1960 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania

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1960 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania
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←  1956 November 8, 1960 1964  →
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Nominee John F. Kennedy Richard Nixon
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Massachusetts California
Running mate Lyndon B. Johnson Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
Electoral vote320
Popular vote2,556,2822,439,956
Percentage51.06%48.74%
Pennsylvania Presidential Election Results 1960.svg
County Results
President before election

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Republican

Elected President

John F. Kennedy
Democratic

The 1960 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania took place on November 8, 1960 as part of the 1960 United States presidential election. Voters chose 32 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Contents

Pennsylvania had historically been a powerfully Republican state that owing to the industrialization had become Democratic-leaning following the New Deal: [1] 1960 saw Democrats surpass Republicans in registration for the first time since the Civil War. [2] However, the nomination of the second Catholic presidential candidate in John F. Kennedy complicated this issue because most of rural Pennsylvania was powerfully Protestant and extremely hostile to voting for a Catholic, [3] creating the potential for large anti-Democratic swings and trends in the northeastern non-Yankee Pocono Mountains. The Pennsylvania Dutch Country had been similarly hostile to Catholicism throughout the state’s history, [4] and, owing to the opposition to Irish control of the Democratic Party, most of the state’s urban Catholics would, before the New Deal, back dominant Republican machines in which they had no actual political power. [5]

However, in 1958 Pennsylvania – a state historically very reluctant to elect Catholics to major offices – had elected David L. Lawrence as governor. Nevertheless, his margin was much smaller than polls had previously predicted, with decreases vis-à-vis the 1954 gubernatorial election even in heavily Catholic urban counties. [6] Kennedy had emerged as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination but Pennsylvania Democrats were reluctant to run him for fear of an anti-Catholic reaction in traditionally Democratic rural counties. However, lobbying by Boston Archbishop Richard Cushing meant Governor Lawrence released 64 of the state’s 81 delegates for Kennedy [7] in a bid to stop Adlai Stevenson II from gaining a third nomination. [8]

Pennsylvania narrowly voted for Kennedy over the Republican nominee, Vice President Richard Nixon. Kennedy won Pennsylvania by a slim margin of 2.32%, being aided rather than hindered by his Catholic faith owing to the numerical power of his co-religionists in urban Philadelphia, Lackawanna County, and in the industrial areas around Lake Erie. [6] This clearly outnumbered anti-Catholic sentiment in rural areas, which caused him to lose ground vis-à-vis Adlai Stevenson in 16 rural counties. [6] Kennedy became the first Democrat ever to win the White House without York County and the second to win without Columbia County and Berks County. Kennedy also became the first non-incumbent Democrat since James Buchanan in 1856 to win the state.

Primaries

Pennsylvania held its primaries on April 26. [9] [10]

Democratic primary

With 81 delegates to the 1960 Democratic National Convention, Pennsylvania was among the largest states to hold a primary. [9] Pennsylvania's nonbinding Democratic primary did not list candidate's names. However, write-in presidential preference votes were allowed. Delegates were elected directly. [9]

By January 1960, the Kennedy campaign became aware of "non-partisan citizen committees" operating in support of Kennedy's candidacy in the state, without any direct connection to his official campaign. [9] However, the state as a whole was still cold on Kennedy. [9] Its liberals were fervent supporters of Adlai Stevenson II, and therefore hoped to see Stevenson nominated for a third time. [9] Philadelphia's Democratic organization, which had a significant sway upon the state's Democratic establishment, was led by William J. Green Jr., who favored the prospective candidacy of Stuart Symington. [9] As the year progressed, Green and other leaders were persuaded by polls to switch their allegiance to Kennedy. [9] Liberal senator Joseph S. Clark Jr. even made it known that Kennedy ranked at least second (behind Stevenson) in his own preference. [9]

However, despite others moving to embrace Kennedy, Governor David L. Lawrence withheld his own support from Kennedy, even as he picked up momentum in the state. [9] Lawrence still reserved hope that Adlai Stevenson could be successfully nominated at the convention. [9] An older Catholic Democrat, Lawrence was public in his belief that the country was still not ready to elect a Catholic president. [9] Kennedy would tell reporters that inquired with him about Lawrence's frequent comments doubting the viability of a Catholic presidential nominee by stating that he was, "deeply disturbed" by them. [9] Referencing Lawrence's own strong victory in the state's 1958 gubernatorial election, Kennedy commented that, "It still behooves him now to be urging that this same opportunity should be denied to others." [9]

Kennedy handily won the primary.

