1960 Democratic Party presidential primaries

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1960 Democratic Party presidential primaries
Flag of the United States (1959-1960).svg
  1956 March 8 to June 7, 1960 1964  

1,521 delegates to the 1960 Democratic National Convention
761 (majority) votes needed to win
  Jfk2 (3x4).jpg 38 Hubert Humphrey 3x4.jpg
Candidate John F. Kennedy Hubert Humphrey
Home state Massachusetts Minnesota
Contests won102
Popular vote1,847,259590,410
Percentage31.4%10.1%

1960 Dem Primaries.svg
Results of the 1960 Democratic National Convention.svg
     John F. Kennedy     Lyndon B. Johnson     Hubert H. Humphrey     Various [lower-alpha 1]

Previous Democratic nominee

Adlai Stevenson

Democratic nominee

John F. Kennedy

From March 8 to June 7, 1960, voters and members of the Democratic Party elected delegates to the 1960 Democratic National Convention through a series of caucuses, conventions, and primaries, partly for the purpose of nominating a candidate for President of the United States in the 1960 election. The presidential primaries were inconclusive, as several of the leading contenders did not enter them, but U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts emerged as the strongest candidate and won the nomination over Lyndon B. Johnson at the convention, held from July 11 to 15 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

Contents

Recalling the experience of 1928 Democratic nominee Al Smith (who was Catholic), many wondered if anti-Catholic prejudice would affect Kennedy's chances of winning the nomination and the election in November. [1] To prove his vote-getting ability, Kennedy challenged U.S. senator Hubert Humphrey of Minnesota, a liberal, in the Wisconsin primary. Although Kennedy defeated Humphrey in Wisconsin, his reliance on heavily Catholic areas left many party bosses unconvinced. Kennedy thus faced Humphrey in the heavily Protestant state of West Virginia. Humphrey's campaign was low on money and could not compete with the well-organized, well-financed Kennedy team. Kennedy's siblings combed the state looking for votes, leading Humphrey to complain that he "felt like an independent merchant running against a chain store." [2] On primary day, Kennedy crushed Humphrey with over 60% of the vote, and Humphrey withdrew from the race.

Although Kennedy won the popular contests by comfortable margin, his main opponent, Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson, did not participate (except as a write-in candidate). Johnson had a very strong base in the party establishment and gained the support of many delegates chosen through caucus and convention selection processes. [3] In the months leading up to the Democratic Convention, Kennedy traveled around the nation persuading delegates from various states to support him. However, as the Convention opened, Kennedy was still a few dozen votes short of victory.[ citation needed ]

Several major candidates served as Democratic Party nominees, with John F. Kennedy serving as the nominee for 1960, Johnson in 1964, and Humphrey in 1968.

Background

1952 and 1956 elections

After controlling the White House for five consecutive terms from 1933 through 1953, the Democratic Party had been defeated in two consecutive elections. Both times, popular World War II general Dwight D. Eisenhower defeated Adlai Stevenson II. [4]

John F. Kennedy raised his national profile at the 1956 Democratic National Convention by giving the nominating speech for Adlai Stevenson II and finishing second in the contest for the vice-presidential nomination. John F. Kennedy nominates Adlai Stevenson 1956.JPG
John F. Kennedy raised his national profile at the 1956 Democratic National Convention by giving the nominating speech for Adlai Stevenson II and finishing second in the contest for the vice-presidential nomination.

At the 1956 Democratic National Convention, Stevenson surprisingly left the choice of his vice-presidential running mate to the delegates. [5] Following his nomination in Chicago, Stevenson made a brief appearance before the convention. He told the delegates he had decided "to depart from the precedents of the past" and that "the selection of the Vice Presidential nominee should be made through the free processes of this convention." [6] With one day's notice, the candidates scrambled to assemble campaigns for delegate support. The leaders were Estes Kefauver, who had run two populist campaigns for the presidency but lost the nomination each time to Stevenson, and John F. Kennedy, a relatively unknown United States Senator from Massachusetts but a scion of the powerful Kennedy family. Kennedy surprised observers by surging into the lead on the second ballot and falling only 39 votes short of the nomination, but on the third ballot, several favorite son candidates threw their delegations' support to Kefauver, and he prevailed. Kennedy gave a gracious concession speech, raising his national profile within the party. [7]

