United States Senate elections, 1960

Last updated
United States Senate elections, 1960
Flag of the United States.svg
  1958 November 8, 1960 1962  

35 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate
51 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
  Senator Lyndon Johnson.jpg EverettDirksen.jpg
Leader Lyndon Johnson Everett Dirksen
Party Democratic Republican
Leader sinceJanuary 3, 1953January 3, 1959
Leader's seat Texas Illinois
Seats before6634
Seats after6436
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 2Increase2.svg 2
Popular vote18,547,25014,894,867
Percentage55.1%44.2%
SwingIncrease2.svg 0.1%Increase2.svg 1.1%
Seats up2211
Races won2013

Us 1960 senate election map.svg
Results including special elections
     Democratic gain     Republican gain
     Democratic hold     Republican hold

Majority Leader before election

Lyndon Johnson
Democratic

Elected Majority Leader

Mike Mansfield
Democratic

The United States Senate elections of 1960 coincided with the election of John F. Kennedy as president. The Republicans gained one seat at the expense of the Democrats. The Democrats nonetheless retained a commanding lead in the Senate with 64 seats to 36. As Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson was elected Vice President, Mike Mansfield became the new Majority Leader.

John F. Kennedy 35th president of the United States

John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy, commonly referred to by his initials JFK, was an American politician and journalist who served as the 35th president of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963. He served at the height of the Cold War, and the majority of his presidency dealt with managing relations with the Soviet Union. A member of the Democratic Party, Kennedy represented Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate prior to becoming president.

President of the United States Head of state and of government of the United States

The President of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.

Republican Party (United States) Major political party in the United States

The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP, is one of the two major political parties in the United States; the other is its historic rival, the Democratic Party.

Contents

Retirements

Democratic seats held by Democrats

  1. Montana: James E. Murray (D) was replaced by Lee Metcalf (D)
  2. Oregon: Hall S. Lusk (D) was replaced by Maurine B. Neuberger (D)
  3. Rhode Island: Theodore F. Green (D) was replaced by Claiborne Pell (D)

Democrats replaced by Republicans

  1. Wyoming: Joseph C. O'Mahoney (D) was replaced by Edwin Keith Thomson (R). But Thomson died before the Congress began and was then replaced by a Democratic appointee.

Republican seats held by Republicans

  1. Iowa: Thomas E. Martin (R) was replaced by Jack Miller (R)

Republicans replaced by Democrats

  1. North Dakota (Class 1): Clarence N. Brunsdale (R) was replaced by Quentin N. Burdick (D)

Losing incumbents

Democrats lost to Republicans

  1. Delaware: J. Allen Frear, Jr. (D) lost to J. Caleb Boggs (R)

Other changes

The Republicans' net gain of one seat was eliminated after the election.

  1. Wyoming: Senator-elect Keith Thomson (R) died December 9, 1960, and was replaced by appointee John J. Hickey (D) at the beginning of the Congress.

Subsequent changes

The Republicans gained one seat early in the next Congress.

  1. Texas: Two-term Incumbent Lyndon Johnson (D) had been re-elected, but he resigned January 3, 1961 at the beginning of the term to become U.S. Vice President.
    William A. Blakley American politician

    William Arvis "Dollar Bill" Blakley was an American senator and businessman from the State of Texas. He served two incomplete terms as Senator, the first in 1957, the second in 1961. He was part of the conservative wing of the Texas Democratic Party and is remembered for running against liberal Democrat Ralph Yarborough in the 1958 election and losing to Republican John Tower in the 1961 special election, yielding the first Republican senator from Texas since Reconstruction.

    John Tower Senator from Texas and chairman of the Tower Commission

    John Goodwin Tower was an American politician, serving as a Republican United States Senator from Texas from 1961 to 1985. He was the first Republican Senator elected from Texas since Reconstruction. Tower also led the Tower Commission, which investigated the Iran-Contra Affair, and was an unsuccessful nominee for U.S. Secretary of Defense in 1989.

Change in Senate composition

Before the general elections

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8D9D10
D20D19D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11
D21D22D23D24D25D26D27D28D29D30
D40D39D38D37D36D35D34D33D32D31
D41D42D43D44D45
Ran
D46
Ran
D47
Ran
D48
Ran
D49
Ran
D50
Ran
Majority →D51
Ran
D60
Ran
D59
Ran
D58
Ran
D57
Ran
D56
Ran
D55
Ran
D54
Ran
D53
Ran
D52
Ran
D61
Ran
D62
Ran
D63
Retired
D64
Retired
D65
Retired
D66
Retired
R34
Retired
R33
Ran
R32
Ran
R31
Ran
R21R22R23R24
Ran
R25
Ran
R26
Ran
R27
Ran
R28
Ran
R29
Ran
R30
Ran
R20R19R18R17R16R15R14R13R12R11
R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10

