1960 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania
← 1956 November 8, 1960 1964 →
 
Nominee John F. Kennedy Richard Nixon
Party Democratic Republican
Home state Massachusetts California
Running mate Lyndon B. Johnson Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
Electoral vote 32 0
Popular vote 2,556,282 2,439,956
Percentage 51.06% 48.74%
County Results
President before election

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Republican

Elected President

John F. Kennedy
Democratic

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The 1960 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania took place on November 8, 1960 as part of the 1960 United States presidential election. Voters chose 32 representatives, or electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

Pennsylvania had historically been a powerfully Republican state that owing to the industrialization had become Democratic-leaning following the New Deal:[1] 1960 saw Democrats surpass Republicans in registration for the first time since the Civil War.[2] However, the nomination of the second Catholic presidential candidate in John F. Kennedy complicated this issue because most of rural Pennsylvania was powerfully Protestant and extremely hostile to voting for a Catholic,[3] creating the potential for large anti-Democratic swings and trends in the northeastern non-Yankee Pocono Mountains. The Pennsylvania Dutch Country had been similarly hostile to Catholicism throughout the state’s history,[4] and, owing to the opposition to Irish control of the Democratic Party, most of the state’s urban Catholics would, before the New Deal, back dominant Republican machines in which they had no actual political power.[5]

However, in 1958 Pennsylvania – a state historically very reluctant to elect Catholics to major offices – had elected David L. Lawrence as governor. Nevertheless, his margin was much smaller than polls had previously predicted, with decreases vis-à-vis the 1954 gubernatorial election even in heavily Catholic urban counties.[6] Kennedy had emerged as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination but Pennsylvania Democrats were reluctant to run him for fear of an anti-Catholic reaction in traditionally Democratic rural counties. However, lobbying by Boston Archbishop Richard Cushing meant Governor Lawrence released 64 of the state’s 81 delegates for Kennedy[7] in a bid to stop Adlai Stevenson II from gaining a third nomination.[8]

Pennsylvania narrowly voted for Kennedy over the Republican nominee, Vice President Richard Nixon. Kennedy won Pennsylvania by a slim margin of 2.32%, being aided rather than hindered by his Catholic faith owing to the numerical power of his co-religionists in urban Philadelphia, Lackawanna County, and in the industrial areas around Lake Erie.[6] This clearly outnumbered anti-Catholic sentiment in rural areas, which caused him to lose ground vis-à-vis Adlai Stevenson in 16 rural counties.[6] Kennedy became the first Democrat ever to win the White House without York County and the second to win without Columbia County and Berks County.

Primaries

Pennsylvania held its primaries on April 26.[9][10]

Democratic primary

See also: 1960 Democratic Party presidential primaries

With 81 delegates to the 1960 Democratic National Convention, Pennsylvania was among the largest states to hold a primary.[9] Pennsylvania's nonbinding Democratic primary did not list candidate's names. However, write-in presidential preference votes were allowed. Delegates were elected directly.[9]

By January 1960, the Kennedy campaign became aware of "non-partisan citizen committees" operating in support of Kennedy's candidacy in the state, without any direct connection to his official campaign.[9] However, the state as a whole was still cold on Kennedy.[9] Its liberals were fervent supporters of Adlai Stevenson II, and therefore hoped to see Stevenson nominated for a third time.[9] Philadelphia's Democratic organization, which had a significant sway upon the state's Democratic establishment, was led by William J. Green Jr., who favored the prospective candidacy of Stuart Symington.[9] As the year progressed, Green and other leaders were persuaded by polls to switch their allegiance to Kennedy.[9] Liberal senator Joseph S. Clark Jr. even made it known that Kennedy ranked at least second (behind Stevenson) in his own preference.[9]

However, despite others moving to embrace Kennedy, Governor David L. Lawrence withheld his own support from Kennedy, even as he picked up momentum in the state.[9] Lawrence still reserved hope that Adlai Stevenson could be successfully nominated at the convention.[9] An older Catholic Democrat, Lawrence was public in his belief that the country was still not ready to elect a Catholic president.[9] Kennedy would tell reporters that inquired with him about Lawrence's frequent comments doubting the viability of a Catholic presidential nominee by stating that he was, "deeply disturbed" by them.[9] Referencing Lawrence's own strong victory in the state's 1958 gubernatorial election, Kennedy commented that, "It still behooves him now to be urging that this same opportunity should be denied to others."[9]

Kennedy handily won the primary.

