters the race | |||||
| Gallup[15] | May 7, 1968 | 40% | – | 31% | 19% |
| June 5: Robert F. Kennedy is assassinated | |||||
| Gallup[15] | July 23, 1968 | 53% | – | – | 39% |
Running as an antiwar candidate in theNew Hampshire presidential primary, McCarthy hoped to pressure the Democrats into publicly opposing the Vietnam War. Trailing badly in national polls and with little chance to influence delegate selection absent primary wins, McCarthy decided to pour most of his resources into New Hampshire, the first state to hold aprimary election. He was boosted by thousands of young college students who volunteered throughout the state, who shaved their beards and cut their hair to "Get Clean for Gene."
On March 12, McCarthy was the only person on the ballot, as Johnson had not filed, and was only a write in candidate. McCarthy won 42% of the primary vote to Johnson's 50%, an extremely strong showing for such a challenger which gave McCarthy's campaign legitimacy and momentum.[16] In addition, McCarthy's superior coordination led to a near sweep of the state's twenty-four pledged delegates; since Johnson had no formal campaign organization in the state, a number of competing pro-Johnson delegate candidates split his vote, allowing McCarthy to take twenty delegates.
Despite his desire to oppose Johnson directly and the fear that McCarthy would split the anti-war vote, Kennedy pushed forward with his planned campaign. On March 16, Kennedy declared, "I am today announcing my candidacy for the presidency of the United States. I do not run for the presidency merely to oppose any man, but to propose new policies. I run because I am convinced that this country is on a perilous course and because I have such strong feelings about what must be done, and I feel that I'm obliged to do all I can."[17] However, due to his late entry, Kennedy's name would not appear on a state ballot until the Indiana primary on May 7.
Johnson now had two strong challengers, sitting members of the Senate with demonstrated popularity. To make matters worse, polling in Wisconsin showed McCarthy beating Johnson badly, with the latter getting only 12% of the vote.[18] Facing declining health and bleak political forecasts in the upcoming primaries,[19] Johnson concluded that he could not win the nomination without a major political and personal struggle. On March 31, 1968, at the end of a televised address on Vietnam, he shocked the nation by announcing thathe would not seek re-election. By withdrawing, he could avoid the stigma of defeat and could keep control of the party machinery to supportVice PresidentHubert Humphrey. As the year developed, it also became clear that Johnson believed he could secure his place in the history books by ending the war before the election in November, which would give Humphrey the boost he would need to win.[20][21][22]
After Johnson's withdrawal, Vice President Hubert Humphrey announced his candidacy on April 27.[23] Humphrey's campaign concentrated on winning the delegates in non-primary states, where party leaders controlled the delegate votes. Humphrey did not compete in the primaries, leavingfavorite sons to win delegates as surrogates, notably SenatorGeorge A. Smathers fromFlorida, SenatorStephen M. Young fromOhio, andIndiana GovernorRoger D. Branigin.
TheWisconsin primary on April 2 was effectively uncontested. McCarthy received 56% of the vote. Kennedy received 6% as awrite-in candidate. Kennedy was ineligible for the ballot because he entered the race following the filing deadline.[24] ThePennsylvania primary on April 23 was similarly a rout for McCarthy, who took 71% of the vote.[25]
In theMassachusetts primary on April 30 neither Humphrey nor Kennedy were formally listed on the ballot. As a result, McCarthy won the popular vote easily, and by the rules in place at the time, all 72 of the commonwealth's delegates were pledged to him on the first ballot. Some analysts viewed Humphrey's unexpectedly strong showing (44,156 write-in votes, or 18% of the total) as a clear victory over Kennedy, aBrookline, Massachusetts native, who polled a meager 28% write-in vote in his family's home state.[26]
On March 27, 1968, Kennedy announced his intention to run against McCarthy in theIndiana primary, although aides told him that a race in Indiana would be extremely tight and advised him against it.[27] At theIndiana Statehouse, Kennedy told a cheering crowd that the state was important to his campaign: "If we can win in Indiana, we can win in every other state, and win when we go to the convention in August."[28] The Indiana primary thus marked the first open entry of Kennedy into the field and pitted him against McCarthy and GovernorRoger Branigin, a favorite son who had backed Johnson and now impliedly supported Humphrey.
