Video: 'KEVU April Part 2 1968 Oregon Primary RDTV' (May 28, 1968, at 15:43)

(Tuesday, May 28, 1968, polls closed at 8:00 p.m. PDT; during the Democratic Party presidential primaries, 1968) — Senator Eugene J. McCarthy won a stunning upset victory in the Oregon Democratic presidential primary tonight, beating Senator Robert F. Kennedy by a margin of 44.7 to 38.8 percent.

It was the first defeat for a Kennedy in some 30 primary and general election contests since 1946.

It was Kennedy’s third opportunity to appear on a state primary ballot since entering the race relatively late on Mar. 16, 1968.

Meantime, Vice President Hubert Humphrey’s campaign concentrated on winning the delegates in non-primary states, where party leaders controlled the delegate votes (at the time, only 14 states held presidential primaries).

In Oregon’s Republican presidential primary, former Vice President Richard Nixon defeated California Governor Ronald Reagan 65.1 to 20.4 percent (Reagan did not formally enter the race until Aug. 5, 1968).

Video: 'American Experience The Kennedys 2' (Kennedy loses Oregon at 1:19:56)