Results

1960 Pennsylvania Democratic Presidential Primary Results [10]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic John F. Kennedy 183,073 71.3%
Democratic Adlai Stevenson II 29,660 11.5%
Republican Richard Nixon 15,136 5.9%
Democratic Hubert Humphrey 13,860 5.4%
Democratic Stuart Symington 6,791 2.6%
Democratic Lyndon B. Johnson 2,918 1.1%
Republican Nelson Rockefeller 1,078 0.4%
Democratic Others 4,297 1.7%
Totals 100.00%

Republican primary

See also: 1960 Republican Party presidential primaries

Nixon was the only candidate on the Republican primary ballot and won nearly all of the vote. However, thousands of write-in votes were cast for other individuals.[10]

Results

1960 Pennsylvania Republican Presidential Primary Results [10]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Republican Richard Nixon 968,538 98.1%
Republican Nelson Rockefeller (write-in) 12,491 1.3%
Democratic John F. Kennedy (write-in) 3,886 0.4%
Democratic Adlai Stevenson II (write-in) 428 0.0%
Republican Barry Goldwater (write-in) 286 0.0%
Republican Others (write-in) 1,202 0.1%
Totals 100%
Richard Nixon campaigns at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, October 22, 1960

Results

1960 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania[11]
Party Candidate Votes Percentage Electoral votes
Democratic John F. Kennedy 2,556,282 51.06% 32
Republican Richard Nixon 2,439,956 48.74% 0
Socialist Labor Eric Hass 7,185 0.14% 0
Militant Workers Farrell Dobbs 2,678 0.05% 0
Write-ins Write-ins 440 0.01% 0
Totals 5,006,541 100.00% 32
Voter Turnout (Voting age/Registered) 70%/88%

Results by county

County John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Democratic 		Richard Milhous Nixon
Republican 		Various candidates
Other parties 		Margin Total votes cast
# % # % # % # %
Adams 7,895 37.86% 12,933 62.02% 26 0.12% -5,038 -24.16% 20,854
Allegheny 428,455 57.07% 320,970 42.76% 1,293 0.17% 107,485 14.32% 750,718
Armstrong 14,799 42.59% 19,883 57.23% 63 0.18% -5,084 -14.63% 34,745
Beaver 47,182 56.04% 36,796 43.71% 212 0.25% 10,386 12.34% 84,190
Bedford 6,030 32.41% 12,542 67.42% 32 0.17% -6,512 -35.00% 18,604
Berks 50,572 44.87% 61,743 54.78% 391 0.35% -11,171 -9.91% 112,706
Blair 19,445 35.48% 35,297 64.40% 67 0.12% -15,852 -28.92% 54,809
Bradford 6,920 29.82% 16,252 70.04% 33 0.14% -9,332 -40.22% 23,205
Bucks 57,177 45.70% 67,501 53.95% 438 0.35% -10,324 -8.25% 125,116
Butler 17,805 38.45% 28,348 61.22% 152 0.33% -10,543 -22.77% 46,305
Cambria 52,409 58.48% 37,062 41.35% 151 0.17% 15,347 17.12% 89,622
Cameron 1,353 38.80% 2,129 61.06% 5 0.14% -776 -22.25% 3,487
Carbon 12,391 49.50% 12,586 50.28% 55 0.22% -195 -0.78% 25,032
Centre 8,601 31.85% 18,357 67.98% 46 0.17% -9,756 -36.13% 27,004
Chester 30,167 36.18% 53,059 63.64% 147 0.18% -22,892 -27.46% 83,373
Clarion 5,506 34.74% 10,307 65.04% 34 0.21% -4,801 -30.30% 15,847
Clearfield 14,212 42.81% 18,911 56.97% 72 0.22% -4,699 -14.16% 33,195
Clinton 5,965 39.34% 9,184 60.58% 12 0.08% -3,219 -21.23% 15,161
Columbia 9,322 37.82% 15,310 62.11% 19 0.08% -5,988 -24.29% 24,651
Crawford 12,050 38.99% 18,754 60.68% 102 0.33% -6,704 -21.69% 30,906
Cumberland 15,968 30.83% 35,636 68.79% 197 0.38% -19,668 -37.97% 51,801
Dauphin 33,962 35.33% 61,726 64.22% 427 0.44% -27,764 -28.89% 96,115
Delaware 124,629 47.79% 135,672 52.02% 482 0.18% -11,043 -4.23% 260,783
Elk 8,398 53.95% 7,155 45.96% 14 0.09% 1,243 7.98% 15,567
Erie 53,723 50.90% 51,525 48.82% 295 0.28% 2,198 2.08% 105,543
Fayette 41,560 60.35% 27,120 39.38% 181 0.26% 14,440 20.97% 68,861
Forest 828 35.51% 1,497 64.19% 7 0.30% -669 -28.69% 2,332
Franklin 12,088 35.41% 22,010 64.48% 36 0.11% -9,922 -29.07% 34,134
Fulton 1,672 38.18% 2,698 61.61% 9 0.21% -1,026 -23.43% 4,379
Greene 9,645 56.21% 7,498 43.70% 16 0.09% 2,147 12.51% 17,159
Huntingdon 4,710 29.69% 11,116 70.07% 38 0.24% -6,406 -40.38% 15,864
Indiana 13,174 41.15% 18,756 58.59% 83 0.26% -5,582 -17.44% 32,013
Jefferson 7,811 36.01% 13,845 63.82% 38 0.18% -6,034 -27.81% 21,694
Juniata 2,615 35.19% 4,805 64.66% 11 0.15% -2,190 -29.47% 7,431
Lackawanna 80,098 61.72% 49,636 38.25% 49 0.04% 30,462 23.47% 129,783
Lancaster 33,233 29.70% 78,390 70.06% 266 0.24% -45,157 -40.36% 111,889
Lawrence 24,309 50.58% 23,646 49.20% 109 0.23% 663 1.38% 48,064
Lebanon 11,761 31.49% 25,525 68.33% 67 0.18% -13,764 -36.85% 37,353
Lehigh 39,640 42.10% 54,278 57.64% 249 0.26% -14,638 -15.54% 94,167
Luzerne 102,998 59.10% 70,711 40.58% 562 0.32% 32,287 18.53% 174,271
Lycoming 18,351 37.85% 30,083 62.05% 48 0.10% -11,732 -24.20% 48,482
McKean 7,767 36.07% 13,699 63.62% 66 0.31% -5,932 -27.55% 21,532
Mercer 24,243 45.33% 29,109 54.43% 128 0.24% -4,866 -9.10% 53,480
Mifflin 4,816 31.68% 10,315 67.85% 72 0.47% -5,499 -36.17% 15,203
Monroe 6,312 35.61% 11,299 63.74% 115 0.65% -4,987 -28.13% 17,726
Montgomery 92,212 39.18% 142,796 60.68% 318 0.14% -50,584 -21.50% 235,326
Montour 2,629 38.71% 4,154 61.17% 8 0.12% -1,525 -22.46% 6,791
Northampton 41,552 50.48% 40,683 49.43% 71 0.09% 869 1.06% 82,306
Northumberland 22,233 44.61% 27,568 55.31% 40 0.08% -5,335 -10.70% 49,841
Perry 3,413 29.50% 8,134 70.30% 23 0.20% -4,721 -40.80% 11,570
Philadelphia 622,544 68.02% 291,000 31.79% 1,733 0.19% 331,544 36.22% 915,277
Pike 1,676 29.49% 4,000 70.39% 7 0.12% -2,324 -40.89% 5,683
Potter 2,715 34.67% 5,099 65.12% 16 0.20% -2,384 -30.45% 7,830
Schuylkill 44,430 50.10% 44,187 49.82% 70 0.08% 243 0.27% 88,687
Snyder 1,998 19.75% 8,103 80.09% 16 0.16% -6,105 -60.34% 10,117
Somerset 14,739 41.71% 20,554 58.17% 42 0.12% -5,815 -16.46% 35,335
Sullivan 1,471 44.79% 1,808 55.05% 5 0.15% -337 -10.26% 3,284
Susquehanna 5,760 36.07% 10,201 63.88% 9 0.06% -4,441 -27.81% 15,970
Tioga 4,076 26.86% 11,082 73.04% 15 0.10% -7,006 -46.17% 15,173
Union 1,993 21.04% 7,466 78.82% 13 0.14% -5,473 -57.78% 9,472
Venango 8,064 31.90% 17,193 68.01% 23 0.09% -9,129 -36.11% 25,280
Warren 6,525 35.86% 11,611 63.81% 59 0.32% -5,086 -27.95% 18,195
Washington 53,729 58.28% 38,348 41.59% 120 0.13% 15,381 16.68% 92,197
Wayne 4,425 32.04% 9,360 67.77% 26 0.19% -4,935 -35.73% 13,811
Westmoreland 85,641 55.31% 68,825 44.45% 374 0.24% 16,816 10.86% 154,840
Wyoming 2,726 30.56% 6,188 69.36% 7 0.08% -3,462 -38.81% 8,921
York 39,164 41.02% 55,922 58.57% 393 0.41% -16,758 -17.55% 95,479
Totals 2,556,282 51.06% 2,439,956 48.74% 10,303 0.21% 116,326 2.32% 5,006,541

