[104][110]

Vice President Nixon and Lyndon Johnson leave the White House for the Kennedy–Johnson inauguration
1962 California gubernatorial campaign
Main article: 1962 California gubernatorial election
Local and national Republican leaders encouraged Nixon to challenge incumbent Pat Brown for Governor of California in the 1962 gubernatorial election.[104] Despite initial reluctance, Nixon entered the race.[104] The campaign was clouded by public suspicion that Nixon viewed the office as a stepping stone for another presidential run, some opposition from the far-right of the party, and his own lack of interest in being California's governor.[104] Nixon hoped a successful run would confirm his status as the nation's leading active Republican politician, and ensure he remained a major player in national politics.[111] Instead, he lost to Brown by more than five percentage points, and the defeat was widely believed to be the end of his political career.[104] In an impromptu concession speech the morning after the election, Nixon blamed the media for favoring his opponent, saying, "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.