1958 midterm elections

In the 1958 elections, the Republican Party suffered heavy losses due to a nationwide economic recession, the launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union, and the galvanized opposition of organized labor following the passage of strengthened labor restrictions. Kennedy was re-elected in a historic landslide; the gain of ten Senate seats also buttressed the political power of Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson, who had won the regional support of some Southern delegations in 1956. [8]

"Democrats won seats in the Senate in California, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming." Democrats conceded no seats they had obtain in previous years. [8]

Candidates

The following political leaders were candidates for the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination:

Nominee

CandidateMost recent officeHome stateCampaign

Withdrawal date

Popular voteContests wonRunning mate
John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, White House photo portrait, looking up.jpg United States Senator
from Massachusetts
(1953–1960)
Flag-map of Massachusetts.svg
Massachusetts
Kennedy Johnson 1960 campaign logo.svg
(Campaign)
Secured nomination:July 15, 1960
1,847,259
(31.4%)
10 Lyndon B. Johnson

Other major candidates

These candidates participated in multiple state primaries or were included in multiple major national polls.

CandidateMost recent officeHome stateCampaign

Withdrawal date

Lyndon B. Johnson Senator Lyndon B. Johnson in 1960 (cropped).jpg United States Senator
from Texas
(1949–1961)
Flag-map of Texas.svg
Texas
Lbj1960.gif
Announced: July 1960
(Campaign)
Hubert Humphrey Hubert Humphrey (D).jpg United States Senator
from Minnesota
(1949–1964, 1971–1978)
Flag map of Minnesota.svg
Minnesota
Humphrey60brochure.gif
Announced: December 30, 1959
Withdrew: May 10, 1960
(Campaign)
Adlai Stevenson II AdlaiEStevenson1900-1965.jpg Governor
of Illinois
(1949–1953)
Flag map of Illinois.svg
Illinois
(Campaign)
Stuart Symington Stuart Symington.jpg U.S. Senator
from Missouri

(1953–1976)
Flag-map of Missouri.svg
Missouri
(Campaign)
Robert B. Meyner [9] Robert B. Meyner (NJ).jpg Governor
of New Jersey
(1954–1962)
Flag-map of New Jersey.svg
New Jersey
(Campaign)
Wayne Morse Wayne Morse.jpg United States Senator
from Oregon
(1945–1969)
Flag-map of Oregon.svg
Oregon
(Campaign)

Favorite sons

The following candidates ran only in their home state's primary or caucus for the purpose of controlling its delegate slate at the convention and did not appear to be considered national candidates by the media.

Declined to run

The following persons were listed in two or more major national polls or were the subject of media speculation surrounding their potential candidacy, but declined to actively seek the nomination.

