1968 United States gubernatorial elections
United States gubernatorial elections were held on 5 November 1968, in 21 states and one territory, concurrent with the House, Senate elections and presidential election. These were the last gubernatorial elections for Arizona, New Mexico, and Wisconsin to take place in a presidential election year, as all would extend their governors' terms from two to four years.
Arizona
won re-election against Samuel Pearson Goddard Jr., in a "rematch" election, in which Goddard was trying to get his old job back. This was basically a repeat of the 1966 Arizona governor's race, with Williams winning.Arkansas
had already made his mark in 1966, when he was elected as the first Republican governor since 1872 and having the black vote to boot, not to mention challenging the Faubus empire two years before in 1964. Getting re-elected in 1968 was good, but things for Rockefeller went downhill from there.Delaware
Terry not wanting to take the National Guard out of the black communities in Wilmington played a factor in his defeat, not to mention that Peterson had made it. Peterson would go on to be a legend in Delaware politics in a short time, mainly for his "green" politics.Illinois
was governor temporarily after Otto Kerner Jr. resigned in order to accept appointment to the federal appellate court. Shapiro lost the race to get his own full term. Kerner, would become famous for two things: being the head of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, aka the Kerner Commission, and going to jail over various charges stemming from being a stockholder in a racetrack business.Indiana
Indiana changed its laws so that governors could have two back-to-back four-year terms beginning in November 1972. Thus, Braniginwas not eligible for a second term.
Iowa
resigned on January 1, 1969, to run for United States Senate. Robert D. Fulton would serve as governor from January 1 to January 16, 1969, when the new Governor, Robert D. Ray took office. Ray would go on to a political career, while Hughes, inspired by his own battles with alcoholism, made drug/alcohol abuse his focus in the Senate, and later left politics to open an alcoholism treatment center and to do religious work.Kansas
won re-election. Ultimately, he would set a record by winning four two-year terms. Kansas governors served two-year terms until 1974, when a constitutional amendment was added, creating a four-year term system.Missouri
In Missouri, during Warren Hearnes' term, the laws were changed so that governors were allowed two back-to-back four-year terms. Thus, by 1968, Hearnes was eligible for another term.Montana
became governor in January 1962 after his predecessor, Governor Donald Nutter, was killed in a plane crash. Babcock won a full term in the 1964 gubernatorial election.New Hampshire
King might have run for another term had the 1968 presidential election not gotten in his way. He was anavid President Lyndon B. Johnson supporter, and a "hawk" on Vietnam. So, when Senator Eugene McCarthy dropped into New Hampshire, King didn't hold back, but his attacks didn't work. President Johnson dropped out of the presidential race, and Vice President Hubert Humphrey joined the race as a result and asked King to run for the Senate. King did, but lost to Republican Norris Cotton.
New Mexico
was re-elected in 1968. Being term-limited in 1970, he tried running for other offices, but "Lonesome Dave" never won again.North Carolina
In North Carolina, governors were not allowed two consecutive terms until 1977.North Dakota
Governors served two-year terms until 1964, when a constitutional amendment changed it to a four-year term.West Virginia
In 1970, during Arch Moore’s term, an amendment to the West Virginia constitution allowed governors to serve two consecutive terms. Thus, Hulett Smith was not eligible for a second term.Races
| State | Incumbent | Party | Status | Opposing candidates |
| Arizona | Jack Williams | Republican | Re-elected, 57.84% | Samuel Pearson Goddard Jr. 42.16% |
| Arkansas | Winthrop Rockefeller | Republican | Re-elected, 52.43% | Marion H. Crank 47.57% |
| Delaware | Charles L. Terry Jr. | Democratic | Defeated, 49.49% | Russell W. Peterson 50.51% |
| Illinois | Samuel H. Shapiro | Democratic | Lost election to get his own term, 48.37% | Richard B. Ogilvie 51.21% Edward C. Gross 0.43% |
| Indiana | Roger D. Branigin | Democratic | Term-limited, Republican victory | Edgar Whitcomb 52.72% Robert L. Rock 47.13% Melvin E. Hawk 0.15% |
| Iowa | Harold Hughes | Democratic | Retired to run for the Senate, Republican victory | Robert D. Ray 54.06% Paul Franzenburg 45.86% Harry Miller 0.08% |
| Kansas | Robert Docking | Democratic | Re-elected, 51.86% | Rick Harman 47.62% Marshall Uncapher 0.53% |
| Missouri | Warren E. Hearnes | Democratic | Re-elected, 60.80% | Lawrence K. Roos 39.20% |
| Montana | Tim Babcock | Republican | Defeated, 41.87% | Forrest H. Anderson 54.11% Wayne Montgomery 4.03% |
| New Hampshire | John W. King | Democratic | Retired to run for the Senate, Republican victory | Walter R. Peterson Jr. 52.53% Emile R. Bussiere 47.44% Others 0.02% |
| New Mexico | David Cargo | Republican | Re-elected, 50.21% | Fabian Chavez Jr. 49.29% Jose Maestes 0.48% Others 0.02% |
| North Carolina | Dan K. Moore | Democratic | Term-limited, Democratic victory | Robert W. Scott 52.70% Jim Gardner 47.30% |
| North Dakota | William L. Guy | Democratic-NPL | Re-elected, 54.82% | Robert P. McCarney 43.70% Leo Landsberger 1.48% |
| Rhode Island | John Chafee | Republican | Defeated, 48.98% | Frank Licht 51.02% |
| South Dakota | Nils Boe | Republican | Retired, Republican victory | Frank Farrar 57.65% Robert Chamberlin 42.35% |
| Texas | John Connally | Democratic | Retired, Democratic victory | Preston Smith 56.99% Paul Eggers 43.01% |
| Utah | Cal Rampton | Democratic | Re-elected, 68.71% | Carl W. Buehner 31.29% |
| Vermont | Philip H. Hoff | Democratic | Retired, Republican victory | Deane C. Davis 55.49% John J. Daley 44.48% |
| Washington | Daniel J. Evans | Republican | Re-elected, 54.72% | John J. O'Connell 44.28% Ken Chriswell 0.91% Henry Killman 0.09% |
| West Virginia | Hulett C. Smith | Democratic | Term-limited, Republican victory | Arch A. Moore Jr. 50.86% James Marshall Sprouse 49.14% |
| Wisconsin | Warren P. Knowles | Republican | Re-elected, 52.88% | Bronson La Follette 46.82% Adolf Wiggert 0.19% Robert Wilkinson 0.11% |