1968 United States presidential election

Political context and main issues

The campaign unfolded amid deep national divisions over the Vietnam War, widespread racial tension following the civil‑rights movement, and rising urban unrest. The incumbent president, Lyndon B. Johnson, who might otherwise have sought re‑election as the incumbent, announced in the spring that he would not pursue another term. These circumstances pushed debates about foreign policy, domestic order, and social change to the forefront of voters' concerns in 1968.

Primaries, assassinations, and party turmoil

The Democratic nomination fight was disrupted by two high‑profile tragedies. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, a leading contender and the brother of former president John F. Kennedy, campaigned successfully in several primaries and drew strong popular support. He was widely associated with his brother, John F. Kennedy, in public perception. After winning key contests in California and South Dakota, Kennedy was assassinated on June 5 by Sirhan Sirhan in Los Angeles, an event that reshaped the Democratic race and heightened national uncertainty.

Campaign strategies and the general election

Nixon built a message appealing to what he called the "silent majority," emphasizing law and order, a negotiated end to hostilities in Vietnam, and a promise of restored stability. Humphrey, who served as vice president under Johnson, struggled to distance himself from the administration's Vietnam policies while maintaining support from labor and liberal urban constituencies. Wallace ran a segregationist, states'‑rights campaign that attracted voters opposed to federal civil‑rights measures and desegregation, particularly in parts of the South and among some working‑class whites.

Results and immediate outcomes

In the Electoral College Nixon won a majority, receiving 301 electoral votes to Humphrey's 191; George Wallace captured 46 electoral votes. One elector in North Carolina cast a faithless vote for Wallace and his running mate, highlighting the election's tensions. In the popular vote Nixon and Humphrey were separated by only a small margin, while Wallace won a significant single‑digit share nationwide, making his campaign one of the strongest third‑party performances of the twentieth century.

Significance and legacy

The 1968 election accelerated realignments in American politics. Nixon's victory signaled the effectiveness of appeals to law and order and to disaffected white voters outside the traditional Democratic coalition. Wallace's success in the Deep South and elsewhere presaged later shifts in regional party loyalties. The campaign year — marked by mass demonstrations, a violent confrontation at the Democratic National Convention, and the assassinations of major public figures — left a lasting imprint on public trust and the tone of subsequent presidential politics.

• Date: November 5, 1968
• Major nominees: Richard Nixon (R), Hubert Humphrey (D), George Wallace (AIP)
• Electoral outcome: Nixon 301, Humphrey 191, Wallace 46
• Notable events: Johnson's withdrawal, RFK assassination, strong third‑party showing