Polling

National polling

Poll sourcePublication
Pat Brown
Hubert Humphrey
Estes Kefauver
John F. Kennedy
Lyndon Johnson
Adlai Stevenson
Stuart Symington
Other
Undecided
Gallup [10] Aug. 11, 19575%29%23%8%5%14% [lower-alpha 2] 16%
Gallup [11] Nov. 16, 19573%26%19%11%5%15% [lower-alpha 3] 21%
Gallup [12] June 11, 19583%16%19%12%23%4%8% [lower-alpha 4] 15%
Gallup [13] Nov. 30, 19581%11%23%6%29%5%11% [lower-alpha 5] 14%
Gallup [14] Jan. 25, 19594%10%25%7%29%4%12% [lower-alpha 6] 9%
Gallup [15] April 5, 195912%28%9%27%5%11% [lower-alpha 7] 9%
Gallup [16] May 18, 19595%10%25%13%26%7%6% [lower-alpha 8] 8%
Gallup [17] June 10, 19596%26%12%29%4%6% [lower-alpha 9] 8%
Gallup [18] July 9, 19594%11%29%14%25%6%4% [lower-alpha 10] 7%
Gallup [19] Aug. 14, 19592%5%9%26%12%26%7%6% [lower-alpha 11] 7%
Gallup [20] Sep. 27, 19591%5%9%30%10%26%6%8%5%
Gallup [21] Nov. 18, 19593%4%10%27%11%26%6%5% [lower-alpha 12] 8%
Gallup [22] Dec. 18, 19593%4%10%24%14%26%5%4% [lower-alpha 13] 10%
Gallup [23] Jan. 29, 19602%5%6%32%12%28%6%3% [lower-alpha 14] 6%
Gallup [24] Feb. 26, 19606%6%35%13%23%5%5% [lower-alpha 15] 7%
Gallup [25] March 27, 19603%5%34%15%23%6%6%8%
Gallup [26] April 20, 19603%7%39%11%21%6%5%8%
Gallup [27] May 27, 19607%41%11%21%7%9%4%
  1. Favorite sons received the support of Missouri (Stuart Symington), Florida (George Smathers), New Jersey (Robert Meyner), Mississippi (Ross Barnett), and Hawaii. (Adlai E. Stevenson II)
  2. Frank Clement with 6%, G. Mennen Williams with 4%, Edmund Muskie with 2%, Robert Meyner and Robert Kerr combined for 2%
  3. Frank Clement with 6%, Robert Meyner with 3%, and 6% combined for Happy Chandler, G. Mennen Williams, and Robert Kerr
  4. Frank Clement with 4%, Robert Meyner and G. Mennen Williams combined for 4%
  5. G. Mennen Williams with 5%, Orval Faubus with 4%, and Robert Meyner with <2%
  6. G. Mennen Williams with 5%, Orval Faubus with 5%, and Robert Meyner with 2%
  7. Combined for Orval Faubus, Hubert Humphrey, Robert Meyner, and G. Mennen Williams
  8. Combined for G. Mennen Williams, Orval Faubus, and Robert Meyner
  9. Combined for Robert Meyner and G. Mennen Williams
  10. Combined for Robert Meyner and G. Mennen Williams
  11. Robert Meyner with 3%, G. Mennen Williams with 3%
  12. G. Mennen Williams with 3% and Robert Meyner with 2%
  13. Robert Meyner with 2% and G. Mennen Williams with 2%
  14. G. Mennen Williams with 2% and Robert Meyner with 1%
  15. Robert Meyner with 2%; Pat Brown, G. Mennen Williams, Wayne Morse, and Chester Bowles combined for 3%

Two-way races

Kennedy v. Kefauver

Poll sourceDate(s)
Estes Kefauver
John F. Kennedy
Undecided
Gallup [28] Feb. 7, 195835%56%9%

Kennedy v. Johnson

Poll sourceDate(s)
Lyndon Johnson
John F. Kennedy
Undecided
Gallup [29] Feb. 28, 196032%58%10%

Kennedy v. Stevenson

Poll sourceDate(s)
John F. Kennedy
Adlai Stevenson
Undecided
Gallup [30] Dec. 3, 195842%42%16%
Gallup [31] Feb. 6, 195944%45%1%
Gallup [32] June 12, 195945%44%11%
Gallup [29] Feb. 28, 196050%43%7%
Look magazine [33] June 21, 196059%20%21%

Johnson v. Symington

Poll sourceDate(s)
Lyndon Johnson
Stuart Symington
Undecided
Gallup [29] February 28, 196047%28%25%

Statewide polling

West Virginia

Poll sourceDate(s)Sample
size [lower-alpha 1]
Hubert Humphrey
John F. Kennedy
Other
Undecided
The Fayette Tribune [34] May 6, 1960181 A in Fayette County 24%38%39%

Wisconsin

Poll sourceDate(s)Sample
size [lower-alpha 1]
Hubert Humphrey
John F. Kennedy
Lyndon Johnson
Adlai Stevenson
Stuart Symington
Other
Undecided
Sen. William Proxmire [35] Aug 5, 19591,311 A17%43%4%29%7%

Schedule and results

States by winner

DateContestPledged delegates John F. Kennedy Lyndon Johnson Pat Brown Hubert Humphrey George Smathers Michael DiSalle George H. McLainUnpledgedOthers
March 8 New Hampshire primary1111

43,372

7,527
April 5 Wisconsin primary3123

476,024

8

366,753

April 12 Illinois preference primary034,3324,28314,552
Illinois delegate primary69[ data missing ]
April 19 New Jersey primary0217,608
April 26 Massachusetts primary4141

91,607

7946,762
Pennsylvania primary83183,07313,86059,880
May 3 Indiana primary34353,83282,937
Ohio primary64315,312
Washington D.C. primary98,2396,127
May 8 Texas caucuses [36] 6161
May 10 Nebraska primary1680,4083,2027,082
West Virginia primary25236,510152,187
May 17 Maryland primary24201,76924,35049,420
May 20 Oregon primary17146,66316,319
May 24 Florida primary29322,235
June 7 California primary811,354,031646,387
South Dakota primary1124,773
TOTALS1,847,2591,354,031590,410322,235315,312646,387241,958369,072