See also

References

  1. ^ See Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 135 ISBN 978-0-691-16324-6
  2. ^ Kennedy, John J.; Pennsylvania Elections, p. 191 ISBN 0761864431
  3. ^ Menendez, Albert J.; The Religious Factor in the 1960 Presidential Election: An Analysis of the Kennedy Victory Over Anti-Catholic Prejudice, pp. 193, 196 ISBN 0786484934
  4. ^ Menendez, The Religious Factor in the 1960 Presidential Election, p. 195
  5. ^ Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 34
  6. ^ a b c McKenna, William J.; ‘The Influence of Religion in the Pennsylvania Elections of 1958 and 1960’; Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies, vol. 29, no. 4 (October, 1962), pp. 407-419
  7. ^ Carty, Thomas; A Catholic in the White House?: Religion, Politics, and John F. Kennedy’s Presidential Campaign, p. 102 ISBN 1403981302
  8. ^ Donaldson, Gary; The First Modern Campaign: Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960, p. 75 ISBN 0742548007
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Oliphant, Thomas; Wilkie, Curtis (2017). The road to Camelot: Inside JFK's Five-Year Campaign. Simon & Schuster.
  10. ^ a b c d "RESULTS OF 1960 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PRIMARIES". John F. Kennedy presidential library. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  11. ^ David Leip. "1960 Presidential General Election Results – Pennsylvania". Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
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