View source for 1960 Democratic Party presidential primaries

{{Short description|Selection of the Democratic Party nominee}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1960 Democratic Party presidential primaries
| country = United States
| flag_year = 1959
| type = primary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1956 Democratic Party presidential primaries
| previous_year = 1956
| next_election = 1964 Democratic Party presidential primaries
| next_year = 1964
| election_date = March 8 to June 7, 1960
| votes_for_election = 1,521 delegates to the [[1960 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention]]
| needed_votes = 761 (majority)

| image1 = [[File:Jfk2 (3x4).jpg|150x150px]]
| candidate1 = '''[[John F. Kennedy]]'''
| color1 = 81B5FF
| home_state1 = [[Massachusetts]]
| delegate_count1 = 
| states_carried1 = '''10'''
| popular_vote1 = '''1,847,259'''
| percentage1 = '''31.4%'''

| image2 = [[File:38 Hubert Humphrey 3x4.jpg|150x150px]]
| candidate2 = [[Hubert Humphrey]]
| color2 = FFA500
| home_state2 = [[Minnesota]]
| delegate_count2 = 
| states_carried2 = 2
| popular_vote2 = 590,410
| percentage2 = 10.1%

| map= {{switcher
| [[File:1960 Dem Primaries.svg|350px]]
| First place by popular vote
| [[File:Results of the 1960 Democratic National Convention.svg|350px]]
| First place by convention roll call
| default=1
}}
| map_caption = {{legend0|#81B5FF|John F. Kennedy}} {{legend0|#D40000|Lyndon B. Johnson}} {{legend0|#FFA500|Hubert H. Humphrey}} {{legend0|#916F6F|Various{{efn|[[Favorite son|Favorite sons]] received the support of Missouri ([[Stuart Symington]]), Florida ([[George Smathers]]), New Jersey ([[Robert Meyner]]), Mississippi ([[Ross Barnett]]), and Hawaii. ([[Adlai E. Stevenson II]]) }}}}
| title = Democratic nominee
| before_election = [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai Stevenson]]
| after_election = [[John F. Kennedy]]
}}
From March 8 to June 7, 1960, voters and members of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] elected delegates to the [[1960 Democratic National Convention]] through a series of caucuses, conventions, and primaries, partly for the purpose of nominating a candidate for [[President of the United States]] in the [[1960 United States presidential election|1960 election]]. The [[presidential primaries]] were inconclusive, as several of the leading contenders did not enter them, but U.S. Senator [[John F. Kennedy]] of [[Massachusetts]] emerged as the strongest candidate and won the nomination over [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] at the convention, held from July 11 to 15 at the [[Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena]]. 

Recalling the experience of 1928 Democratic nominee [[Al Smith]] (who was [[Catholic]]), many wondered if [[anti-Catholic]] prejudice would affect Kennedy's chances of winning the nomination and the election in November.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/103073952?searchTerm=John%20F.%20Kennedy|title=John Kennedy As U.S. Presidential Hopeful|newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=January 2, 1960|access-date=March 25, 2021|page=2}}</ref> To prove his vote-getting ability, Kennedy challenged U.S. senator [[Hubert Humphrey]] of [[Minnesota]], a liberal, in the Wisconsin primary. Although Kennedy defeated Humphrey in Wisconsin, his reliance on heavily Catholic areas left many party bosses unconvinced. Kennedy thus faced Humphrey in the heavily [[Protestant]] state of West Virginia. Humphrey's campaign was low on money and could not compete with the well-organized, well-financed Kennedy team. Kennedy's siblings combed the state looking for votes, leading Humphrey to complain that he "felt like an independent merchant running against a chain store."<ref>{{cite book |last=Schlesinger |first=Arthur M. |title=Robert Kennedy and His Times |location=New York |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company |orig-date=1978 |year=2002 |isbn=0-618-21928-5 |page=195 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0xqrU5lnD7AC&pg=PA195 }}</ref> On primary day, Kennedy crushed Humphrey with over 60% of the vote, and Humphrey withdrew from the race. 

Although Kennedy won the popular contests by comfortable margin, his main opponent, [[Senate Majority Leader]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], did not participate (except as a write-in candidate). Johnson had a very strong base in the party establishment and gained the support of many delegates chosen through caucus and convention selection processes.<ref>[http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=55200 Our Campaigns - US President - D Primaries Race - Feb 01, 1960]</ref> In the months leading up to the Democratic Convention, Kennedy traveled around the nation persuading delegates from various states to support him. However, as the Convention opened, Kennedy was still a few dozen votes short of victory.{{cn|date=October 2020}}

Several major candidates served as Democratic Party nominees, with [[John F. Kennedy]] serving as the nominee for 1960, Johnson in 1964, and Humphrey in 1968.