Results

1960 Pennsylvania Democratic Presidential Primary Results [10]
PartyCandidateVotesPercentage
Democratic John F. Kennedy 183,07371.3%
Democratic Adlai Stevenson II 29,66011.5%
Republican Richard Nixon 15,1365.9%
Democratic Hubert Humphrey 13,8605.4%
Democratic Stuart Symington 6,7912.6%
Democratic Lyndon B. Johnson 2,9181.1%
Republican Nelson Rockefeller 1,0780.4%
Democratic Others4,2971.7%
Totals100.00%

Republican primary

Nixon was the only candidate on the Republican primary ballot and won nearly all of the vote. However, thousands of write-in votes were cast for other individuals. [10]

Results

1960 Pennsylvania Republican Presidential Primary Results [10]
PartyCandidateVotesPercentage
Republican Richard Nixon 968,53898.1%
Republican Nelson Rockefeller (write-in)12,4911.3%
Democratic John F. Kennedy (write-in)3,8860.4%
Democratic Adlai Stevenson II (write-in)4280.0%
Republican Barry Goldwater (write-in)2860.0%
Republican Others (write-in)1,2020.1%
Totals100%


Results

1960 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania [11]
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
Democratic John F. Kennedy 2,556,28251.06%32
Republican Richard Nixon 2,439,95648.74%0
Socialist Labor Eric Hass 7,1850.14%0
Militant Workers Farrell Dobbs 2,6780.05%0
Write-ins Write-ins4400.01%0
Totals5,006,541100.00%32
Voter Turnout (Voting age/Registered)70%/88%

