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This is the 1968 race. The latest: 2024 →

1968Final resultsIncumbent defeated

1968 election for Kansas Senate District 5

Kansas State Senate · Kansas

4 seats: Dave Owen (R), Robert F. Bennett (R), C. Y. Thomas (R), Norman E. Gaar (R) won.

4 seats
Dave OwenRepublican · winner
16.3%48,902
Robert F. BennettRepublican · winner · incumbent
15.9%47,603
C. Y. ThomasRepublican · winner
15.8%47,188
Norman E. GaarRepublican · winner · incumbent
14.8%44,264
Eugene F. GastlDemocrat · incumbent
10.8%32,238
Buford L. ShankelDemocrat
9.0%26,894
Kenneth P. SodenDemocrat
8.9%26,677
Frederick K. CrossDemocrat
8.5%25,544
299,310 votes

Source: Harvard Dataverse / Carl KlarnerUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:29 AM ET

The seat over time

D − R margin in this seat's races around 1968

Races before and after

EvenD+8.51980D+35.21984R+0.31992D+5.11996D+31.92000D+3.22004

Source: Harvard Dataverse / Carl KlarnerUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:29 AM ET

The candidates

Dave Owen (R)Robert F. Bennett (R)C. Y. Thomas (R)Norman E. Gaar (R)Eugene F. Gastl (D)Buford L. Shankel (D)Kenneth P. Soden (D)Frederick K. Cross (D)