1960 United States Senate elections


The 1960 United States Senate elections 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.

Retirements

Democratic seats held by Democrats

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

    Democrats replaced by Republicans

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

    Republican seats held by Republicans

  5. Iowa: Thomas E. Martin was replaced by Jack Miller

    Republicans replaced by Democrats

  6. [|North Dakota] : Norman Brunsdale was replaced by Quentin Burdick

    Losing incumbents

Democrats lost to Republicans

  1. Delaware: J. Allen Frear Jr. lost to J. Caleb Boggs

    Other changes

The Republicans' net gain of one seat was eliminated after the election.
  1. Wyoming: Senator-elect Edwin Keith Thomson died December 9, 1960, and was replaced by appointee John J. Hickey at the beginning of the Congress.

    Change in composition

Before the elections

After the elections

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.

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.

Alabama

Alaska

Arkansas

Colorado

Delaware

Georgia

Hawaii (Special)

Idaho

Illinois

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri (Special)

Montana

Nebraska

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

North Carolina

North Dakota (Special)

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

[|Oregon]

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 Newberger'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)

Oregon (General)

retired at the end of the term.

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

Wyoming