After the general elections

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8D9D10
D20D19D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11
D21D22D23D24D25D26D27D28D29D30
D40D39D38D37D36D35D34D33D32D31
D41D42D43D44D45
Re-elected
D46
Re-elected
D47
Re-elected
D48
Re-elected
D49
Re-elected
D50
Re-elected
Majority →D51
Re-elected
D60
Re-elected
D59
Re-elected
D58
Re-elected
D57
Re-elected
D56
Re-elected
D55
Re-elected
D54
Re-elected
D53
Re-elected
D52
Re-elected
D61
Re-elected
D62
Re-elected
D63
Hold
D64
Hold
R36
Gain
R35
Gain
R34
Hold
R33
Re-elected
R32
Re-elected
R31
Re-elected
R21R22R23R24
Re-elected
R25
Re-elected
R26
Re-elected
R27
Re-elected
R28
Re-elected
R29
Re-elected
R30
Re-elected
R20R19R18R17R16R15R14R13R12R11
R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10

After the November special elections

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8D9D10
D20D19D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11
D21D22D23D24D25D26D27D28D29D30
D40D39D38D37D36D35D34D33D32D31
D41D42D43D44D45D46D47D48D49D50
Majority →D51
D60D59D58D57D56D55D54D53D52
D61D62D63
Appointee elected
D64
Hold, like general
R36R35R34R33R32R31
R21R22R23R24R25R26R27R28R29R30
R20R19R18R17R16R15R14R13R12R11
R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10

Beginning of the next Congress

The Republican Senator-elect from Wyoming died between the election and the next Congress. A Democrat was appointed in his place by the beginning of the next Congress.

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7D8D9D10
D20D19D18D17D16D15D14D13D12D11
D21D22D23D24D25D26D27D28D29D30
D40D39D38D37D36D35D34D33D32D31
D41D42D43D44D45D46D47D48D49D50
Majority →D51
D60D59D58D57D56D55D54D53D52
D61D62D63D64D65
Gain
R35R34R33R32R31
R21R22R23R24R25R26R27R28R29R30
R20R19R18R17R16R15R14R13R12R11
R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9R10
Key:
D# Democratic
R# Republican

Race summaries

Special elections during the 86th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1960 or before January 3, 1961; ordered by election date.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
North Dakota
(Class 1)
Clarence N. Brunsdale Republican1959 (Appointed)Interim apppointee retired.
New senator elected June 28, 1960.
Democratic gain.
Quentin N. Burdick (Democratic) 49.7%
John E. Davis (Republican) 49.2%
Missouri
(Class 3)
Edward V. Long Democratic1960 (Appointed)Interim appointee elected November 8, 1960.Edward V. Long (Democratic) 53.2%
Lon Hocker (Republican) 46.8%
Oregon
(Class 2)
Hall S. Lusk Democratic1960 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
New senator elected November 8, 1960.
Democratic hold.
Winner was also elected to the next term, see below.
Maurine B. Neuberger (Democratic) 55.0%
Elmo Smith (Republican) 45.0% [1]

