March 13, 1968: Strong Showing By McCarthy Stuns Democrats; Nixon Sweeps GOP Primary

A stunning split decision in yesterday's New Hampshire primary has confounded the state's Democrats and given Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy an early lead in the delegate selection process for the 1968 Democratic Presidential nomination. Although President Lyndon Johnson won the primary on write-in votes, the surging McCarthy vote, higher than all polls or expectations, gave the senator a quick 20-4 lead in delegate distribution. Johnson won, 49-42%, but the results spell political trouble for Johnson and early success for McCarthy. Johnson, who was not on the ballot, flippantly dismissed the result in a speech before a VFW convention last night by saying, "I think New Hampshire is the only place where a candidate can claim 20 percent is a landslide and 40 percent is a mandate and 60 percent is unanimous." Very few Democrats believe that Johnson will be denied his party's nomination, but one of the few is McCarthy himself. McCarthy may have reason to be concerned about entry into the race by New York Senator Robert Kennedy, who has refused thus far to be drawn into the contest. The next primary on the schedule is the Wisconsin primary on April 2.

Senator Thomas McIntyre, who had recently attacked McCarthy on the issue of the war, conceded that the vote indicated "frustration" with progress in Vietnam, but he is not ready to say the vote constitutes a repudiation of President Johnson's conduct of the war.

Former Vice President Richard Nixon scored a much less surprising but much more convincing primary win over eight other foes, none actively campaigning in New Hampshire. Nixon captured 86% of the vote, but the voter turnout was lower than expected. New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller, who has said only that he will accept a draft but compete in no primaries, dismissed the importance of the result by saying Nixon's victory was not significant because there was no competition. Rockefeller's hopes in the absence of a draft are to compete in the Oregon primary of May 28, but he must make a decision by March 22. It is possible that Rockefeller may find himself in competition not only with Nixon but also with California Governor Ronald Reagan, who may also compete in the Oregon contest. Asked for comment in Fresno, California yesterday, Reagan also dismissed Nixon's triumph as a "hollow victory" because "he had no competition." Reagan was careful to mix his criticism with praise, declaring that, "It's a shame. He's had a tremendous turnout there."

SOURCES

1) The Nashua Telegraph, March 13, 1968

"Split Decision Surprises States Democrats: Past Defeats Forgotten In Nixon Sweep of GOP" by Walter Mears, 1.

"Nixon Showing Seen Forcing 'Rocky' Into Oregon Primary by Tom Wicker, 1.

"LBJ Jokingly Dismisses N.H. Primary's Importance," AP, 1.

2) The Portsmouth Herald, March 13, 1968

"Reagan Claims Nixon Won 'Hollow Victory'", AP, 2.