1960 United States Senate elections

Results summary

Source:

Gains, losses, and holds

Retirements

Two Republicans and four Democrats retired instead of seeking re-election.

Defeats

One Democrat sought re-election but lost in the general election.

Post-election changes

Four Republicans died and two Democrats resigned, and were all replaced by appointees. One Republican senator-elect died December 9, 1960, before the next Congress began, and was replaced by a Democratic appointee. In Texas, a 1961 special election was held prior to the 1962 United States Senate elections, where John Tower won the special election to succeed Democratic appointee William A. Blakley, who lost election to finish the term.

Change in composition

After the June special election

Before the November elections

Result of the November elections

Beginning of the next Congress

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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.

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.

Closest races

Eleven races had a margin of victory under 10%:

Rhode Island was the tipping point state with a margin of 37.8%.

Alabama

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Alabama

Sparkman:
Elgin:
Incumbent John J. Sparkman won re-election, having served since 1946. He faced nominal opposition from Republican Julian E. Elgin in the then-deeply Democratic state of Alabama. Sparkman served from 1946 to 1979 in the Senate before retiring and being succeeded by Howell Heflin. {{Election box begin no change | title= General election

Alaska

Bartlett:
McKinley: Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Alaska

Incumbent Democrat Bob Bartlett was easily re-elected to his second (his first full) term in the U.S. Senate over Republican dentist Lee McKinley after originally being elected in 1958 upon Alaska's anticipated admission as a state into the United States. Bartlett had previously served as the last delegate from Alaska to Congress. {{Election box begin no change | title= General election

Arkansas

McClellan:

Colorado

Allott:
Knous:
Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Colorado

Incumbent Gordon Allott was re-elected to a second term in office, defeating lieutenant governor Robert Knous by just under eight percentage points. He would wind up winning re-election in 1966 before retiring in 1973, replaced by Democrat Floyd Haskell.

Delaware

Boggs: Frear: Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Delaware

J. Allen Frear ran for re-election to a third term, but he was defeated by Republican governor J. Caleb Boggs by a narrow 1% margin. Boggs would be re-elected in 1966, but he would lose re-election to a third term in 1972 to future U.S. President Joe Biden.

Georgia

Russell:

Idaho

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Idaho

Henry Dworshak ran for re-election to a third term, defeating R.F. McLaughlin by just under five percentage points. Dworshak:
McLaughlin:

Illinois

Douglas:
Witwer:
Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Illinois

Incumbent Paul H. Douglas successfully ran for re-election to a third term, defeating Republican Samuel Witwer.

Iowa

Miller:
Loveless:

Kansas

Schoeppel:
Theis:

Kentucky

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Kentucky

Cooper:
Johnson:

Louisiana

Ellender:

Maine

Smith:
Cormier: Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Maine

Incumbent Republican Margaret Chase Smith, the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress, was overwhelmingly re-elected to a third term, defeating Lucia Cormier. This was the first election in which a woman was nominated by both major parties for the office of U.S. Senate, meaning a woman was going to be elected regardless of who won.{{Election box begin no change | title= General election

Massachusetts

|[[File:1960 United States Senate election in Massachusetts results map by county.svg|300px]] |County results |[[File:1960 United States Senate Election in Massachusetts by Municipality.svg|300px|]] |Municipality results Saltonstall O'Connor

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

Republican incumbent Leverett Saltonstall was re-elected to another term after being elected in 1944 in a special election. He defeated Democrat Thomas O'Connor Jr. {{Election box begin no change | title= General election

Michigan

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Michigan

McNamara:
Bentley:

Minnesota

Humphrey:
Peterson:
Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Minnesota

Democrat Hubert Humphrey, who would later become vice president, was re-elected over Republican challenger P. Kenneth Peterson. He had served since 1949. {{Election box begin no change | title= General election

Mississippi

Eastland:
Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Mississippi

Incumbent James Eastland, who had represented Mississippi in the Senate since 1943, was elected to another term in a landslide with 92% of the vote. {{Election box begin no change | title= General election

Missouri (special)

Main article: 1960 United States Senate special election in Missouri

Following the death of incumbent Thomas C. Hennings, Democrat Edward V. Long, incumbent Lieutenant Governor of Missouri, ran against Republican Lon Hocker for the open seat. Long defeated Hocker by just under seven percentage points. Long:
Hocker:

Montana

Metcalf:
Fjare:
Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Montana

After the retirement of incumbent Democrat James E. Murray, Democrat and representative Lee Metcalf and Republican Orvin Fjare ran for the open seat. Metcalf kept the seat Democratic, winning by just over 1%. This was despite Richard Nixon winning Montana in the concurrent presidential election.