Elections leading to the next Congress

In these general elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1961; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 2 seats.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Alabama John Sparkman Democratic 1946 (Special)
1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.John Sparkman (Democratic) 70.2%
Julian Elgin (Republican) 29.8%
Alaska Bob Bartlett Democratic 1958 (New seat) Incumbent re-elected.Bob Bartlett (Democratic) 63.4%
Lee L. McKinley (Republican) 36.6%
Arkansas John L. McClellan Democratic 1942
1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.John L. McClellan (Democratic)
Unopposed
Colorado Gordon L. Allott Republican 1954 Incumbent re-elected.Gordon L. Allott (Republican) 53.5%
Robert L. Knous (Democratic) 46.0%
Delaware J. Allen Frear, Jr. Democratic 1948
1954
Incumbent lost re-election.
New senator elected.
Republican gain.
J. Caleb Boggs (Republican) 50.7%
J. Allen Frear, Jr. (Democratic) 49.3%
Georgia Richard Russell, Jr. Democratic 1933 (Special)
1936
1942
1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Richard Russell, Jr. (Democratic)
Unopposed
Idaho Henry C. Dworshak Republican 1946 (Special)
1948 (Lost)
1949 (Appointed)
1950 (Special)
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Henry C. Dworshak (Republican) 52.3%
R. F. Bob McLaughlin (Democratic) 47.7%
Illinois Paul Douglas Democratic 1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Paul Douglas (Democratic) 54.6%
Samuel W. Witwer (Republican) 45.2%
Iowa Thomas E. Martin Republican 1954 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected.
Republican hold.
Jack Miller (Republican) 51.9%
Herschel C. Loveless (Democratic) 48.1%
Kansas Andrew F. Schoeppel Republican 1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Andrew F. Schoeppel (Republican) 54.6%
Frank Theis (Democratic) 43.8%
Kentucky John S. Cooper Republican 1946 (Special)
1948 (Lost)
1952 (Special)
1954 (Lost)
1956 (Special)
Incumbent re-elected.John S. Cooper (Republican) 59.2%
Keen Johnson (Democratic) 40.8%
Louisiana Allen J. Ellender Democratic 1936
1942
1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Allen J. Ellender (Democratic) 79.8%
George W. Reese, Jr. (Republican) 20.2%
Maine Margaret Chase Smith Republican 1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Margaret Chase Smith (Republican) 61.7%
Lucia M. Cormier (Democratic) 38.4%
Massachusetts Leverett Saltonstall Republican 1944 (Special)
1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Leverett Saltonstall (Republican) 56.2%
Thomas J. O'Connor, Jr. (Democratic) 43.5%
Michigan Patrick V. McNamara Democratic 1954 Incumbent re-elected.Patrick V. McNamara (Democratic) 51.7%
Alvin M. Bentley (Republican) 48.0%
Minnesota Hubert Humphrey Democratic 1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Hubert Humphrey (Democratic) 57.5%
P. Kenneth Peterson (Republican) 42.2%
Mississippi James Eastland Democratic 1942
1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.James Eastland (Democratic) 91.8%
Joe A. Moore (Republican) 8.2%
Montana James E. Murray Democratic 1934 (Special)
1936
1942
1948
1954
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected.
Democratic hold.
Lee Metcalf (Democratic) 50.7%
Orvin B. Fjare (Republican) 49.3%
Nebraska Carl T. Curtis Republican 1954 Incumbent re-elected.Carl T. Curtis (Republican) 58.9%
Robert B. Conrad (Democratic) 41.1%
New Hampshire Styles Bridges Republican 1936
1942
1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Styles Bridges (Republican) 60.4%
Herbert W. Hill (Democratic) 39.7%
New Jersey Clifford P. Case Republican 1954 Incumbent re-elected.Clifford P. Case (Republican) 55.7%
Thorn Lord (Democratic) 43.2%
New Mexico Clinton P. Anderson Democratic 1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Clinton P. Anderson (Democratic) 63.4%
William Colwes (Republican) 36.6%
North Carolina B. Everett Jordan Democratic1958 (Appointed)
1958 (Special)
Incumbent re-elected.B. Everett Jordan (Democratic) 61.4%
Kyle Hayes (Republican) 38.6%
Oklahoma Robert S. Kerr Democratic 1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Robert S. Kerr (Democratic) 54.8%
B. Hayden Crawford (Republican) 44.6%
Oregon Hall S. Lusk Democratic1960 (Appointed)Interim appointee retired.
New senator elected.
Democratic hold.
Winner was also elected to finish the term, see above.
Maurine B. Neuberger (Democratic) 54.6%
Elmo Smith (Republican) 45.4% [1]
Rhode Island Theodore F. Green Democratic 1936
1942
1948
1954
Incumbent retired.
New senator elected.
Democratic hold.
Claiborne Pell (Democratic) 68.9%
Raoul Archambault (Republican) 31.1%
South Carolina Strom Thurmond Democratic 1954
1954 (Appointed)
1956 (Resigned)
1956 (Special)
Incumbent re-elected.Strom Thurmond (Democratic)
Unopposed
South Dakota Karl E. Mundt Republican 1948
1948 (Appointed)
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Karl E. Mundt (Republican) 52.4%
George S. McGovern (Democratic) 47.6%
Tennessee Estes Kefauver Democratic 1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.Estes Kefauver (Democratic) 71.8%
A. Bradley Frazier (Republican) 28.3%
Texas Lyndon B. Johnson Democratic 1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.
Winner resigned at the end of the term to become U.S. Vice President.
New senator was appointed to begin the next term.
Lyndon B. Johnson (Democratic) 58.0%
John G. Tower (Republican) 41.1%
Bard A. Logan (Constitution) 0.9%
Virginia A. Willis Robertson Democratic 1946 (Special)
1948
1954
Incumbent re-elected.A. Willis Robertson (Democratic) 81.3%
Stuart D. Baker (Independent) 14.2%
West Virginia Jennings Randolph Democratic 1958 (Special) Incumbent re-elected.Jennings Randolph (Democratic) 55.3%
Cecil H. Underwood (Republican) 44.7%
Wyoming Joseph C. O'Mahoney Democratic 1954 Incumbent retired.
New senator elected.
Republican gain.
Winner then died before the Congress began and was replaced by a Democratic appointee.
Edwin Keith Thomson (Republican) 56.4%
Raymond B. Whitaker (Democratic) 43.6%

Elections during the 87th Congress

In these special elections, the winners were seated after January 3, 1961.

StateIncumbentResultsCandidates
SenatorPartyElectoral history
Texas
(Class 2)
William A. Blakley Democratic1957 (Appointed)
1957 (Retired)
1961 (Appointed)
Interim appointee lost election.
New senator elected May 27, 1961.
Republican gain.
John Tower (Republican) 50.58%
William A. Blakley (Democratic) 49.42%

See also

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References