==Background==
===1952 and 1956 elections===
After controlling the [[White House]] for five consecutive terms from 1933 through 1953, the [[Democratic Party (US)|Democratic Party]] had been defeated in two consecutive elections. Both times, popular [[World War II]] general [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] defeated [[Adlai Stevenson II]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=CQ Almanac Online Edition |url=https://library.cqpress.com/cqalmanac/login.php?requested=%2Fcqalmanac%2Fdocument.php%3Fid%3Dcqal52-1380282 |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=library.cqpress.com}}</ref>

[[File:John F. Kennedy nominates Adlai Stevenson 1956.JPG|thumb|[[John F. Kennedy]] raised his national profile at the [[1956 Democratic National Convention]] by giving the nominating speech for [[Adlai Stevenson II]] and finishing second in the contest for the vice-presidential nomination.]]
At the [[1956 Democratic National Convention]], Stevenson surprisingly left the choice of his vice-presidential running mate to the delegates.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stevenson 1956 Presidential Acceptance Speech {{!}} C-SPAN.org |url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?3400-1/stevenson-1956-presidential-acceptance-speech |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=www.c-span.org}}</ref> Following his nomination in Chicago, Stevenson made a brief appearance before the convention. He told the delegates he had decided "to depart from the precedents of the past" and that "the selection of the Vice Presidential nominee should be made through the free processes of this convention."<ref>{{Cite web |title=CQ Almanac Online Edition |url=https://library.cqpress.com/cqalmanac/login.php?requested=%2Fcqalmanac%2Fdocument.php%3Fid%3Dcqal56-1347894 |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=library.cqpress.com}}</ref> With one day's notice, the candidates scrambled to assemble campaigns for delegate support. The leaders were [[Estes Kefauver]], who had run two populist campaigns for the presidency but lost the nomination each time to Stevenson, and [[John F. Kennedy]], a relatively unknown [[United States Senator]] from [[Massachusetts]] but a scion of the powerful [[Kennedy family]]. Kennedy surprised observers by surging into the lead on the second ballot and falling only 39 votes short of the nomination, but on the third ballot, several [[favorite son]] candidates threw their delegations' support to Kefauver, and he prevailed. Kennedy gave a gracious concession speech, raising his national profile within the party.<ref>{{Citation |title=JOHN F. KENNEDY DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION 1956 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5lFzF5JbuI |access-date=2023-08-02 |language=en}}</ref>

===1958 midterm elections===
In the 1958 elections, the Republican Party suffered heavy losses due to [[Recession of 1958|a nationwide economic recession]], the launch of [[Sputnik]] by the Soviet Union, and the galvanized opposition of organized labor following the passage of strengthened labor restrictions.  Kennedy was re-elected in a historic landslide; the gain of ten Senate seats also buttressed the political power of Senate Majority Leader [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], who had won the regional support of some Southern delegations in 1956.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=CQ Almanac Online Edition |url=https://library.cqpress.com/cqalmanac/login.php?requested=%2Fcqalmanac%2Fdocument.php%3Fid%3Dcqal58-1340275 |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=library.cqpress.com}}</ref>

"Democrats won seats in the Senate in California, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming." Democrats conceded no seats they had obtained in previous years.<ref name=":2" />

== Candidates ==
The following political leaders were candidates for the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination:

===Nominee===
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="3" |Candidate
! class="unsortable" |Most recent office
!Home state
! data-sort-type="date" |Campaign
<small>Withdrawal date</small>
!Popular vote
!Contests won
!Running mate
|- style="background:linen;"
! style="background:linen;" scope="row" data-sort-="" |[[John F. Kennedy]]
| style="min-width:80px;" |[[File:Jfk2 (3x4).jpg|frameless|127x127px]]
| style="background:#1E90FF;" |
|'''United States Senator'''<br />'''from [[Massachusetts]]'''<br />(1953–1960)
|[[File:Flag-map of Massachusetts.svg|frameless|105x105px|Massachusetts]]<br>[[Massachusetts]]
| data-sort-value="0" |[[File:Kennedy Johnson 1960 campaign logo.svg|frameless|174x174px]]<br><small>([[John F. Kennedy 1960 presidential campaign|Campaign]])</small><br>'''Secured nomination:''' '''July 15, 1960'''
| data-sort-value="1,847,259" |'''1,847,259'''<br><small>(31.4%)</small>
| data-sort-value="10" |'''10''' 
|[[Lyndon B. Johnson]]
|}

