The defeat was the most shattering of Nixon's career. He never before had been beaten in six California elections, starting when he ran for Congress in 1946. He was re-elected vice president in 1956 and lost to John F. Kennedy by 110,000 votes, in the 1960 presidential election.

His face grimly drawn, his voice husky, Nixon appeared dead serious and exerting intense efforts to keep his rancor from getting out of hand.

In congratulating Gov. Brown, Nixon said: "He has the greatest honor and responsibility of any governor in the United States. I wish him well.

"I'm proud I defended my opponent's patriotism. But you [meaning the press] didn't report that.

"I believe Gov. Brown has a heart even though he believes I do not.

"I believe he's a good American even though he believes I'm not.

"I want it to be known that I never during the course of the campaign raised a personal reservation against my opponent. I never accused him of a lack of heart, a lack of patriotism.

"You gentlemen didn't report that...that I defended him.

"For once, gentlemen, I would appreciate that you write what I said. And I mean that you get it in the lead. In the lead."

Brown, who watched Nixon on television, said: "Nixon is going to regret all his life that he made that speech."

In the Massachusetts Congressional races, incumbent Republican F. Bradford Morse has scored a late upsurge victory over Democrat Thomas J. Lane in the redistricted Fifth District. Morse was several thousand votes behind when he virtually conceded the election at 5 a.m. Tuesday. But Morse scored very heavily in later counting and piled, up enough votes to defeat Lane