Editing George McGovern (section)

===1968 presidential and Senate campaigns===
In August 1967 activist [[Allard K. Lowenstein]] founded the [[Dump Johnson movement]], and soon it was seeking a Democratic Party figure to make a primaries campaign challenge against Johnson in the [[1968 U.S. presidential election]].<ref name="white-1968-72">White, ''The Making of the President 1968'', pp. 72–74.</ref> The group's first choice was Senator Robert Kennedy, who declined, as did another, and by late September 1967 they approached McGovern.<ref name="nyt-prof-1968"/><ref name="white-1968-72"/> After much deliberation McGovern declined, largely because he feared such a run would significantly damage his own chances for reelection to his Senate seat in 1968.<ref name="nyt-mitn-72"/><ref name="anson-4"/> A month later the anti-Johnson forces were able to persuade Senator [[Eugene McCarthy]] to run;<ref name="white-1968-72"/> he was one of the few "dove" senators not up for reelection that year.<ref name="anson-4">Anson, ''McGovern'', pp. 2–8.</ref>

In the 1968 Democratic primary campaign, McCarthy staged a strong showing. Robert Kennedy entered the race, President Johnson withdrew and Vice President [[Hubert Humphrey]] joined the field. While McGovern privately favored Kennedy, McCarthy and Humphrey were both from the neighboring state of Minnesota and publicly McGovern remained neutral.<ref name="anson-188">Anson, ''McGovern'', pp. 188–192.</ref> McGovern hosted all three as they campaigned for the June 4 South Dakota Democratic primary, which resulted in a strong win by Kennedy to go along with his win in the crucial California primary that night.<ref name="anson-188"/> McGovern spoke with Kennedy by phone minutes before [[Robert F. Kennedy assassination|Kennedy was assassinated]] in Los Angeles.<ref name="anson-188"/> The death of Bobby Kennedy left McGovern the most emotionally distraught he had ever been to that point in his life.<ref name="anson-188"/>

Within days, some of Kennedy's aides were urging McGovern to run in his place; their antipathy toward McCarthy and ideological opposition to Humphrey made them unwilling to support either candidate.<ref name="anson-193"/> McGovern delayed making a decision, making sure that Bobby's brother [[Ted Kennedy]] did not want to enter, and with his staff still concerned about the senator's own reelection prospects.<ref name="anson-193">Anson, ''McGovern'', pp. 192–199.</ref> McGovern's voting had changed during 1968, with his ADA rating falling to 43 as he sought more middle-of-the-road stances.<ref name="nyt-record"/> In late July, McGovern's decision became more complicated when his daughter Teresa was arrested in [[Rapid City]] on [[drug possession|marijuana possession]] charges.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F10C10F93E5E1A7B93CAAB178CD85F4C8685F9 |title= McGovern's Daughter Held |agency=[[United Press International]] |newspaper=The New York Times |date=July 28, 1968 |page=52}}</ref> She had led a troubled life since her teenage years, developing problems with alcohol and depression and suffering the consequences of a relationship with an unstable neighborhood boy.<ref>McGovern, ''Terry'', pp. 64–66.</ref> On the basis of a recently enacted strict state drugs law, Terry now faced a minimum five-year prison sentence if found guilty.<ref name="terry-71">McGovern, ''Terry'', pp. 71–74.</ref> McGovern was also convinced that the socially conservative voters of South Dakota would reject him owing to his daughter's arrest.<ref name="terry-71"/> Charges against her were subsequently dropped because of an invalid search warrant.<ref>Anson, ''McGovern'', p. 195.</ref>

McGovern formally announced his candidacy on August 10, 1968, in Washington, two weeks in advance of the [[1968 Democratic National Convention]], committing himself to "the goals for which Robert Kennedy gave his life."<ref>{{cite news |url= http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F10D13F8345E157A8EDDA80994D0405B888AF1D3 |title= M'Govern Opens Presidential Bid With Peace Plea |author=Hunter, Majorie |newspaper=The New York Times |date=August 11, 1968 |page=1}}</ref> Asked why he was a better choice than McCarthy, he said, "Well – Gene really doesn't want to be president, and I do."<ref name="white-1968-265"/> At the convention in Chicago, Humphrey was the near-certain choice, while McGovern became the initial rallying point for around 300 leaderless Kennedy delegates.<ref name="white-1968-265">White, ''The Making of the President 1968'', pp. 265–266.</ref> The chaotic circumstances of the convention found McGovern denouncing the Chicago police tactics against demonstrators as "police brutality."<ref name="anson-207">Anson, ''McGovern'', pp. 207–211.</ref> Given the internal politics of the party, it was difficult for McGovern to gain in delegate strength, and black protest candidate [[Channing E. Phillips]] drew off some of his support.<ref name="anson-207"/> In the actual roll call, McGovern came in third with 146½ delegates, far behind Humphrey's 1760¼ and McCarthy's 601.<ref>White, ''The Making of the President 1968'', Appendix C.</ref>

McGovern endorsed Humphrey at the convention, to the dismay of some antiwar figures who considered it a betrayal.<ref name="anson-207"/> Humphrey went on to lose the general election to [[Richard Nixon]]. McGovern returned to his [[1968 United States Senate election in South Dakota|Senate reelection race]], facing Republican former governor [[Archie M. Gubbrud]]. While South Dakota voters sympathized with McGovern over his daughter's arrest,<ref name="terry-76">McGovern, ''Terry'', pp. 76, 79.</ref> he initially suffered a substantial drop in popularity over the events in Chicago;<ref name="anson-213">Anson, ''McGovern'', pp. 213–216.</ref> however, McGovern conducted an energetic campaign that focused on his service to the state, while Gubbrud ran a lackluster effort.<ref name="anson-213"/> In November, McGovern won 57&nbsp;percent of the vote in what he would consider the easiest and most decisive victory of his career.<ref name="terry-76"/>