6 - state ▁lands lide ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁although ▁native ▁son ▁Wend ell ▁Will kie ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁and ▁Thomas ▁E . ▁De we y ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁only ▁won ▁by ▁very ▁narrow ▁marg ins . ▁The ▁pre - e lection ▁period ▁in ▁the ▁Ho os ier ▁State ▁was ▁highlight ed ▁by ▁a ▁dram atic ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁challenge ▁from ▁Alabama ▁Governor ▁George ▁Wal lace , ▁who ▁won ▁considerable ▁back l ash ▁white ▁support ▁in ▁sub urban ▁areas . ▁However , ▁Wal lace ▁lost ▁by ▁worse ▁than ▁one - to - two ▁against ▁solit ary ▁oppon ent ▁Matthew ▁E . ▁Wel sh ▁in ▁Indiana ▁and ▁never ▁had ▁any ▁hope ▁of ▁be ating ▁inc umb ent ▁Ly nd on ▁Johnson ▁in ▁the ▁president ial ▁race . ▁ ▁Republican ▁candidate ▁Barry ▁Gold water ▁naturally ▁considered ▁Indiana ▁critical ▁given ▁its ▁G OP ▁loyal ty ▁and ▁campaign ed ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁during ▁October , ▁when ▁he ▁argued ▁to ▁a ▁sever ely ▁host ile ▁reaction ▁that ▁America ▁should ▁use ▁nuclear ▁weapons ▁on ▁Vietnam . ▁ ▁The ▁state ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁inc umb ent ▁President ▁Ly nd on ▁B . ▁Johnson ▁( D – Tex as ), ▁with ▁ 5 5 . 9 8 % ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁vote , ▁against ▁Senator ▁Barry ▁Gold water ▁( R – A rizona ), ▁with ▁ 4 3 . 5 6 % ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁vote . ▁Power ful ▁host ility ▁to ▁Gold water ' s ▁lean ings ▁from ▁its ▁Yan kee ▁and