# 1966 Idaho gubernatorial election

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vte :
The 1966 Idaho gubernatorial election was held on November 8. Republican nominee Don Samuelson defeated Democratic nominee Cecil Andrus with 41.4% of the vote in a four-way race (two independents).
In early August, three-term incumbent Robert E. Smylie, the dean of American governors, was soundly defeated in the Republican primary by Samuelson. Andrus was a close runner-up in the Democratic primary to Charles Herndon, who was killed in a plane crash six weeks later in September.
This was the sixth consecutive Republican victory for governor, but Democrats won the next six, with four by Andrus. The next gubernatorial election in 1970 was a rematch, with different results.

## Primary elections

Primary elections were held on August 2, 1966.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Charles Herndon, Salmon attorney
* Cecil Andrus, Orofino state senator
* William J. Dee, Grangeville state senator

#### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Charles Herndon | 28,926 | 40.75 |
| | Democratic | Cecil Andrus | 27,649 | 38.95 |
| | Democratic | William J. Dee | 14,409 | 20.30 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 70,984 | 100.00 |
* Herndon was killed in a plane crash in the central Idaho mountains in mid-September.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Don Samuelson, Sandpoint state senator
* Robert E. Smylie, three-term incumbent governor

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Don Samuelson | 52,891 | 61.04 |
| | Republican | Robert E. Smylie (incumbent) | 33,753 | 38.96 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 86,644 | 100.00 |

## General election
### Candidates

Major party candidates
* Don Samuelson, Republican
* Cecil Andrus, Democratic
Other candidates
* Perry Swisher, Independent, Pocatello state senator (Republican)
* Philip Jungert, Independent, Lewiston businessman (Democrat)

### Results

1966 Idaho gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Don Samuelson | 104,586 | 41.41% |
| | Democratic | Cecil Andrus | 93,744 | 37.11% |
| | Independent | Perry Swisher | 30,913 | 12.24% |
| | Independent | Philip Jungert | 23,139 | 9.16% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,842 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 252,593 | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | |