1962 United States Senate elections

Results summary

Source:

Gains, losses, and holds

Retirements

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

Defeats

Four Republicans and two Democrats sought re-election but lost in the primary or general election.

Post-election changes

Post-election changes

One Democrat switched to a Republican in September 1964.

Change in composition

Before the elections

Elections results

Beginning of the next Congress

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Race summaries

Special elections during the 87th Congress

In these special elections, the winner was seated during 1962 or before January 3, 1963; ordered by election date, then state.

Elections leading to the next Congress

In these regular elections, the winners were elected for the term beginning January 3, 1963; ordered by state.

All of the elections involved the Class 3 seats.

Closest races

Nineteen races had a margin of victory under 10%:

Nevada was the tipping point state, with a margin of 30.6%.

Alabama

Hill Martin Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Alabama

Alaska

Gruening:

Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Alaska

Incumbent Ernest Gruening defeated the Republican challenger, former U.S. attorney, interior solicitor and future long-time U.S. Senator Ted Stevens, to win re-election to a full term.

Arizona

Hayden:
Mecham: Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Arizona

Incumbent Democrat Carl Hayden defeated future Governor Evan Mecham to win re-election to a seventh term.

Arkansas

Fulbright:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Arkansas

California

Kuchel:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in California

Colorado

Dominick:

Carroll:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Colorado

Connecticut

|County results |220px |Municipality results}} Brown:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Connecticut

Florida

Smathers:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Florida

Georgia

Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Georgia

Talmadge:

Hawaii

Inouye:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Hawaii

Idaho

Idaho (regular)

Church:
Hawley: Tie: Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Idaho

Idaho (special)

Jordan:
Pfost:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate special election in Idaho

Illinois

Dirksen:
Yates:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Illinois

Indiana

Bayh:
Capehart:

Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Indiana

Iowa

Hickenlooper:
Smith:
Tie: Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Iowa

Kansas

Kansas (regular)

Carlson:
Smith: Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Kansas

Kansas (special)

Pearson:
Aylward:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate special election in Kansas

Kentucky

Morton:
Wyatt:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Kentucky

Louisiana

Long:
Maloney:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Louisiana

Maryland

Brewster:
Miller:

Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Maryland

Massachusetts (special)

|[[File:1962 United States Senate election in Massachusetts results map by county.svg|300px]] |County results |[[File:1962 United States Senate Election in Massachusetts by Municipality.svg|300px|]] |Municipality results Lodge:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts

John F. Kennedy, originally elected to the U.S. Senate in 1952 United States Senate election in Massachusetts, resigned in 1961 after being elected in the 1960 United States presidential election. Incumbent Benjamin A. Smith II chose not to run for re-election. Ted Kennedy, brother of John and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, defeated Edward J. McCormack, Jr. by a wide margin in the Democratic primary. In the Republican primary, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for International Affairs George C. Lodge defeated U.S. representative Laurence Curtis in a close race.

In a battle between two candidates from influential political families, H. Stuart Hughes ran as an independent. Ted Kennedy defeated Lodge with 55% of the vote to 42% for Lodge, with 2% to Hughes. Kennedy would serve until 2009.

Missouri

Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Missouri

Long:
Kemper:

Nevada

Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Nevada

Bible:
Wright:

New Hampshire

New Hampshire (regular)

Cotton:
Catalfo: Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

New Hampshire (special)

McIntyre:
Bass:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate special election in New Hampshire

New York

Javits:
Donovan: Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in New York

North Carolina

Ervin:
Greene:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in North Carolina

North Dakota

Young:
Lanier: Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in North Dakota

Incumbent Republican Milton Young was re-elected to his fourth term, defeating North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party candidate William Lanier of Fargo. Only Young filed as a Republican, and the endorsed Democratic candidate was Lanier, who had previously faced Young in a special election held in 1946 to fill the seat which was vacated by the late John Moses. Young and Lanier won the primary elections for their respective parties. No independents ran.

Ohio

Lausche:
Briley:

Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Ohio

Oklahoma

Monroney:
Crawford:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Oklahoma

Oregon

Morse:
Unander:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Oregon

Democratic incumbent Wayne Morse was re-elected to a fourth term. He defeated Republican candidate Sig Unander in the general election.

Pennsylvania

Clark:
Zandt:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Johnston:
Workman: Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in South Carolina

Incumbent Democratic Senator Olin D. Johnston defeated Governor Fritz Hollings in the Democratic primary and Republican W. D. Workman Jr. in the general election. The South Carolina Democratic Party held their primary on June 12, 1962. Olin D. Johnston, the incumbent senator, faced stiff competition from Governor Fritz Hollings, who argued that Johnston was too liberal and not representative of South Carolina interests. Johnston told the voters that he was doing what he thought was best for the agriculture and textile workers of the state. Hollings was decisively defeated by Johnston because Johnston used his position as Post Office and Civil Service Committee to build 40 new post offices in the state and thus demonstrate the pull he had in Washington.

W. D. Workman Jr., a correspondent for the News and Courier, faced no opposition from South Carolina Republicans and avoided a primary election.

Both Johnston and Workman supported segregation, so the campaign centered on the economic issues of the state. Workman tried to persuade the voters that Johnston's policies were socialist and that he was too closely aligned with the Kennedy administration. Johnston was a consistent supporter of socialized health care proposals, and Workman was able to win considerable support from the medical establishment. However, the state's citizens were much poorer than those of the rest of the nation, and Johnston's class based appeals made him a very popular figure for the downtrodden of both the white and black races. The competitive nature of this race foretold the eventual rise of the Republican Party and the fact that South Carolinians were growing increasingly suspicious of policies generated at the federal level.

South Dakota

McGovern:
Bottum:

Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in South Dakota

Utah

Bennett:
King:

Vermont

Aiken:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Vermont

Washington

Magnuson:
Christensen:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Washington

Wisconsin

Nelson:
Wiley:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Wisconsin

Incumbent Republican Alexander Wiley lost to Democrat Gaylord A. Nelson.

Wyoming (special)

Simpson:
Hickey:
Main article: 1962 United States Senate special election in Wyoming

Notes

References

• "Supplemental Report of the Secretary of State to the General Assembly of South Carolina." Reports and Resolutions of South Carolina to the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina. Volume II. Columbia, SC: 1963, p. 6.

References

1. [[Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives]]. (1963-03-16). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1962". [[U.S. Government Printing Office]].
2. (1998). "Congressional Elections, 1946-1996". Congressional Quarterly Inc..
3. (1964). "America Votes 5: a handbook of contemporary American election statistics, 1962". Governmental Affairs Institute.
4. "FL US Senate, 1962". Our Campaigns.
5. Adams, Tom. (1963). "Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Florida for the Period Beginning January 1, 1961 and Ending December 31, 1962". Office of the Secretary of State for Florida.
6. Lanier is not to be confused with former North Dakota Governor [[William Langer]].
7. "Our Campaigns - OR US Senate Race - Nov 06, 1962".
8. "WI US Senate Race - Nov 06, 1962". Our Campaigns.