During his first campaign stop in Indiana, Kennedy delivered two of a trio notable speeches. First, on April 4,he spoke atBall State University inMuncie. In this speech, Kennedy suggested the election would "determine the direction that the United States is going to move" and that the American people should "examine everything. Not take anything for granted." Kennedy expressed concerns about poverty and hunger, lawlessness and violence, jobs and economic development, and foreign policy. He emphasized that Americans had a "moral obligation" and should "make an honest effort to understand one another and move forward together." After leaving the stage at Ball State, Kennedy boarded a plane for Indianapolis. When he arrived, he was informed of theassassination of Martin Luther King Jr.[29] Addressing a crowd gathered for a political rally on the black north side of the city, Kennedy gave aheartfelt impromptu speech to the crowd, calling for peace and compassion.[30] The next day inCleveland, he delivered prepared remarks entitled "On the Mindless Menace of Violence," elaborating the themes he had addressed in Indianapolis. After attending King's funeral inAtlanta, Kennedy resumed campaigning in Indiana on April 10.[31]
Branigin campaigned in nearly all of the state's 92 counties, while McCarthy's campaign strategy concentrated on Indiana's rural areas and small towns. According to Kennedy's campaign advisor,John Bartlow Martin, the campaign gained momentum with Kennedy's visits to central and southern Indiana on April 22 and 23, which included a memorable whistle-stop railroad trip aboard the Wabash Cannonball.[32] Martin urged the candidate to speak out against violence and rioting, emphasize his "law enforcement experience" as former U.S. Attorney General, and promote coordination between the government and private sector to solve domestic issues. Kennedy continued to speak out against the war and in support of the cessation of hostilities and reallocating war funds to domestic programs.[33] To appeal to conservative voters, Kennedy "toned down his rhetoric" as well.[34] McCarthy, meanwhile, contrasted his approach to conflict of "call[ing] upon everyone ... to be as fully responsible as [they] can be" against Humphrey's ("run[ning] things together indiscriminately") and Kennedy's (a "combination of separate interests ... or groups").[35]
On May 7, Kennedy won with 42 percent of the vote; Branigan was second with 31 percent of the vote; and McCarthy, earning 27 percent, came in third.[36][37] In response to the defeat, McCarthy remarked, "We've tested the enemy now, and we know his techniques ... we know his weaknesses."[38]
Campaigning vigorously in theNebraska primary, Kennedy hoped for a major win to give him momentum going into the crucial California primary in June. While McCarthy made only one visit to Nebraska, Kennedy made numerous appearances.[39] Though Kennedy's advisors had been worried about his chances in Nebraska, given his lack of credibility onranching andagriculture policy and the short amount of time to campaign in the state after the Indiana primary,[40] Kennedy won on May 14 with 51.4 percent of the vote to McCarthy's 31 percent.[39][41] Kennedy won 24 of the 25 counties that he visited ahead of the vote; of those, the sole county he lost by two votes was home to theUniversity of Nebraska, where a plurality of students favored McCarthy.[42] Kennedy declared that the results, where two anti-war candidates collectively earned over 80 percent of the vote, were "a smashing repudiation" of the Johnson-Humphrey administration.[43]
ANewsweek delegate survey, taken after the Nebraska primary,[44] showed 1,280 delegates (1,312 delegates needed to win the nomination)[45] solid or leaning toward Humphrey, 714 leaning to Kennedy, and 280 favoring McCarthy.[46]
In contrast to Nebraska, theOregon primary posed several challenges to Kennedy's campaign. His campaign organization, run by U.S. CongresswomanEdith Green, was not strong and his platform emphasizing poverty, hunger, and minority issues did not resonate with Oregon voters.[47][48] About Kennedy's calls for unity amongst Americans, Mills wrote that "As far as Oregonians were concerned, America had not fallen apart."[49] The Kennedy campaign circulated material on McCarthy's record; McCarthy had voted against a minimum wage law and repeal of the poll tax in theVoting Rights Act of 1965. The McCarthy campaign responded with charges that Kennedy illegally taped Martin Luther King Jr. asUnited States Attorney General.[50] Ten days ahead of the vote, Kennedy admitted his message did not appeal well to Oregonians: "This state is like one giant suburb. I appeal best to people who have problems."[51] During a speech he gave in California, Kennedy also admitted, "I think that if I get beaten in any primary, I am not a very viable candidate," further raising the stakes in Oregon.[50] Following that comment, Kennedy campaigned for sixteen hours a day; in the weeks before the election, his campaign canvased 50,000 homes.[52]
