The 1960 United States Senate elections coincided with the election of John F. Kennedy as president on November 8, 1960. The 33 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections. A special election was also held on June 28, 1960, for a mid-term vacancy in North Dakota where Democrats flipped a seat to expand their majority to 66–34. As Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson was elected Vice President, Mike Mansfield became the new majority leader.

Quick Facts 34 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...

1960 United States Senate elections

← 1958 November 8, 1960 1962 →
← 1959 (HI) 1961 (TX) →
34 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate 51 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Lyndon Johnson (retired)[lower-alpha 1] Everett Dirksen Party Democratic Republican Leader since January 3, 1953 January 3, 1959 Leader's seat Texas Illinois Seats before 66 34 Seats after 64 36 Seat change 2 2 Popular vote 18,547,250[1] 14,894,867[1] Percentage 55.1% 44.2% Seats up 23 11 Races won 21 13
Results of the elections (excl. North Dakota):      Republican gain      Democratic hold      Republican hold      No election
Majority Leader before election Lyndon Johnson Democratic Elected Majority Leader Mike Mansfield[lower-alpha 1] Democratic

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The Republicans gained two seats at the expense of the Democrats. However, Republican Senator-elect Edwin Keith Thomson of Wyoming died December 9, 1960, and was replaced by appointee Democratic John J. Hickey at the beginning of the Congress, reducing Republican gains to one seat. However, this was canceled out by a 1961 special election where Republican John Tower flipped Johnson's Senate seat. The Democrats nonetheless retained a commanding lead in the Senate with 64 seats to 36.

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Parties					Total
		Democratic	Republican	Other
Last elections (1958)		64	34	0	98
Before these elections		66	34	0	100
Not up		43	23	0	66
Up		23	11	—	34
	Class 2 (1954→1960)	22	11	—	33
	Special: Class 3	1	0	—	1
Incumbent retired		4	1	—	5
	Held by same party	3	1	—	4
	Replaced by other party	1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican		—	1
	Result	3	2	0	5
Incumbent ran		19	10	—	29
	Won re-election	18	10	—	28
	Lost re-election	1 Democrat replaced by 1 Republican		—	1
	Lost renomination, but held by same party	0	0	—	0
	Result	18	11	0	29
Total elected		21	13	0	34
Net gain/loss		2	2		2
Nationwide vote		18,547,250	14,894,867	218,893	33,661,010
	Share	55.10%	44.25%	0.65%	100%
Result		64	36	0	100

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Source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives (1961). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1960" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 52.

Eleven races had a margin of victory under 10%:

Rhode Island was the tipping point state with a margin of 37.8%.

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1960 United States Senate election in Alabama

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee John Sparkman Julian Elgin Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 389,196 164,868 Percentage 70.24% 29.76%

County results Sparkman:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Elgin:      50-60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election John Sparkman Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John Sparkman Democratic

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Incumbent John J. Sparkman won re-election, having served since 1946. He faced nominal opposition from Republican Julian E. Elgin in the then-deeply Democratic state of Alabama. Sparkman served from 1946 to 1979 in the Senate before retiring and being succeeded by Howell Heflin.

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1960 United States Senate election in Alaska

← 1958 November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee Bob Bartlett Lee McKinley Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 38,041 21,937 Percentage 63.43% 36.58%

Results by election district Bartlett:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% McKinley:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Bob Bartlett Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Bob Bartlett Democratic

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Incumbent Democrat Bob Bartlett was easily re-elected to his second (his first full) term in the U.S. Senate over Republican dentist Lee McKinley after originally being elected in 1958 upon Alaska's anticipated admission as a state into the United States. Bartlett had previously served as the last delegate from Alaska to Congress.

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1960 United States Senate election in Arkansas

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee John L. McClellan Party Democratic Popular vote 337,036 Percentage 99.88%

County results McClellan:      90–100%

U.S. senator before election John L. McClellan Democratic Elected U.S. Senator John L. McClellan Democratic

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Incumbent senator John L. McClellan was re-elected to a fourth term with nominal opposition from write-in independent candidate Marvin Fuchs, who received just 449 of 377,485 votes.

