The 1968 United States Senate election in California was held on November 5, 1968.
Incumbent RepublicanThomas Kuchel was narrowly defeated in the June 4 primary by Superintendent of Public Instruction Max Rafferty. Rafferty would in turn go on to lose to Democratic former State Controller Alan Cranston by a close margin.
Republican primary
Candidates
Phil Cammack
W.C. Jones
Thomas Kuchel, incumbent U.S. Senator and Assistant Minority Leader
Max Rafferty, California Superintendent of Public Instruction since 1963
James A. Ware, perennial candidate for office from Los Angeles