1964 United States Senate election in Texas
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The 1964 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic US senator Ralph Yarborough defeated future US President George H. W. Bush handily, but Bush managed to put up the best performance for the Republicans in the popular vote in this seat up to that point. This would prove to be Yarborough's final term as a senator, as he was primaried by Lloyd Bentsen in 1970. Bush later went on to win an election for the US House of Representatives in 1966 and was subsequently elected US Vice President in 1980, re-elected in 1984, and was elected president in 1988.
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November 3, 1964
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  Yarborough: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Bush: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% | |||||||||||||||||
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Democratic primary
Yarborough was challenged in the Democratic primary by radio broadcaster Gordon McLendon, a conservative Democrat. McLendon campaigned with Hollywood luminaries such as John Wayne, Chill Wills, and Robert Cummings, running on a platform of opposing the Civil Rights Act, arguing that it gave "broad and sweeping powers" to the federal government.[1]
Candidates
- Gordon McLendon, radio broadcaster
- Ralph Yarborough, incumbent Senator since 1957
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ralph Yarborough (incumbent) | 904,811 | 57.36% | |
| Democratic | Gordon McLendon | 672,573 | 42.64% | |
| Total votes | 1,577,384 | 100.00% | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- George H. W. Bush, former chairman of the Harris County Republican Party and son of former U.S. senator from Connecticut Prescott Bush
- Jack Cox, former state representative from Stephens County and nominee for Governor in 1962
- Milton Davis
- Robert J. Morris, former New York City Municipal Court judge, counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, and candidate for U.S. Senator from New Jersey in 1958 and 1960
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George H. W. Bush | 62,985 | 44.08% | |
| Republican | Jack Cox | 45,561 | 31.89% | |
| Republican | Robert J. Morris | 28,279 | 19.79% | |
| Republican | Milton Davis | 6,067 | 4.25% | |
| Total votes | 142,892 | 100.00% | ||
Runoff
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George H. W. Bush | 49,751 | 62.12% | |
| Republican | Jack Cox | 30,333 | 37.88% | |
| Total votes | 80,084 | 100.00% | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ralph Yarborough (incumbent) | 1,463,958 | 56.22% |  18.36 | |
| Republican | George H. W. Bush | 1,134,337 | 43.56% |  20.06 | |
| Constitution | Jack Carswell | 5,542 | 0.21% | 1.59 | |
| Total votes | 2,603,837 | 100.0% | N/A | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||