On May 28, McCarthy won the Oregon primary with 44.7 percent; Kennedy received 38.8 percent of votes.[53] After Kennedy's loss was confirmed, he sent a terse congratulatory message to McCarthy but asserted that he would remain in the race.[54] According to Kennedy biographer Larry Tye, the defeat in Oregon proved to Kennedy that he needed to take risks and convinced voters that Kennedy was vulnerable to electoral defeat.[51][55] Observers remarked that McCarthy was "back in the race as a real contender."[56]
Meanwhile, in theFlorida primary (also on May 28), a slate of Humphrey delegates led byfavorite sonGeorge A. Smathers easily swept aside McCarthy, who managed only four delegates from twoMiami congressional districts.[57] Humphrey also picked up 83 of the 125 delegates from Pennsylvania,[58] following an endorsement fromPhiladelphia MayorJames Tate,[59] and collected delegates from non-primaryparty caucuses and state conventions.[60] In April and May, Humphrey won the majority of delegates inDelaware,Alaska,Hawaii,Wyoming,Arizona,Maryland,Nevada,New Jersey,Missouri,Maine, andVermont.[61] The other candidates criticized this tactic, and accused Humphrey of organizing a "bossed convention" against the wishes of the people.[62]
McCarthy and Kennedy vigorously campaigned throughoutCalifornia in the beginning of June, with the latter announcing he would exit the race if he lost the state's primary. California's winner-take-all primary became crucial to both Kennedy and McCarthy's campaigns.[63] McCarthy stumped the state's many colleges and universities, where he was treated as a hero for being the first presidential candidate to oppose the war. Kennedy campaigned in the ghettos andbarrios of the state's larger cities, where he was mobbed by enthusiastic supporters.[64] In theSouth Dakota primary, Kennedy also hoped to simultaneously pull off an upset victory over McCarthy and Humphrey, both from neighboring Minnesota (Humphrey was also a native ofWallace, South Dakota).[65]
On June 1, Kennedy and McCarthy met in a televised debate onABC'sIssues and Answers,[66] which observers generally considered a draw.[67] "It was a conversation rather than a debate," saidThe New York Times, "and it demonstrated that the two rivals are in substantial agreement on every major issue."[68] Though Kennedy considered the debate "indecisive and disappointing," subsequent polling showed that undecided voters favored his performance by a margin of two-to-one.[69]
On June 3, Kennedy made a "final dash" through the state's major urban centers,San Francisco,Los Angeles, andSan Diego; along with suburbanLong Beach, in a single day.[70] As his motorcade moved slowly through cheering crowds in San Francisco'sChinatown, gun shots appeared to ring out. However, it was just the sound of celebratoryfirecrackers.[70] The campaign entourage and traveling press were all "scared to death," recalled Bill Eppridge, aLife magazine photographer in the car just ahead of the Kennedys.[71]
On June 4, Kennedy privately expressed his hope toTheodore H. White that victories in the California and South Dakota primaries could persuade party insiders that he was more electable than Humphrey and thus win him crucial support from unpledged delegates. Kennedy won the California primary with 46 percent of the vote to McCarthy's 42 percent.[72] AuthorJoseph Palermo referred to the victory as Kennedy's "greatest."[73] Kennedy also won the South Dakota primary, winning approximately 50 percent of the vote.[74]
McCarthy, who that same night defeated Kennedy in the New Jersey primary (with 36% of the write-in vote),[75] made it clear that he would contest the upcoming New York primary on June 18 in Kennedy's adopted state.[76]
After giving his victory speech at theAmbassador Hotel in Los Angeles,Kennedy was assassinated in the kitchen service pantry in the early morning of June 5.Sirhan Sirhan, a 24-year-oldPalestinian-born Jordanian, was arrested. Kennedy died 26 hours later atGood Samaritan Hospital.
