United States Senate elections, 1962

United States Senate elections, 1962

November 6, 1962
39 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Mike Mansfield Everett Dirksen Party Democratic Republican Leader since January 3, 1961 January 3, 1959 Leader's seat Montana Illinois Seats before 64 36 Seats after 68 32 Seat change 4 4 Popular vote 20,832,503 20,245,509 Percentage 50.4% 49.0% Swing 4.7% 4.8% Seats up 19 15 Races won 23 11
Results including special elections      Democratic gain      Republican gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold
Majority Leader before election Mike Mansfield Democratic Elected Majority Leader Mike Mansfield Democratic

The United States Senate elections, 1962 was an election for the United States Senate which was held in the middle of President John F. Kennedy's term. His Democratic Party made a net gain of three seats from the Republicans, increasing their control of the Senate.

Both Republican-held senate seats in New Hampshire were up on election day due to a special election. The appointee lost election to a full term to the Democratic challenger while the incumbent Republican was reelected. As such, this is the last time that one of a state's two senate seats, both up on election day, that were held by the same party changed parties.

Retirements

Through open seats due to retirements, Democrats gained two seats.

Losing incumbents

Democrats had a net gain of two seats in election upsets.

Other changes

The Democrats' four-seat net gain was reduced by one seat between the election and the next Congress.

1. New Mexico: On November 18, 1962, Democrat Dennis Chavez, who was not up for election that year, died. He was replaced on November 30, 1962 by Republican appointee Edwin L. Mechem.

Subsequent changes

• September 16, 1964: South Carolina — Strom Thurmond switched parties from Democratic to Republican.

Change in Senate composition

Race summaries

North Dakota

United States Senate election in North Dakota, 1962

Nominee Milton R. Young William Lanier Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 135,705 88,032 Percentage 60.65% 39.35%

U.S. Senator before election Milton R. Young Republican Elected U.S. Senator Milton R. Young Republican

Incumbent Republican Milton Young was re-elected to his fourth term, defeating North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party candidate William Lanier^[1] of Fargo.^[2] 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.

Oregon

Oregon election

Nominee Wayne Morse Sig Unander Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 344,716 291,587 Percentage 54.2% 45.8%

County Results

U.S. Senator before election Wayne Morse Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Wayne Morse Democratic

Democratic incumbent Wayne Morse was re-elected to a fourth term. He defeated Republican candidate Sig Unander in the general election.^[3]

South Carolina

South Carolina Senator Olin D. Johnston

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 merely 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 to bring home the bacon.

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 that 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 foresaw the eventual rise of the Republican Party and that South Carolinians were growing increasingly suspicious of policies generated at the federal level.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin election

Nominee Gaylord A. Nelson Alexander Wiley Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 662,342 594,846 Percentage 52.26% 47.21%

U.S. Senator before election Alexander Wiley Republican Elected U.S. Senator Gaylord A. Nelson Democratic

Incumbent Republican Alexander Wiley lost to Democrat Gaylord A. Nelson.^[4]

See also

• United States elections, 1962
  • United States gubernatorial elections, 1962
  • United States House of Representatives elections, 1962
• 87th United States Congress
• 88th United States Congress

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.
• Jordan, Frank E. The Primary State: A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962. p. 83.
• Kalk, Bruce H. (2001). The Origins of the Southern Strategy: Two-Party Competition in South. Lexington Books. pp. 56–61.
• "Veteran's Viciory". Time. June 22, 1962. Retrieved February 9, 2008.