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.
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. 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." 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.Our Campaigns - US President - D Primaries Race - Feb 01, 1960 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.
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.
At the 1956 Democratic National Convention, Stevenson surprisingly left the choice of his vice-presidential running mate to the delegates. 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." 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 39-year-old 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.
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.
"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 obtained in previous years.
Candidates The following political leaders were candidates for the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination:
Nominee CandidateMost recent officeHome stateCampaign Withdrawal datePopular voteContests won Running mateJohn F. KennedyU.S. Senatorfrom Massachusetts(1953–1960)(Campaign)Secured nomination: July 15, 19601,847,259(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 dateLyndon B. JohnsonUnited States Senatorfrom Texas(1949–1961)Announced: July 1960(Campaign)Hubert HumphreyUnited States Senatorfrom Minnesota(1949–1964, 1971–1978)Announced: December 30, 1959Withdrew: May 10, 1960(Campaign)Adlai Stevenson IIGovernorof Illinois(1949–1953)(Campaign)Stuart SymingtonU.S. Senatorfrom Missouri(1953–1976)(Campaign)Robert B. Meyner Governorof New Jersey(1954–1962)(Campaign)Wayne MorseUnited States Senatorfrom Oregon(1945–1969)(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.
Governor Ross Barnett of Mississippi Governor Pat Brown of California (pledged support to Kennedy) Governor Michael DiSalle of Ohio (pledged support to Kennedy) Governor Herschel Loveless of Iowa George H. McLain of California Albert S. Porter of Ohio Senator George Smathers of Florida
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.
Senator Joseph Clark of Pennsylvania Former Governor Frank G. Clement of Tennessee Governor Orval Faubus of Arkansas Senator Albert Gore of Tennessee Former Governor W. Averell Harriman of New York Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee Senator Edmund Muskie of Maine Governor G. Mennen Williams of Michigan
Polling National polling
Poll sourcePublication GallupAug. 11, 1957–5%29%23%8%–5%14%16%GallupNov. 16, 1957–3%26%19%11%–5%15%21%GallupJune 11, 1958–3%16%19%12%23%4%8%15%GallupNov. 30, 1958–1%11%23%6%29%5%11%14%GallupJan. 25, 1959–4%10%25%7%29%4%12%9%GallupApril 5, 1959––12%28%9%27%5%11%9%GallupMay 18, 1959–5%10%25%13%26%7%6%8%GallupJune 10, 1959–6%–26%12%29%4%6%8%GallupJuly 9, 1959–4%11%29%14%25%6%4%7%GallupAug. 14, 19592%5%9%26%12%26%7%6%7%GallupSep. 27, 19591%5%9%30%10%26%6%8%5%GallupNov. 18, 19593%4%10%27%11%26%6%5%8%GallupDec. 18, 19593%4%10%24%14%26%5%4%10%GallupJan. 29, 19602%5%6%32%12%28%6%3%6%GallupFeb. 26, 1960–6%6%35%13%23%5%5%7%GallupMarch 27, 19603%5%–34%15%23%6%6%8%GallupApril 20, 19603%7%–39%11%21%6%5%8%GallupMay 27, 1960–7%–41%11%21%7%9%4%
Two-way races Kennedy v. Kefauver Poll sourceDate(s) GallupFeb. 7, 195835%56%9% Kennedy v. Johnson Poll sourceDate(s) GallupFeb. 28, 196032%58%10% Kennedy v. Stevenson Poll sourceDate(s) GallupDec. 3, 195842%42%16%GallupFeb. 6, 195944%45%1%GallupJune 12, 195945%44%11%GallupFeb. 28, 196050%43%7%Look magazineJune 21, 196059%20%21% Johnson v. Symington Poll sourceDate(s) GallupFebruary 28, 196047%28%25%
Statewide polling West Virginia Poll sourceDate(s)Samplesize The Fayette TribuneMay 6, 1960181 A in Fayette County24%38%–39%
Wisconsin Poll sourceDate(s)Samplesize Sen. William ProxmireAug 5, 19591,311 A17%43%4%29%7%––
Schedule and results States by winner
+DateContestPledged delegates John F. KennedyLyndon Johnson Pat Brown Hubert Humphrey George Smathers Michael DiSalleGeorge H. McLain UnpledgedOthersTotal March 8 New Hampshire primary11 11 43,372– – – – – –7,52750,899 April 5 Wisconsin primary31 23 476,024– – 8 366,753 – – –842,777 April 12 Illinois preference primary0 34,332– – 4,283 – – –14,55253,167Illinois delegate primary69 April 19 New Jersey primary0 –– – – – – 217,608217,608 April 26 Massachusetts primary41 41 91,607– – 794 – – –6,76299,163 Pennsylvania primary83 183,073– – 13,860 – – –59,880256,813 May 3 Indiana primary34 353,832– – – – – –82,937436,769 Ohio primary64 –– – – – 315,312 –315,312 Washington D.C. primary9 –– – 8,239 – – –6,12714,366May 8Texas caucuses61–61––––––– May 10 Nebraska primary16 80,408– – 3,202 – – –7,08290,692 West Virginia primary25 236,510– – 152,187 – – –388,697 May 17 Maryland primary24 201,769– – – – – 24,35049,420275,539 May 20 Oregon primary17 146,663– – 16,319 – – –162,982 May 24 Florida primary29 –– – – 322,235 – –322,235 June 7 California primary81 –– 1,354,031 – – –646,387 –2,000,418 South Dakota primary11 –– – 24,773 – – –24,773TOTALS1,847,2591,354,031590,410322,235315,312646,387241,958369,0725,686,664
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.
New Hampshire: March 8 Kennedy faced trivial opposition in the neighboring state of New Hampshire and won overwhelmingly. 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."
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. Kennedy formally announced his intention to run in Wisconsin on January 21, intending to show popular support for his campaign. The wealthy Kennedy was far better funded than Humphrey, a man of relatively modest means. 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." 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.Lawrence W.H.; 'Wisconsin Buoys Kennedy's Drive but Poses Perils: Senator's Feat in Outpolling Humphrey and Nixon Aids His Presidential Fight'; Special to The New York Times , April 7, 1960, p. 1Janson, Donald; 'Religion Big Factor In Kennedy Victory', Special to The New York Times, April 6, 1960, p. 1 Days before the primary, Kennedy said it had been the "toughest, closest, most meaningful". 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. 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