1958 United States Senate election in California

The 1958 United States Senate election in California was held on November 4, 1958.

1958 United States Senate election in California

November 4, 1958

Nominee Clair Engle Goodwin Knight Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,927,693 2,204,337 Percentage 57.01% 42.93%

County results Engle:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Knight:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election William F. Knowland Republican Elected U.S. Senator Clair Engle Democratic

Incumbent Senator William F. Knowland opted not to run for re-election, choosing instead to run for election as Governor. Incumbent Governor Goodwin Knight exchanged places with Knowland and lost to U.S. Representative Clair Engle in the midst of a national landslide for the Democratic Party.

This was one of ten seats Democrats gained from the Republican Party in 1958, part of a record swing (including the elections of new Senators from Alaska and Hawaii).

Republican primary

Candidates

• George Christopher, Mayor of San Francisco
• William Jolley
• Goodwin Knight, Governor of California
• Alexander Williamson

Results

1958 Republican U.S. Senate primary[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Goodwin Knight	790,939	49.15%
	Republican	George Christopher	558,245	34.69%
	Democratic	Clair Engle (cross-filing)	173,845	10.80%
	Republican	Alexander D. Williamson	53,273	3.31%
	Republican	William Jolley	32,921	2.05%
Total votes			1,609,223	100.00

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Clair Engle, U.S. Representative from Red Bluff
• Fritjof Thygeson

Results

General election results[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Clair Engle	1,558,622	70.85%
	Republican	Goodwin Knight (cross-filing)	385,170	17.51%
	Republican	George Christopher (cross-filing)	221,783	10.08%
	Democratic	Fritjof Thygeson	34,316	1.56%
Total votes			2,199,891	100.00

General election

Results

1958 U.S. Senate election in California[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Clair Engle	2,927,693	57.01%	57.01
	Republican	Goodwin Knight	2,204,337	42.93%	44.86
	Write-in	Jesse M. Ritchie	892	0.02%	N/A
	Write-in	Ray B. Pollard	281	0.01%	N/A
	Write-in	All others	2,018	0.04%	N/A
Total votes			5,135,221	100.00

See also

• 1958 United States Senate elections

References

1. "CA US Senate - R Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
2. "CA US Senate - D Primary". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
3. "Our Campaigns - CA US Senate". OurCampaigns. Retrieved 12 August 2019.