Results by county

CountyJohn F. Kennedy
Democratic		Richard Nixon
Republican		Various candidates
Other parties		MarginTotal votes cast
# %# %# %# %
Adams 7,89537.86%12,93362.02%260.12%-5,038-24.16%20,854
Allegheny 428,45557.07%320,97042.76%1,2930.17%107,48514.31%750,718
Armstrong 14,79942.59%19,88357.23%630.18%-5,084-14.64%34,745
Beaver 47,18256.04%36,79643.71%2120.25%10,38612.33%84,190
Bedford 6,03032.41%12,54267.42%320.17%-6,512-35.01%18,604
Berks 50,57244.87%61,74354.78%3910.35%-11,171-9.91%112,706
Blair 19,44535.48%35,29764.40%670.12%-15,852-28.92%54,809
Bradford 6,92029.82%16,25270.04%330.14%-9,332-40.22%23,205
Bucks 57,17745.70%67,50153.95%4380.35%-10,324-8.25%125,116
Butler 17,80538.45%28,34861.22%1520.33%-10,543-22.77%46,305
Cambria 52,40958.48%37,06241.35%1510.17%15,34717.13%89,622
Cameron 1,35338.80%2,12961.06%50.14%-776-22.26%3,487
Carbon 12,39149.50%12,58650.28%550.22%-195-0.78%25,032
Centre 8,60131.85%18,35767.98%460.17%-9,756-36.13%27,004
Chester 30,16736.18%53,05963.64%1470.18%-22,892-27.46%83,373
Clarion 5,50634.74%10,30765.04%340.21%-4,801-30.30%15,847
Clearfield 14,21242.81%18,91156.97%720.22%-4,699-14.16%33,195
Clinton 5,96539.34%9,18460.58%120.08%-3,219-21.24%15,161
Columbia 9,32237.82%15,31062.11%190.08%-5,988-24.29%24,651
Crawford 12,05038.99%18,75460.68%1020.33%-6,704-21.69%30,906
Cumberland 15,96830.83%35,63668.79%1970.38%-19,668-37.96%51,801
Dauphin 33,96235.33%61,72664.22%4270.44%-27,764-28.89%96,115
Delaware 124,62947.79%135,67252.02%4820.18%-11,043-4.23%260,783
Elk 8,39853.95%7,15545.96%140.09%1,2437.99%15,567
Erie 53,72350.90%51,52548.82%2950.28%2,1982.08%105,543
Fayette 41,56060.35%27,12039.38%1810.26%14,44020.97%68,861
Forest 82835.51%1,49764.19%70.30%-669-28.68%2,332
Franklin 12,08835.41%22,01064.48%360.11%-9,922-29.07%34,134
Fulton 1,67238.18%2,69861.61%90.21%-1,026-23.43%4,379
Greene 9,64556.21%7,49843.70%160.09%2,14712.51%17,159
Huntingdon 4,71029.69%11,11670.07%380.24%-6,406-40.38%15,864
Indiana 13,17441.15%18,75658.59%830.26%-5,582-17.44%32,013
Jefferson 7,81136.01%13,84563.82%380.18%-6,034-27.81%21,694
Juniata 2,61535.19%4,80564.66%110.15%-2,190-29.47%7,431
Lackawanna 80,09861.72%49,63638.25%490.04%30,46223.47%129,783
Lancaster 33,23329.70%78,39070.06%2660.24%-45,157-40.36%111,889
Lawrence 24,30950.58%23,64649.20%1090.23%6631.38%48,064
Lebanon 11,76131.49%25,52568.33%670.18%-13,764-36.84%37,353
Lehigh 39,64042.10%54,27857.64%2490.26%-14,638-15.54%94,167
Luzerne 102,99859.10%70,71140.58%5620.32%32,28718.52%174,271
Lycoming 18,35137.85%30,08362.05%480.10%-11,732-24.20%48,482
McKean 7,76736.07%13,69963.62%660.31%-5,932-27.55%21,532
Mercer 24,24345.33%29,10954.43%1280.24%-4,866-9.10%53,480
Mifflin 4,81631.68%10,31567.85%720.47%-5,499-36.17%15,203
Monroe 6,31235.61%11,29963.74%1150.65%-4,987-28.13%17,726
Montgomery 92,21239.18%142,79660.68%3180.14%-50,584-21.50%235,326
Montour 2,62938.71%4,15461.17%80.12%-1,525-22.46%6,791
Northampton 41,55250.48%40,68349.43%710.09%8691.05%82,306
Northumberland 22,23344.61%27,56855.31%400.08%-5,335-10.70%49,841
Perry 3,41329.50%8,13470.30%230.20%-4,721-40.80%11,570
Philadelphia 622,54468.02%291,00031.79%1,7330.19%331,54436.23%915,277
Pike 1,67629.49%4,00070.39%70.12%-2,324-40.90%5,683
Potter 2,71534.67%5,09965.12%160.20%-2,384-30.45%7,830
Schuylkill 44,43050.10%44,18749.82%700.08%2430.28%88,687
Snyder 1,99819.75%8,10380.09%160.16%-6,105-60.34%10,117
Somerset 14,73941.71%20,55458.17%420.12%-5,815-16.46%35,335
Sullivan 1,47144.79%1,80855.05%50.15%-337-10.26%3,284
Susquehanna 5,76036.07%10,20163.88%90.06%-4,441-27.81%15,970
Tioga 4,07626.86%11,08273.04%150.10%-7,006-46.18%15,173
Union 1,99321.04%7,46678.82%130.14%-5,473-57.78%9,472
Venango 8,06431.90%17,19368.01%230.09%-9,129-36.11%25,280
Warren 6,52535.86%11,61163.81%590.32%-5,086-27.95%18,195
Washington 53,72958.28%38,34841.59%1200.13%15,38116.69%92,197
Wayne 4,42532.04%9,36067.77%260.19%-4,935-35.73%13,811
Westmoreland 85,64155.31%68,82544.45%3740.24%16,81610.86%154,840
Wyoming 2,72630.56%6,18869.36%70.08%-3,462-38.80%8,921
York 39,16441.02%55,92258.57%3930.41%-16,758-17.55%95,479
Totals2,556,28251.06%2,439,95648.74%10,3030.20%116,3262.32%5,006,541

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

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References

  1. ↑ See Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 135 ISBN   978-0-691-16324-6
  2. ↑ Kennedy, John J.; Pennsylvania Elections, p. 191 ISBN   0761864431
  3. ↑ Menendez, Albert J.; The Religious Factor in the 1960 Presidential Election: An Analysis of the Kennedy Victory Over Anti-Catholic Prejudice, pp. 193, 196 ISBN   0786484934
  4. ↑ Menendez, The Religious Factor in the 1960 Presidential Election, p. 195
  5. ↑ Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 34
  6. 1 2 3 McKenna, William J.; ‘The Influence of Religion in the Pennsylvania Elections of 1958 and 1960’; Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies, vol. 29, no. 4 (October, 1962), pp. 407-419
  7. ↑ Carty, Thomas; A Catholic in the White House?: Religion, Politics, and John F. Kennedy’s Presidential Campaign, p. 102 ISBN   1403981302
  8. ↑ Donaldson, Gary; The First Modern Campaign: Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960, p. 75 ISBN   0742548007
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Oliphant, Thomas; Wilkie, Curtis (2017). The road to Camelot: Inside JFK's Five-Year Campaign. Simon & Schuster.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "RESULTS OF 1960 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PRIMARIES". John F. Kennedy presidential library. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  11. ↑ David Leip. "1960 Presidential General Election Results – Pennsylvania". Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
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