At the moment of Kennedy's death, the delegate totals were estimated to be:[77]
Kennedy's death threw the Democratic Party into disarray. Shaken by the event, Humphrey took off two weeks from campaigning. He met with President Johnson, and the two talked about "everything"[78] during a three-hour meeting. The assassination all but guaranteed Humphrey the nomination. He commented that he "was doing everything I could to win the nomination ... but God knows I didn't want it that way."[79] A large number of Kennedy delegates switched to Humphrey, but he lost money from Republican donors concerned about a Kennedy nomination,[79] and popular opinion polls shifted in favor of Senator McCarthy.[80] In fact, Humphrey was booed before 50,000 people on June 19 at theLincoln Memorial as he was introduced at a Solidarity March for civil rights.[81] He tried to defend his record against the liberal detractors,[82] but often encountered anti-war protesters and hostile crowds while campaigning.[62] At the end of June, Republican SenatorMark Hatfield of Oregon assessed the race, arguing that Humphrey would be the party's nominee for president but criticized him for being too closely aligned with Johnson's policies.[83]
.svg)
Tablemaker's Note:[b]
| Date | Total pledged delegates | Contest and total popular vote | Delegates won and popular vote | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubert Humphrey | Eugene McCarthy | Robert Kennedy | Lyndon Johnson | Favorite Son(s) | Uncommitted | Other(s) | |||
| March 12 | 0(of 24) | New Hampshire Pres. Primary[84] 55,464 | - | 23,263 (41.94%) | 606WI (1.09%) | 27,520WI (49.62%) | - | - | 4,075[c] (7.35%) |
| 24(of 24) | New Hampshire Del. Primary[84] ? | - | 20 Del. 16,315 | - | 4 Del. 17,444 | - | - | - | |
| March 16 | 22(of 22) | Nevada State Convention[85] | - | - | - | - | - | 22 Del. | - |
| March 28 | 28(of 28) | South Carolina State Convention[86][87] | - | - | - | - | 28 Del.[d][e] | - | - |
| March 30 | 38(of 38) | Kansas State Convention[88] | - | - | - | - | - | 38 Del. | - |
| April 2 | 60(of 60) | Wisconsin Primary[89] 733,002 | 3,605WI (0.49%) | 52 Del. 412,160 (56.23%) | 46,507WI (6.35%) | 8 Del. 253,696 (34.61%) | - | 11,861 (1.62%) | 5,173WI[f] (0.71%) |
| April 8 | 22(of 22) | Alaska State Convention[90] | - | - | - | - | - | 22 Del. | - |
| April 20 | 19(of 19) | Arizona State Convention[91] | - | - | - | - | - | 19 Del. | - |
| April 23 | 0(of 130) | Pennsylvania Pres. Primary 599,966 | 51,998WI (8.67%) | 428,891 (71.49%) | 65,430WI (10.91%) | 21,265WI (3.54%) | - | - | 32,382[g] (5.40%) |
| 130[h](of 130) | Pennsylvania Del. Primary[92] | - | 18 Del. | 1.5 Del. | - | - | 110.5 Del.[i] | - | |
| April 29 | 49(of 49) | Maryland State Convention[93] | - | - | - | - | - | 49 Del. | - |
| April 30 | 72(of 72) | Massachusetts Primary[94] 248,903 | 44,156WI (17.74%) | 72 Del. 122,697 (49.30%) | 68,604WI (27.56%) | 6,890WI (2.77%) | - | - | 6,556[j] (2.63%) |
| May 7 | 32(of 32) | Alabama Del. Primary[95][96] | - | - | - | - | - | 32 Del. | 0 Del.[k] |
| 63(of 63) | Indiana Primary[97] 776,513 | - | 209,695 (27.01%) | 59 Del.[l] 328,118 (42.26%) | - | 4 Del.[m] 238,700 (30.74%) | - | - | |
| 115(of 115) | Ohio Primary[98] 549,140 | - | 3 Del. | - | - | 112 Del.[n] 549,140 (100.00%) | - | - | |
| 23(of 23) | Washington D.C. Primary[99] 92,114 | 34,559 (37.52%) | - | 23 Del. 57,555 (62.48%) | - | - | - | - | |
| May 11 | 22(of 22) | Delaware State Convention[100] | 16 Del. | - | 6 Del. | - | - | - | - |
| 9(of 52) | Minnesota 7th and8th District Conventions[101] | 9 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 22(of 22) | Wyoming State Convention[102] | - | - | - | - | - | 22 Del. | - | |
| May 12 | 26(of 26) | Hawaii State Convention[103] | - | - | - | - | - | 26 Del. | - |