Nebraska

Curtis:
Conrad:

New Hampshire

Bridges:

Bridges died less than a year into his fifth term. With New Hampshire's other Senator Norris Cotton up for re-election in 1962 and following Bridges death. Both of New Hampshire's Senate seats would be up in the 1962 midterms.

New Jersey

Case:
Lord: Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in New Jersey

Incumbent Republican Clifford P. Case won re-election against Democrat Thorn Lord. Case would win re-election a few more times in 1966 and 1972, before losing in the 1978 Republican primary.{{Election box begin no change | title= General election

New Mexico

Anderson:
Colwes:

North Carolina

Jordan:
Hayes:

Incumbent Democrat B. Everett Jordan was re-elected to his first full term after winning a special election in 1958. He defeated Republican Kyle Hayes by a slightly slimmer margin than he defeated his Republican challenger in 1958.

North Dakota (special)

Burdick: Davis: Main article: 1960 United States Senate special election in North Dakota

A special election was held June 28, 1960, to fill the seat vacated by William Langer, who died November 8, 1959. Clarence Norman Brunsdale, a former Governor of North Dakota, was temporarily appointed to the seat on November 19 of that year until the special election was held. North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party candidate Quentin N. Burdick faced Republican John E. Davis for election to the seat. Davis had been serving as Governor of the state since 1957.

Oklahoma

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Oklahoma

Kerr:
Crawford:

Oregon

Main article: 1960 United States Senate elections in Oregon}}{{See also, List of United States senators from Oregon, 1960 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon

Neuberger:
Smith: 54.61%** 54.98%** 45.38% 45.01%

First-term Democrat Richard L. Neuberger had been diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1958 that became terminal by 1960 — but was kept from the public. Neuberger remained at home in early 1960, reportedly battling the flu. Though still publicly seeking re-election, he told his campaign chair, attorney Jack Beatty, "Remember, there's always another Neuberger," referring to his wife. The comment, combined with Neuberger's reluctance to meet in public and weak voice on the phone, led Beatty to believe that Neuberger's condition was grave, a suspicion confirmed by the Senator's physician shortly before Neuberger died at Good Samaritan Hospital on March 9, 1960.

Democratic Oregon Supreme Court judge Hall S. Lusk was appointed March 16, 1960, to continue the term, pending a special election in which he was not a candidate.

Primaries were held May 20, 1960, in which Neuberger's widow, Democrat Maurine B. Neuberger and the Republican former-Governor of Oregon Elmo Smith easily won nomination.

Maurine Brown Neuberger was elected November 8, 1960, both to finish the term and to the next term.

Oregon (special)

Main article: 1960 United States Senate special election in Oregon

Oregon (regular)

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Oregon

Maurine Brown Neuberger retired at the end of the term.

Rhode Island

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Rhode Island

Pell:

South Carolina

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in South Carolina

South Dakota

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in South Dakota

Mundt:
McGovern:

Tennessee

Frazier: Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Tennessee

Texas

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Texas

(did not take office)

Johnson:

Tower:

Incumbent two-term Democrat Lyndon Johnson was easily re-elected, but he was also elected the same day as Vice President with John F. Kennedy being elected president. This was the last election in which a Democrat was selected to Texas's class 2 Senate seat.

Johnson resigned January 3, 1961 — before the new Congress began — and former Democratic senator William A. Blakley was appointed to begin the term, pending a special election. Republican John Tower, who lost to Johnson here in 1960, would win that May 1961 special election.

Virginia

Robertson:
Baker: Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Virginia

Incumbent Democrat Absalom Willis Robertson was overwhelmingly re-elected with 81% of the vote, facing no Republican opposition. {{Election box begin no change | title= General election

West Virginia

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in West Virginia

Randolph:
Underwood:

Wyoming

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Wyoming

Thomson:
Whitaker:

Senator-Elect Thomson died a month after his election.

Notes

References

Bibliography

References

1. "SENATORS OF THE UNITED STATES 1789-present A chronological list of senators since the First Congress in 1789". [[United States Senate]].
2. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 8, 1960". Clerk.house.gov.
3. (June 28, 1960). "Our Campaigns - ND US Senate Special Election Race".
4. Beatty, Jack. (2010). "The Politics of Public Virtue".
5. (March 10, 1960). "Sen. Neuberger, Jewish Member of U.S. Senate, Dies; Was 47 Years Old". Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
6. "Our Campaigns - OR US Senate - D Primary Race - May 20, 1960".
7. "Our Campaigns - OR US Senate - R Primary Race - May 20, 1960".
8. "Our Campaigns - OR US Senate - Special Election Race - Nov 08, 1960".