The 1960

Presidential
Election
CALEB FRIENDS
The Candidates
Democratic Candidate: Senator John F. Kennedy (with vice presidential candidate Lyndon B.
Johnson)
Republican Candidate: Vice President Richard M. Nixon (with vice presidential candidate Henry
Cabot Lodge Jr.)
Election Results
In one of the closest presidential elections in
United States history, Kennedy defeated Nixon
winning 303 electoral votes to Nixons 219.
Nixon won his home state of California along
with the entire west coast and most of the
north west for a total of 26 states to Kennedys
22. Mississippi and Alabama were won by
senator Byrd. Byrd was not a candidate, but
received 15 electoral votes from unpledged
electors.
Religion and the Implications of
Kennedys Election
During his campaign Kennedy gave a speech about religion, proclaiming I am not the Catholic
candidate for president. I am the Democratic Party's candidate for president, who happens also
to be a Catholic. While his Catholicism did drive some Protestants to vote for Nixon, Kennedy
won overwhelmingly in Catholic areas nullifying the advantage his religion gave his opponent.
As the first Catholic and youngest president elected in United States history, Kennedy broke the
traditional mold of American presidents. While he did come from a wealthy family with a
political background, his perceived outsider status painted him as an advocate for under-
represented groups. By publicly supporting Martin Luther King Jr. just weeks before the
election, Kennedy cemented the support of black voters across America.
The Debates
There were four presidential debates total, focusing primarily on the United States relationship
with Russia. The candidates varied minimally in their responses both trending towards the
same policies to safeguard the nation against the Soviet Union. Nixon even admitted in the first
debate I subscribe completely to the spirit that Senator Kennedy has expressed tonight. Nixon
is often criticized for failing to take advantage of Eisenhowers popularity and lost momentum
after a tired Eisenhower told reporters he could not think of anything good about his vice
president. JFK exploited the sitting administrations failure to keep up with the Soviets in the
space race, promising to reprioritize NASA.
Naval experience
Kennedys naval career, where he not only saw
active combat, but was wounded and
heroically saved the men he commanded,
helped present him as a strong and capable
Commander in Chief.
A Magazine
Cover
Reporting
the Debates
Military Strength
While in the later years of his presidency Kennedy began work to reduce nuclear weapons in the
United States and the Soviet Union, during his campaign he promised that if elected he would
make sure the United States was better armed than the Soviets, who had made technological
advances that worried many Americans during the Eisenhower presidency. While Kennedy did
follow through on his campaign promise, arming US forces better than any president before him,
he also set the stage for nuclear disarmament treaties with the Soviet Union.
Televised Debates
While presidential debates had been broadcast by radio in elections past, 1960 was the first year
that the debates were televised. All four debates were broadcast live, and in one case the two
candidates argued from separate identically set studios on opposite sides of the country.
Kennedy is credited with a stronger television performance than Nixon, especially in the first
debate where Nixon reportedly looked sickly. Because television was introduced into the election
process, these debates set the stage for modern presidential campaigns. Kenneys stronger
television presence, particularly in the most watched first debate, is often credited with swinging
the voters that created his close margin of victory.
Family Fortune
JFK utilized his familys wealth and influence to
widen the reach of his campaign.
The Kennedy Family
He often had his wife and siblings advocating for him while on the campaign trail so his message
could be heard in multiple places simultaneously. Nixon later described running against
Kennedy as analogous to a single store trying to compete with a national chain.
A Campaign Button
The Compound
The Kennedy family compound in Hyannis
Port, Massachusetts was used as the
headquarters of his campaign and was also
where the Kennedys waited for the election
results.