1960 United States presidential election
| Presidential Candidate | Electoral Vote | Popular Vote | Pct | Party | Running Mate (Electoral Votes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Fitzgerald Kennedy of Massachusetts(W) | 303 | 34,227,096 | 49.72% | Democrat | Lyndon Baines Johnson of Texas (303) |
| Richard Milhous Nixon of California | 219 | 34,107,646 | 49.55% | Republican | Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. of Massachusetts (219) |
| Harry Flood Byrd of Virginia | 15 | Independent | James Strom Thurmond of South Carolina (14) Barry Morris Goldwater of Arizona (1) |
||
| Other | |||||
| Total | 537 | 68,828,960 | 100.0% | ||
| Source: U.S. Office of the Federal Register | |||||
Introduction
After eight years of Eisenhower's presidency, voters were generally happy with the Eisenhower administration, but many continued to have concerns about the Cold War.
The election was held on November 8, 1960.
Republican Nomination
Vice President Richard M. Nixon faced little opposition for the Republican nomination. He chose former Senator and Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. as vice presidential candidate. Barry Goldwater was nominated, but declined the nomination and supported Richard M. Nixon
Democratic Nomination
Candidates for the nomination included:
- Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy
- Texas Senator Lyndon Johnson
- Minnesota Senator Hubert Humphrey
- California Governor Pat Brown
- Ohio Governor Michael V. DiSalle
- Oregon Senator Wayne L. Morse
- Florida Senator George A. Smathers
- Missouri Senator Stuart Symington
Kennedy's Catholic religion was raised as an issue by some factions, but in the end Kennedy's youth and war record impressed delegates, and his popularity and campaign spending carried the day. Kennedy chose Johnson as vice presidential candidate to balance the ticket and secure Southern votes.
Other Candidates
Independent candidate Harry F. Byrd, a maverick segregationist Democrat, received 15 electoral votes; 14 from unpledged Democratic electors and one from an elector pledged to Nixon.
General Election
A crucial factor in this election was the first televised presidential debate. Nixon refused television makeup and was feeling sick, having injured his knee on the way to the studio. He expected to win voters with his foreign-policy expertise, but people only saw a sickly man sweating profusely and wearing a gray suit that blended into the scenery while his rival, Kennedy, looked great. Later research showed that those who had listened to the debate on radio thought the candidates evenly matched, but the television audience gave the win to Kennedy. Nixon's negative experience in the debates caused him to shun debates in his 1968 and 1972 campaigns, and the next presidential debates would not be held until 1976.
The main economic issue during the election was the USSR's high economic growth rate in comparison to the United States'. According to analyses at the time, the Soviet economy was expected to overtake the American economy by 1984. Kennedy also attacked the Republican administration for allowing a missile gap by not matching Soviet defense spending and allowing the military to weaken.
Still, the election was close and Kennedy narrowly defeated Nixon. Some speculate that Kennedy used his political connections to buy out votes in certain states.
Byrd received electoral votes for President from Alabama(6), Mississippi (8) and Oklahoma (1). Thurmond received electoral votes for Vice President from Alabama (6) and Mississippi (8). Goldwater received 1 electoral vote for Vice President from Oklahoma.
John F. Kennedy was assassinated November 22, 1963. He was succeeded by Lyndon B. Johnson.
See also: President of the United States, U.S. presidential election, 1960, History of the United States (1945-1964)
See also
Canada and the 1960 U.S. presidential election