| May 14 | 0(of 30) | Nebraska Pres. Primary[104] 162,611 | 12,087WI (7.43%) | 50,655 (31.15%) | 84,102 (51.72%) | 9,187 (5.65%) | - | - | 6,580WI[o] (4.04%) |
| 28(of 30) | Nebraska Del. Primary[104] | 1 Del. | 3 Del. | 20 Del. | - | - | 4 Del. | - | |
| 36(of 38) | West Virginia Del. Primary[105] | - | - | - | - | - | 36 Del.[p] | - | |
| May 16 | 43(of 43) | Georgia State Convention[106] | - | - | - | - | - | 43 Del. | - |
| May 18 | 27(of 27) | Maine State Convention[107] | - | - | - | - | 27 Del.[q] | - | - |
| May 25 | 6(of 35) | Colorado 1st District Convention[108] | - | 3 Del. | 3 Del. | - | - | - | - |
| 46(of 46) | Iowa State Convention[109] | 9.5 Del. | 5 Del. | 25 Del. | - | - | 6.5 Del. | - | |
| 13.5(of 52) | Minnesota 3rd,4th and5th District Conventions[110] | - | 13.5 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 22(of 22) | Vermont State Convention[111] 996 | 10 Del. 399 (40.06%) | 5 Del. 270 (27.11%) | 7 Del. 327 (32.83%) | - | - | - | - | |
| May 26 | 13.5(of 52) | Minnesota 1st,2nd and6th District Conventions[110] | 13.5 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| May 28 | 61(of 63) | Florida Primary[112] 512,357 | - | 4 Del. 147,216 (28.73%) | - | - | 57 Del.[r] 236,242 (46.11%) | 128,899[s] (25.16%) | - |
| 35(of 35) | Oregon Primary[113] 373,070 | 12,421WI (3.33%) | 35 Del. 163,990 (43.96%) | 141,631 (37.96%) | 45,174 (12.11%) | - | - | 9,854WI[t] (2.64%) | |
| 27(of 27) | Rhode Island State Committee[114] | - | - | - | - | - | 27 Del. | - | |
| June 1 | 60(of 60) | Missouri State Convention[115] | - | - | - | - | - | 60 Del. | - |
| June 2 | 96(of 96) | Michigan State Convention[116] | - | - | - | - | - | 96 Del. | - |
| June 4 | 172(of 174) | California Primary[117] 3,181,753 | - | 1,329,301 (41.78%) | 172 Del. 1,472,166 (46.27%) | - | - | 380,286[u] (11.95%) | - |
| 0(of 82) | New Jersey Pres. Primary[118] 27,446 | 5,578WI (20.32%) | 9,906WI (36.09%) | 8,603WI (31.35%) | 380WI (1.39%) | - | - | 2,979[v] (10.85%) | |
| 80(of 82) | New Jersey Del. Primary[118][119] | - | 20 Del. | - | - | 60 Del.[w] | - | - | |
| 24(of 24) | South Dakota Primary[65] 64,287 | - | 13,145 (20.45%) | 24 Del. 31,826 (49.51%) | 19,316 (30.05%) | - | - | - | |
| June 6 | 59(of 59) | North Carolina State Convention[120] | - | - | - | - | 59 Del.[x] | - | - |
| June 11 | 0(of 118) | Illinois Pres. Primary 12,038 | 2,059WI (17.10%) | 4,646WI (38.59%) | - | 162WI (1.35%) | - | - | 5,171[y] (42.96%) |
| 48(of 118) | Illinois Del. Primary[121] | - | 2 Del. | - | - | - | 46 Del. | - | |
| 104(of 104) | Texas State Convention[122] | - | - | - | - | 104 Del.[z] | - | - | |
| June 12 | 5(of 5) | Panama Canal Zone Territorial Convention[123] | - | - | - | - | - | 5 Del. | - |
| June 14 | 36(of 36) | Louisiana State Convention[124] | - | - | - | - | 36 Del.[aa] | - | - |
| June 15 | 25(of 25) | Idaho State Convention[125] | - | - | - | - | - | 25 Del. | - |
| 26(of 26) | Montana State Convention[126] | 24 Del. | 2 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | |
| June 17 | 6(of 35) | Colorado 2nd District Convention[127] | - | 5 Del. | - | - | - | 1 Del.[ab] | - |
| June 18 | 123(of 190) | New York Del. Primary[128][129] | 19 Del. | 62 Del. | - | - | - | 42 Del.[ac] | - |
| June 22 | 44(of 44) | Connecticut State Convention[130] | - | 0 Del.[ad] | - | - | - | 44 Del. | - |
| 13.5(of 52) | Minnesota State Convention[131] | 14 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| June 27 | 33(of 33) | Arkansas State Committee[132] | - | - | - | - | - | 33 Del. | - |
| June 28 | 68(of 118) | Illinois State Convention[133] | - | - | - | - | - | 68 Del. | - |
| 65(of 190) | New York State Committee[129] | - | 15.5 Del. | - | - | - | 49.5 Del. | - | |
| 51(of 51) | Tennessee State Convention[134] | - | - | - | - | 51 Del.[ae] | - | - | |
