Closest U.S. Senate elections in California
The closest U.S. Senate election in California history was in 1986, a margin of 1.4 points. Alan Cranston beat Ed Zschau, 3,646,672 to 3,541,804. Next closest are 1994 (1.9 points) and 1914 (2.8 points).
Every state is ranked together on Closest U.S. Senate elections in history. For every Senate race California has held, special elections included, see the California U.S. Senate hub.
What is the closest Senate race in California history?
The California Senate election decided by the narrowest margin was in 1986, 1.4 points. Alan Cranston beat Ed Zschau, 3,646,672 to 3,541,804. The next closest were 1994 (1.9 points) and 1914 (2.8 points).
How is the margin measured?
As the gap in vote share between the first and second-place finishers, from the certified general-election count. It is not adjusted for recounts, runoffs or later court rulings; the figure is the result as certified.
Does this include special elections?
No. These are the regular general elections for California’s two Senate seats. Special elections to fill a vacancy appear on the California Senate hub, which lists every race including specials, and in a few states one of those is closer than anything here.
Why does the list start in 1914?
Because senators were chosen by state legislatures before the Seventeenth Amendment. 1914 is the first cycle of the popular-vote era for the Senate, so it is the first California election with a popular margin to measure.
| # | Election | Result | Votes | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1986 | Alan Cranston D def. Ed Zschau R | 3,646,672 – 3,541,804 | 1.4 points |
| 2 | 1994 | Dianne Feinstein D def. Michael Huffington R | 3,979,152 – 3,817,025 | 1.9 points |
| 3 | 1914 | James Duval Phelan D def. Francis J. Heney P | 279,896 – 255,232 | 2.8 points |
| 4 | 1964 | George Murphy R def. Pierre Salinger D | 3,628,552 – 3,411,915 | 3.1 points |
| 5 | 1976 | S. I. Hayakawa R def. John V Tunney D | 3,748,973 – 3,502,862 | 3.3 points |
| 6 | 1944 | Sheridan Downey D def. Frederick F. Houser R | 1,728,155 – 1,576,553 | 4.6 points |
| 7 | 1992 | Barbara Boxer D def. Bruce Herschensohn R | 5,173,467 – 4,644,182 | 4.9 points |
| 8 | 1968 | Alan Cranston D def. Max Rafferty R | 3,680,352 – 3,329,148 | 5.0 points |
| 9 | 1982 | Pete Wilson R def. Edmund G. Brown Jr. D | 4,022,565 – 3,494,968 | 6.8 points |
| 10 | 2018 | Dianne Feinstein D def. Kevin de Leon D | 6,019,422 – 5,093,942 | 8.3 points |
| 11 | 1920 | Samuel Morgan Shortridge R def. James Duval Phelan D | 447,835 – 371,580 | 8.3 points |
| 12 | 1956 | Thomas H. Kuchel R def. Richard Richards D | 2,892,918 – 2,445,816 | 8.3 points |
| 13 | 1988 | Pete Wilson R def. Leo McCarthy D | 5,143,409 – 4,287,253 | 8.8 points |
| 14 | 1970 | John V Tunney D def. George Murphy R | 3,496,558 – 2,877,617 | 9.5 points |
| 15 | 1938 | Sheridan Downey D def. Philip Bancroft R | 1,372,314 – 1,126,240 | 9.8 points |
| 16 | 1946 | William F. Knowland R def. Will Rogers Jr. D | 1,428,067 – 1,167,161 | 9.9 points |
| 17 | 2010 | Barbara Boxer D def. Carly Fiorina R | 5,218,441 – 4,217,366 | 10.0 points |
| 18 | 1998 | Barbara Boxer D def. Matt Fong R | 4,410,056 – 3,575,078 | 10.1 points |
| 19 | 1932 | William G. McAdoo D def. Tallant Tubbs R | 943,164 – 669,676 | 12.6 points |
| 20 | 1962 | Thomas H. Kuchel R def. Richard Richards D | 3,180,483 – 2,452,839 | 12.9 points |
| 21 | 1958 | Clair Engle D def. Goodwin J. Knight R | 2,927,693 – 2,204,337 | 14.1 points |
| 22 | 2024 | Adam B. Schiff D def. Steve Garvey R | 9,036,252 – 6,312,594 | 17.7 points |
| 23 | 1950 | Richard Nixon R def. Helen G. Douglas D | 2,183,454 – 1,502,507 | 18.5 points |
| 24 | 2000 | Dianne Feinstein D def. Tom Campbell R | 5,932,522 – 3,886,853 | 19.3 points |
| 25 | 1980 | Alan Cranston D def. Paul Gann R | 4,704,098 – 3,091,671 | 19.4 points |