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1960 United States Senate election in Colorado

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee Gordon Allott Robert Lee Knous Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 389,428 334,854 Percentage 53.52% 46.02%

County results Allott:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70% Knous:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election Gordon Allott Republican Elected U.S. Senator Gordon Allott Republican

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Incumbent Gordon Allott was re-elected to a second term in office, defeating lieutenant governor Robert Knous by just under eight percentage points. He would wind up winning re-election in 1966 before retiring in 1973, replaced by Democrat Floyd Haskell.

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Delaware election

← 1954 1966 →

Nominee J. Caleb Boggs J. Allen Frear Jr. Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 98,874 96,090 Percentage 50.71% 49.29%

County Results Boggs:      50-60% Frear:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election J. Allen Frear Jr. Democratic Elected U.S. senator J. Caleb Boggs Republican

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J. Allen Frear ran for re-election to a third term, but he was defeated by Republican governor J. Caleb Boggs by a narrow 1% margin. Boggs would be re-elected in 1966, but he would lose re-election to a third term in 1972 to future U.S. President Joe Biden.

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1960 U.S. Senate Democratic primary in Georgia

← 1954 September 14, 1960 1966 →

Nominee Richard Russell Jr. Party Democratic Electoral vote 410 Popular vote 560,256 Percentage 100.00%

County results Russell:      >90%

U.S. senator before election Richard Russell Jr. Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Richard Russell Jr. Democratic

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Incumbent Richard B. Russell Jr. was re-elected to a sixth term in office, running unopposed in the tantamount Democratic primary and facing nominal opposition in the deeply-Democratic Georgia.

Henry Dworshak ran for re-election to a third term, defeating R.F. McLaughlin by just under five percentage points.

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Idaho election

← 1954 1962 (special) →

Nominee Henry Dworshak R.F. McLaughlin Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 152,648 139,448 Percentage 52.26% 47.74%

U.S. senator before election Henry Dworshak Republican Elected U.S. senator Henry Dworshak Republican

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1960 United States Senate election in Illinois

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →
Turnout	84.24%
Nominee Paul Douglas Samuel W. Witwer Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,530,945 2,093,846 Percentage 54.63% 45.20%
County results Douglas:      50–60%      60–70% Witwer:      50–60%      60–70%
U.S. senator before election Paul Douglas Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Paul Douglas Democratic

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Incumbent Paul H. Douglas successfully ran for re-election to a third term, defeating Republican Samuel Witwer.

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1960 United States Senate election in Iowa

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee Jack Miller Herschel Loveless Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 642,643 595,119 Percentage 51.92% 48.08%

County results Miller:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80% Loveless:      50-60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election Thomas E. Martin Republican Elected U.S. Senator Jack Miller Republican

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Incumbent Republican Thomas Martin decided to retire, leaving this seat open. Republican Jack Miller won the open seat, defeating Democrat Herschel C. Loveless and riding the coattails of Richard Nixon's victory in the state.

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Kentucky election

← 1956 (special) November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee John Sherman Cooper Keen Johnson Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 644,087 444,830 Percentage 59.15% 40.85%

County results Cooper:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80–90%      >90% Johnson:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election John Sherman Cooper Republican Elected U.S. Senator John Sherman Cooper Republican

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Incumbent John Sherman Cooper ran for re-election, defeating Keen Johnson by nearly 20%. This was the first time Cooper had won an election to a full Senate term, though he had previously served two partial terms.

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1960 United States Senate election in Maine

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee Margaret Chase Smith Lucia Cormier Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 256,890 159,809 Percentage 61.65% 38.35%

County results Smith:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Cormier:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Margaret Chase Smith Republican Elected U.S. Senator Margaret Chase Smith Republican

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Incumbent Republican Margaret Chase Smith, the first woman to serve in both houses of Congress, was overwhelmingly re-elected to a third term, defeating Lucia Cormier. This was the first election in which a woman was nominated by both major parties for the office of U.S. Senate, meaning a woman was going to be elected regardless of who won.

