1964 United States Senate election in Texas

The 1964 United States Senate election in Texas was held on November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Ralph Yarborough defeated future President of the United States George H. W. Bush handily. Bush later went on to win an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1966; he was elected vice president of the United States in 1980, re-elected in 1984 and was elected president in 1988. This would prove to be Yarborough's final term as a senator.

1964 United States Senate election in Texas

November 3, 1964

Nominee Ralph Yarborough George H. W. Bush Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,463,958 1,134,337 Percentage 56.2% 43.6%

County results Yarbrough:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      90–100% Bush:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Ralph Yarborough Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ralph Yarborough Democratic

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Gordon McLendon, radio broadcaster
• Ralph Yarborough, incumbent Senator since 1957

Results

1964 Democratic U.S. Senate primary[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ralph Yarborough (incumbent)	904,811	57.36%
	Democratic	Gordon McLendon	672,573	42.64%
Total votes			142,892	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

1964 Republican U.S. Senate primary[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	George H. W. Bush	62,985	44.08%
	Republican	Jack Cox	45,561	31.89%
	Republican	Robert Morris	28,279	19.79%
	Republican	Milton Davis	6,067	4.25%
Total votes			142,892	100.00%

Runoff

1964 Republican U.S. Senate runoff[3]

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

1964 United States Senate election in Texas[4] [5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Ralph Yarborough (incumbent)	1,194,069	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			2,333,948	100.0%	N/A
	Democratic hold

See also

• 1964 United States Senate elections

References

1. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=278797
2. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=278801
3. https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=278801
4. Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives (1965-08-15). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 3, 1964" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 43, 54.
5. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30376