| June 29 | 26(of 26) | New Mexico State Convention[135] | 15 Del. | 11 Del. | - | - | - | - | - |
| 25(of 25) | North Dakota State Convention[136] | 17 Del. | 7 Del. | - | - | - | 1 Del. | - | |
| 41(of 41) | Oklahoma State Convention[137] | 37 Del. | 2.7 Del. | - | - | - | 1.3 Del. | - | |
| July 2 | 24(of 24) | Mississippi State Convention[138] | - | - | - | - | - | 24 Del.[af] | - |
| July 6 | 6(of 35) | Colorado 3rd District Convention[139] | 3 Del. | 2 Del. | - | - | - | 1 Del.[ag] | - |
| July 13 | 6(of 35) | Colorado State Convention[140] | - | 2 Del. | - | - | - | 4 Del.[ah] | - |
| 6(of 35) | Colorado 4th District Convention[141] | 6 Del. | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 47(of 47) | Washington State Convention[142] | 32.5 Del. | 9.5 Del. | - | - | - | 5 Del. | - | |
| July 27 | 46(of 46) | Kentucky State Convention[143] | 41 Del. | 5 Del. | - | - | - | - | - |
| 26(of 26) | Utah State Convention[144] | 20 Del. | - | - | - | - | 6 Del.[ai] | - | |
| 63(of 63) | Virginia State Convention[145] | - | - | - | - | 63 Del.[aj] | - | - | |
| Total 2,622 pledged delegates 7,356,838 votes | 258 166,463 (2.26%) | 379.2 2,915,565 (39.63%) | 340.5 2,273,322 (30.90%) | 12 383,590 (5.21%) | 601 1,024,082 (13.92%) | 968.8 521,046 (7.08%) | 0 72,770 (0.99%) | ||
| Suspected Delegate Count June 5, 1968[146] | 561.5 (21.41%) | 255 (9.73%) | 393.5 (15.01%) | - | 310 (11.82%) | 99 (3.78%) | 2[ak] (0.08%) | ||
| Suspected Delegate Count August 27, 1968[147] | 1,159.5 (44.22%) | 487.5 (18.59%) | - | - | 179.5 (6.85%) | 727 (27.73%) | 51.5[al] (1.96%) | ||
Total popular vote:[148]
Johnson/Humphrey surrogates:
Minor candidates and write-ins:
When the 1968 Democratic National Convention opened inChicago, thousands of young antiwar activists from around the nation gathered in the city to protest the Vietnam War. In a clash covered on live television, Americans were shocked to seeChicago Police officers brutally beating antiwar protesters. While the protesters chanted "the whole world is watching," the police used clubs and tear gas to beat back the protesters, leaving many of them bloody and dazed. The tear gas even wafted into numerous hotel suites. In one of them, Humphrey was watching the proceedings on television. Meanwhile, the convention itself was marred by the strong-armed tactics of Chicago MayorRichard J. Daley, who was seen on television angrily cursing Connecticut SenatorAbraham Ribicoff, who had made a speech at the convention denouncing the excesses of the Chicago police in the riots.
In the end, the nomination itself was anticlimactic, with Humphrey handily beating McCarthy and McGovern on the first ballot. The convention then chose SenatorEdmund Muskie ofMaine as Humphrey's running mate. However, the tragedy of the antiwar riots crippled the Humphrey campaign from the start, and it never fully recovered. (White, pp. 377–378;[149])
| Presidential tally | Vice Presidential tally | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hubert Humphrey | 1759.25 | Edmund S. Muskie | 1942.5 |
| Eugene McCarthy | 601 | Not Voting | 604.25 |
| George S. McGovern | 146.5 | Julian Bond[150] | 48.5 |
| Channing Phillips | 67.5 | David Hoeh | 4 |
| Daniel K. Moore | 17.5 | Edward M. Kennedy | 3.5 |
| Edward M. Kennedy | 12.75 | Eugene McCarthy | 3.0 |
| Paul E. "Bear" Bryant | 1.5 | Others | 16.25 |
| James H. Gray | 0.5 | ||
| George Wallace | 0.5 |
Source: Keating Holland, "All the Votes... Really," CNN[151]
Hubert Humphrey |
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Eugene McCarthy |
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George McGovern (during convention) |
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)38thVice President of the United States (1965–1969) •U.S. Senator from Minnesota (1949–1964, 1971–1978) | |||||||
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