1968 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection
This article lists those who were potential candidates for the Democratic nomination for Vice President of the United States in the 1968 election. After winning the Democratic presidential nomination at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, incumbent Vice President Hubert Humphrey asked the convention to nominate Maine Senator Edmund Muskie as his running mate. The convention overwhelmingly voted to ratify the choice of Muskie, though Julian Bond picked up a scattering of votes.[1] Muskie was surprised by the selection, as he was from a Northeastern state with few electoral votes.[2] Humphrey almost chose Oklahoma Senator Fred R. Harris, but Humphrey decided that Muskie's age, governmental experience, and quiet temperament made him the better candidate.[1] The Humphrey–Muskie ticket ultimately lost to the Nixon–Agnew ticket in the 1968 election. Muskie's place on the national ticket helped make him an early front-runner for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination, though Muskie ultimately dropped out of the contest.[3]
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Potential running mates
Finalists
- Maine Senator Edmund Muskie
- San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto[2]
- Oklahoma Senator Fred R. Harris[2]
- New Jersey Governor Richard J. Hughes[2]
- Former Deputy Secretary of Defense Cyrus Vance[2]
Declined
- Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy[2]
- Republican Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York[2]
Others
- Former North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford[2]
- Ambassador Sargent Shriver[2]
- Hawaii Senator Daniel Inouye[4]
Results
| 1968 Democratic vice presidential balloting | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Contender: ballot | Final tally | ||
| Senator Edmund Muskie | 1942.5 | ||
| Not voting | 604.25 | ||
| Activist Julian Bond | 48.5 | ||
| David Hoeh | 4 | ||
| Senator Ted Kennedy | 3.5 | ||
| Senator Eugene McCarthy | 3 | ||
| Don Edwards | 2 | ||
| Senator Abraham Ribicoff | 2 | ||
| Senator George McGovern | 2 | ||
| Mayor Richard J. Daley | 1.5 | ||
| Governor Robert Evander McNair | 1.5 | ||
| Philadelphia Mayor James Tate | 1.5 | ||
| Representative Allard K. Lowenstein | 1 | ||
| Senate nominee Paul O'Dwyer | 1 | ||
| Representative Henry S. Reuss | 1 | ||
| Former Governor Terry Sanford | 1 | ||
| Ambassador Sargent Shriver | 1 | ||
| William Fitts Ryan | 1 | ||
| Former Governor George Wallace | 0.5 | ||
Source: Keating Holland, "All the Votes... Really," CNN[5]
References
- Wainstock, Dennis (October 18, 2013). Election Year 1968: The Turning Point. Enigman Books. p. 149. ISBN 9781936274413. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- Richarson, Darcy (2002). A Nation Divided: The 1968 Presidential Campaign. iUniverse. p. 166. ISBN 9780595236992. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- Apple, R. W. (March 27, 1996). "Edmund S. Muskie, 81, Dies; Maine Senator and a Power on the National Scene". New York Times. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
- "LBJ urged Humphrey to consider Inouye for v.p." Deseret News. December 7, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
- "AllPolitics – 1996 GOP NRC – All The Votes...Really". CNN.