1962 United States Senate elections

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 21,387,598[1] 20,897,719[1] Percentage 50.3% 49.1% Seats up 21 18 Races won 25 14
Results of the elections:      Democratic gain      Democratic hold      Republican gain      Republican hold      No election Rectangular inset (Id., Kan. & N. H.): both seats up for election
Majority Leader before election Mike Mansfield Democratic Elected Majority Leader Mike Mansfield Democratic

The 1962 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate. Held on November 6, the 34 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies. They occurred in the middle of President John F. Kennedy's term. His Democratic Party made a net gain of four seats from the Republicans, increasing their control of the Senate to 68–32. However, this was reduced to 67–33 between the election and the next Congress, as on November 18, 1962, Democrat Dennis Chávez, who was not up for election that year, died. He was replaced on November 30, 1962, by Republican appointee Edwin L. Mechem. Additionally, Democrat Strom Thurmond became a Republican in 1964, further reducing Democrats to 66–34. This was the first time since 1932 that Democrats gained seats in this class of Senators.

This was the first time since 1914 that the president's party gained seats in the Senate and lost seats in the House, this would occur again in 1970, 2018, and 2022. This was the last time until 2022 that the Democrats would win full terms in Arizona's and Pennsylvania's Class 3 Senate seats.

Results summary

Parties					Total
		Democratic	Republican	Other
Last elections (1960) Before these elections		64	36	0	100
Not up		43	18	0	61
Up		21	18	—	39
	Class 3 (1956→1962)	19	15	—	34
	Special: Class 1	1	0	—	1
	Special: Class 2	1	3	—	4
Incumbent retired		2	2	—	4
	Held by same party	2	0	—	2
	Replaced by other party	2 Republicans replaced by 2 Democrats		—	2
	Result	4	0	0	4
Incumbent ran		19	16[lower-alpha 1]	—	35
	Won re-election	17	12	—	29
	Lost re-election	3 Republicans replaced by 3 Democrats 2 Democrats replaced by 2 Republicans		—	5
	Lost renomination, but held by same party	0	0	—	0
	Lost renomination, and party lost	1 Republican replaced by 1 Democrat		—	1
	Result	21	14	0	35
Total elected		25	14	0	39
Net gain/loss		4	4		4
Nationwide vote		21,387,598	20,897,719	258,084	42,543,401
	Share	50.27%	49.12%	0.61%	100%
Result		68	32	0	100

Source:^[1]

Gains, losses, and holds

Change in composition

Race summaries

Closest races

Nineteen races had a margin of victory under 10%:

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

Alabama

Alabama election

Nominee J. Lister Hill James D. Martin Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 201,937 195,134 Percentage 50.86% 49.14%

U.S. Senate election results map. Blue denotes counties won by Hill. Red denotes those won by Martin.   Hill—50-60%   Hill—60-70%   Hill—70-80%   Hill—80-90%   Martin—50-60%   Martin—60-70%   Martin—70-80%

U.S. senator before election J. Lister Hill Democratic Elected U.S. Senator J. Lister Hill Democratic

Alaska

Alaska election

Nominee Ernest Gruening Ted Stevens Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 33,827 24,354 Percentage 58.1% 41.9%

U.S. senator before election Ernest Gruening Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ernest Gruening Democratic

Incumbent Ernest Gruening defeated the Republican challenger, former U.S. Attorney, Interior Solicitor & future long-time U.S. Senator Ted Stevens, to win re-election to a full term.

Arizona

Arizona election

Nominee Carl Hayden Evan Mecham Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 199,217 163,338 Percentage 54.9% 45.1%

U.S. Senate election results map. Blue denotes counties won by Hayden. Red denotes those won by Mecham.

U.S. senator before election Carl Hayden Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Carl Hayden Democratic

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

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Connecticut election

Nominee Abraham Ribicoff Horace Seely-Brown, Jr. Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 527,522 501,694 Percentage 51.25% 48.74%

County results Ribicoff:      50–60% Brown:      50-60%

U.S. senator before election Prescott Bush Republican Elected U.S. Senator Abraham Ribicoff Democratic

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Illinois election

Turnout	72.66%
Nominee Everett Dirksen Sidney R. Yates Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,961,202 1,748,007 Percentage 52.87% 47.13%
County Results Dirksen:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Yates:      50–60%      60–70%
U.S. senator before election Everett Dirksen Republican Elected U.S. Senator Everett Dirksen Republican