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1960 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee Leverett Saltonstall Thomas J. O'Connor Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,358,556 1,050,725 Percentage 56.19% 43.46%

County results Municipality results Saltonstall   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90%   90–100% O'Connor   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%

Senator before election Leverett Saltonstall Republican Elected Senator Leverett Saltonstall Republican

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Republican incumbent Leverett Saltonstall was re-elected to another term after being elected in 1944 in a special election. He defeated Democrat Thomas O'Connor Jr.

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Michigan election

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee Patrick V. McNamara Alvin M. Bentley Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,669,179 1,548,873 Percentage 51.73% 48.00%

County results McNamara:      50–60%      60–70% Bentley:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election Patrick V. McNamara Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Patrick V. McNamara Democratic

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Democrat Patrick V. McNamara was narrowly re-elected against Republican Alvin Bentley, having served one full term prior.

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Minnesota election

← 1954 1966 →

Nominee Hubert H. Humphrey P. Kenneth Peterson Party Democratic (DFL) Republican Popular vote 884,168 648,586 Percentage 57.53% 42.20%

County results Humphrey:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Peterson:      50-60%      60-70%

U.S. senator before election Hubert H. Humphrey Democratic (DFL) Elected U.S. senator Hubert H. Humphrey Democratic (DFL)

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Democrat Hubert Humphrey, who would later become vice president, was re-elected over Republican challenger P. Kenneth Peterson. He had served since 1949.

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Mississippi election

← 1954 1966 →

Nominee James Eastland Joe Moore Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 244,341 21,807 Percentage 91.8% 8.2%

County results Eastland:      80-90%      90-100%

U.S. senator before election James Eastland Democratic Elected U.S. senator James Eastland Democratic

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Incumbent James Eastland, who had represented Mississippi in the Senate since 1943, was elected to another term in a landslide with 92% of the vote.

Following the death of incumbent Thomas C. Hennings, Democrat Edward V. Long, incumbent Lieutenant Governor of Missouri, ran against Republican Lon Hocker for the open seat. Long defeated Hocker by just under seven percentage points.

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1960 United States Senate special election in Missouri

← 1956 1962 →

Nominee Edward V. Long Lon Hocker Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 999,656 880,576 Percentage 53.17% 46.83%

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

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

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1960 United States Senate election in Montana

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee Lee Metcalf Orvin B. Fjare Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 140,331 136,281 Percentage 50.73% 49.27%

County results Metcalf:      50–60%      60–70% Fjare:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

U.S. senator before election James E. Murray Democratic Elected U.S. Senator Lee Metcalf Democratic

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After the retirement of incumbent Democrat James E. Murray, Democrat and representative Lee Metcalf and Republican Orvin Fjare ran for the open seat. Metcalf kept the seat Democratic, winning by just over 1%. This was despite Richard Nixon winning Montana in the concurrent presidential election.

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1960 United States Senate election in Nebraska

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →

Nominee Carl Curtis Robert B. Conrad Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 352,748 245,807 Percentage 58.93% 41.07%

County results Curtis:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Conrad:      50–60%

U.S. senator before election Carl Curtis Republican Elected U.S. Senator Carl Curtis Republican

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Republican Carl Curtis, who had served since 1955, was re-elected to a second term over Democrat Robert Conrad by nearly 17 percentage points. Curtis won all but four counties in the state.

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1960 United States Senate election in New Hampshire

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1962 (special) →

Nominee Styles Bridges Herbert W. Hill Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 173,521 114,024 Percentage 60.35% 39.65%

County results Bridges:      50–60%      60–70%      80–90%

U.S. senator before election Styles Bridges Republican Elected U.S. Senator Styles Bridges Republican

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Bridges died less than a year into his fifth term. With New Hampshire's other Senator Norris Cotton up for re-election in 1962 and following Bridges death. Both of New Hampshire's Senate seats would be up in the 1962 midterms.