This presidential election saw republican richard nixon defeat democratic candidate hubert humphrey and independent candidate george wallace

The 1968's presidential election.

Explanation:

In the United States there was a tense atmosphere due to Vietnam War. Richard Nixon (Republican) saw this as a great opportunity to run for president, for second time, given that Democrats were "bussy" with the War. In the primary elections, he competed against George Romney, Nelson Rockefeller and Ronald Reagan. He won on the first ballot.

During the campain Nixon portrayed himself as "The one" to end the Vietnam War peacefully and, in that way, it would finish all the protest against the war, and the crime rate would also go down because they would be focusing in this after the war ended.

Hubert Humphrey would have the support of the current government (he was the Vicepresident) and all Democrats that agreed to end racial segregation as part of the campain; while George Wallace (Alabama's Governor in that time), was also a Democratic candidate, but he declared himself racist and he didn't agree with Humphrey, so he "opened" from it and form the American Independent Party, winning the votes from racists, located in the majority in the South and East.

Nixon won in first ballot in the General Elections pledging that his administration would bring the divided nation together.