1956 United States Senate election in California

Summary

The 1956 United States Senate election in California was held on November 6, 1956.

1956 United States Senate election in California

← 1954 (special) November 6, 1956 1962 →
 
Nominee Thomas Kuchel Richard Richards
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 2,892,918 2,445,816
Percentage 53.96% 45.62%

County results
Kuchel:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
     70–80%      80–90%
Richards:      40–50%      50–60%

U.S. senator before election

Thomas Kuchel
Republican

Elected U.S. Senator

Thomas Kuchel
Republican

Incumbent Republican Thomas Kuchel, who had won a 1954 special election to fill the vacant seat left by Vice President Richard Nixon, was re-elected to a full term in office over Democratic State Senator Richard Richards.

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

  • Tilden W. Johnson
  • Thomas Kuchel, incumbent Senator since 1953
  • Raymond R. Pritchard
  • Sam Yorty, former U.S. Representative from Los Angeles and Democratic nominee for Senate in 1954 (cross-filing)

Results edit

1956 Republican U.S. Senate primary results[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Thomas Kuchel (inc.) 1,332,074 80.45%
Democratic Sam Yorty (cross-filing) 247,300 13.66%
Republican Raymond R. Pritchard 47,515 3.23%
Republican Tilden W. Johnson 30,243 2.05%
Total votes 1,472,745 100.00%

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

  • Thomas Kuchel, incumbent Senator since 1954 (cross-filing)
  • Richard Richards, State Senator from Los Angeles County
  • Sam Yorty, former U.S. Representative from Los Angeles and nominee for Senate in 1954

Results edit

1956 Democratic U.S. Senate primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Richard Richards 1,004,336 53.36%
Republican Thomas Kuchel (inc.) (cross-filing) 494,066 26.25%
Democratic Sam Yorty 383,813 20.39%
Total votes 1,882,215 100.00%

General election edit

Results edit

1956 United States Senate election in California[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Thomas Kuchel (inc.) 2,892,918 53.96%  0.75
Democratic Richard Richards 2,445,816 45.62%  0.11
Prohibition Ray Gourley 22,410 0.42% N/A
Total votes 5,361,144 100.00%
Republican hold Swing
 
 

References edit

  1. ^ "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate - R Primary Race - Jun 05, 1956". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  2. ^ "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate - D Primary Race". www.ourcampaigns.com.
  3. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1956" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. 1957. Retrieved June 19, 2020.