Primary race

From the outset of the campaign, Kennedy's religion played a major role. Happy Chandler, the governor of Kentucky and a major power broker in the party, emphatically stated that Kennedy could not win Kentucky due to his Catholicism. [37]

New Hampshire: March 8

Kennedy faced trivial opposition in the neighboring state of New Hampshire and won overwhelmingly. [38] While campaigning in Madison, Wisconsin, Kennedy expressed enthusiasm about the New Hampshire results: "I'm very happy about it; we did better than I thought we would." [39]

Wisconsin: April 5

The first sharply contested popular primary was in Wisconsin, where Kennedy faced Humphrey on April 5.

Kennedy had begun building campaign operations in the state as early as June 1959, when he hired Jerry Bruno, the organizer behind William Proxmire's election to the Senate, and laid the groundwork for a campaign headquarters in Milwaukee. [40] Kennedy formally announced his intention to run in Wisconsin on January 21, intending to show popular support for his campaign. [41] The wealthy Kennedy was far better funded than Humphrey, a man of relatively modest means. [42] Kennedy was also supported by his wealthy and glamorous extended family and friends; in his memoirs, Humphrey later lamented that "Muriel and I and our 'plain folks' entourage were no match for the glamour of Jackie Kennedy and the other Kennedy women, for Peter Lawford ... and Frank Sinatra singing their commercial 'High Hopes'. Jack Kennedy brought family and Hollywood to Wisconsin. The people loved it and the press ate it up." [43] Humphrey nevertheless believed that by beating Kennedy in Wisconsin, he could blunt the latter's momentum and overtake him in later primaries.

In Wisconsin, Kennedy won with the support of Catholic voters, including some Republican Catholics who voted in the Democratic primary. [44] [45] Days before the primary, Kennedy said it had been the "toughest, closest, most meaningful". [46] However, some observers found his margin of victory unexpectedly narrow and attributed it solely to Catholic support, while Protestants had backed Humphrey, leaving questions about Kennedy's ability to carry the convention or the election in the fall. [47] Humphrey remained in the race, setting up a second popular showdown in the more heavily Protestant state of West Virginia.

The Wisconsin race was covered in the documentary film Primary .

West Virginia: May 10

In West Virginia, Kennedy sought to show that he could win the support of Protestant voters and to remove Humphrey from the race, securing the party's liberal wing and setting up a showdown with Johnson for the nomination. Humphrey had high expectations, given that the state's population was rural, working class, ninety-five percent Protestant, and its delegates had backed him against Kennedy in the vice presidential contest four years prior. [48]

Kennedy met the religious issue head-on, hoping to redefine the race as one of "tolerance against intolerance," rather than Catholic against Protestant. He also brought Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. to campaign in the state; Roosevelt then raised the issue of Humphrey's failure to serve in World War II. Though Humphrey had tried and failed to serve due to physical disability, [49] Roosevelt attacked his lack of service record, publicly telling audiences, "I don't know where [Humphrey] was in World War Two," and distributing flyers that accused him of draft dodging. After the primary was over, Roosevelt apologized to Humphrey and retracted the claims, [48] which he later called his greatest political regret. [50]

Kennedy continued to outspend Humphrey heavily in West Virginia; though he publicly claimed expenditures of $100,000, later estimates placed his family's overall spending at $1.5 million, dwarfing Humphrey's $23,000. [51] Humphrey traveled the state in a rented bus, while the Kennedys used a family-owned airplane. [52] Humphrey later wrote of the West Virginia campaign, "as a professional politician I was able to accept and indeed respect the efficacy of the Kennedy campaign. But underneath the beautiful exterior, there was an element of ruthlessness and toughness that I had trouble either accepting or forgetting." [53]

On May 4, 1960, Humphrey and Kennedy took part in a televised one-on-one debate at WCHS-TV in Charleston, West Virginia, ahead of the state's primary. [54]

Kennedy defeated Humphrey soundly in West Virginia, and Humphrey announced his withdrawal from the race that night.

Convention

Presidential nomination

Presidential tally: [55]

Vice-presidential nomination

Kennedy announced Lyndon B. Johnson as his choice of running-mate on the afternoon following his nomination. [56] Johnson was nominated by acclamation that evening. [57]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear

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