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kansas (regular)

Kansas election

Nominee Frank Carlson K.L. Smith Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 388,500 223,630 Percentage 62.44% 35.94%

County Results

U.S. senator before election Frank Carlson Republican Elected U.S. Senator Frank Carlson Republican

Main article: 1962 United States Senate election in Kansas

Kansas general election^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Frank Carlson (Incumbent)	388,500	62.44
	Democratic	K. L. (Ken) Smith	223,630	35.94
	Prohibition	George E. Kline	10,098	1.62
Majority			164,870	26.50
Turnout			622,228
	Republican hold

Kansas (special)

Kansas special election

November 6, 1962

Nominee James B. Pearson Paul L. Aylward Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 344,689 260,756 Percentage 56.21% 42.52%

U.S. senator before election James B. Pearson Republican Elected U.S. Senator James B. Pearson Republican

Main article: 1962 United States Senate special election in Kansas

See also: List of United States senators from Kansas and 1962 United States House of Representatives elections in Kansas

Kansas special general election^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	James B. Pearson (Incumbent)	344,689	56.21
	Democratic	Paul L. Aylward	260,756	42.52
	Prohibition	C.E. Cowen	7,804	1.27
Majority			83,933	13.69
Turnout			613,249
	Republican hold

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Massachusetts (special)

Massachusetts special election

November 6, 1962

Nominee Ted Kennedy George C. Lodge Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,162,611 877,668 Percentage 55.44% 41.85%

County results

U.S. senator before election Benjamin A. Smith II Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy Democratic

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.

A battle between two candidates from influential political families, H. Stuart Hughes ran as an independent. Kennedy defeated Lodge with 55% of the vote to 42% for Lodge, with 2% to Hughes. Kennedy would serve until 2010.

Missouri

Missouri election

Nominee Edward V. Long R. Crosby Kemper Jr. Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 663,301 555,330 Percentage 54.43% 45.57%

County results Long:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Kemper:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Edward V. Long Democratic Elected U.S. senator Edward V. Long Democratic

Nevada

Nevada election

November 6, 1962

Nominee Alan Bible William B. Wright Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 63,443 33,749 Percentage 65.3% 34.7%

County results Bible:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Wright:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Alan Bible Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Alan Bible Democratic

New Hampshire

New York

New York election

Nominee Jacob Javits James B. Donovan Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 3,269,772 2,289,323 Percentage 57.38% 40.14%

County results

U.S. senator before election Jacob K. Javits Republican Elected U.S. Senator Jacob K. Javits Republican

North Carolina

North Carolina election

Nominee Sam Ervin Claude Greene Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 491,520 321,635 Percentage 60.45% 39.55%

County results

U.S. senator before election Sam Ervin Democratic Elected U.S. senator Sam Ervin Democratic

North Dakota

North Dakota election

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

County results

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^[6] of Fargo.^[1] 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

Oklahoma

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.^[7]

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania election

November 6, 1962

Nominee Joseph S. Clark Jr. James E. Van Zandt Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,238,383 2,134,649 Percentage 51.1% 48.7%

County results

U.S. senator before election Joseph S. Clark Jr. Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Joseph S. Clark Jr. Democratic

South Carolina

South Carolina election

Nominee Olin D. Johnston W. D. Workman, Jr. Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 178,712 133,930 Percentage 57.2% 42.8%

County results

U.S. senator before election Olin D. Johnston Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Olin D. Johnston Democratic

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.

South Dakota

Utah

Vermont

Vermont election

Nominee George Aiken W. Robert Johnson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 81,241 40,134 Percentage 66.8% 33.2%

County results Aiken:

U.S. senator before election George Aiken Republican Elected U.S. Senator George Aiken Republican

Washington

Washington Election

Nominee Warren Magnuson Richard G. Christensen Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 491,365 446,204 Percentage 52.09% 47.31%

County results

U.S. senator before election Warren G. Magnuson Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Warren G. Magnuson Democratic

Wisconsin

Wisconsin election

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

County results

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.^[8]

Wyoming (special)

Wyoming Special election

Nominee Milward Simpson John J. Hickey Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 69,043 50,329 Percentage 57.84% 42.16%

County results

U.S. senator before election John J. Hickey Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Milward Simpson Republican

See also

• 1962 United States elections
  • 1962 United States gubernatorial elections
  • 1962 United States House of Representatives elections
• 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. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2008.