 At the time, California was generally considered a Republican stronghold, with Republican governors and senators from the end of World War II until the election of Democrat Clair Engle to the Senate in 1958, and Brown's election as governor the same year.The state voted for Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956, and Nixon carried the state over John F. Kennedy in the 1960 Presidential election.In 1962, with popular incumbent Senator Thomas Kuchel guaranteed to win re-election, the Republican Party felt it could also gain the governorship and win the state back from the Democrats.