===Other major candidates===
These candidates participated in multiple state primaries or were included in multiple major national polls.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! colspan="3" |Candidate
! class="unsortable" |Most recent office
!Home state
! data-sort-type="date" |Campaign
<small>Withdrawal date</small>
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Johnson" |[[Lyndon B. Johnson]]
|[[File:Senator Lyndon B. Johnson in 1960 (cropped).jpg|98x98px]]
| style="background:#d40000;" |
|'''United States Senator'''<br />'''from [[Texas]]'''<br />(1949–1961)
|[[File:Flag-map_of_Texas.svg|94x94px|[[Texas]]]]<br />[[Texas]]
|[[File:Lbj1960.gif|133x133px]]<br /><small>'''Announced:''' July 1960<br />([[Lyndon B. Johnson#Candidacy for president|Campaign]])</small>
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Humphrey" |[[Hubert Humphrey]]
|[[File:Hubert Humphrey (D).jpg|107x107px]]
| style="background:#FFA500;" |
|'''United States Senator'''<br />'''from [[Minnesota]]'''<br />(1949–1964, 1971–1978)
|[[File:Flag map of Minnesota (1983–2024).svg|94x94px]]<br />[[Minnesota]]
| data-sort-value="03-04-2016" |[[File:Humphrey60brochure.gif|136x136px]]<br /><small>'''Announced:''' December 30, 1959<br />'''Withdrew:''' May 10, 1960<br />([[Hubert Humphrey#Presidential and vice-presidential ambitions (1952–1964)|Campaign]])</small>
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Stevenson" |[[Adlai Stevenson II]]
|[[File:AdlaiEStevenson1900-1965.jpg|105x105px]]
| style="background:#000080;" |
|'''Governor'''<br />'''of [[Illinois]]'''<br />(1949–1953)
|[[File:Flag map of Illinois.svg|94x94px]]<br />[[Illinois]]
| data-sort-value="03-04-2016" |<small>([[Adlai Stevenson II#1960 presidential campaign and appointment as UN Ambassador|Campaign]])</small>
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Symington" |[[Stuart Symington]]
|[[File:Stuart Symington.jpg|105x105px]]
| style="background:purple;" |
|'''[[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]]<br />from [[Missouri]]'''<br />(1953–1976)
|[[File:Flag-map of Missouri.svg|101x101px|[[Missouri]]]]<br />[[Missouri]]
|<small>([[Stuart Symington#Presidential candidacy|Campaign]])</small>
|-
! scope="row" data-sort-value="Meyner" |[[Robert B. Meyner]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Oliphant |first1=Thomas |last2=Wilkie |first2=Curtis |year=2017 |title=The road to Camelot: Inside JFK's Five-Year Campaign |publisher=Simon & Schuster }}</ref>
| [[File:Robert B. Meyner (NJ).jpg|105x105px]]
|
|'''Governor'''<br />'''of [[New Jersey]]'''<br />(1954–1962)
|[[File:Flag-map_of_New_Jersey.svg|94x94px]]<br />[[New Jersey]]
| data-sort-value="03-04-2016" |<small>([[Robert B. Meyner#Presidential campaign|Campaign]])</small>
|-
! scope="row data-sort-value="Morse" |[[Wayne Morse]]
|[[File:Wayne Morse.jpg|105x105px]]
|
|'''United States Senator'''<br />'''from [[Oregon]]'''<br />(1945–1969)
|[[File:Flag-map_of_Oregon.svg|105x105px|[[Oregon]]]]<br />[[Oregon]]
|<small>([[Wayne_Morse#1960_run_for_president|Campaign]])</small>
|}

===Favorite sons===
{{Further|Favorite son}}
The following candidates ran only in their home state's primary or caucus for the purpose of controlling its delegate slate at the convention and did not appear to be considered national candidates by the media.

*Governor '''[[Ross Barnett]]''' of [[Mississippi]]
*Governor '''[[Pat Brown]]''' of [[California]] (pledged support to Kennedy)
*Governor '''[[Michael DiSalle]]''' of [[Ohio]] (pledged support to Kennedy)
*Governor '''[[Herschel Loveless]]''' of [[Iowa]]
*'''[[George H. McLain]]''' of [[California]]
*'''[[Albert S. Porter]]''' of [[Ohio]]
*Senator '''[[George Smathers]]''' of [[Florida]]

===Declined to run===
The following persons were listed in two or more major national polls or were the subject of media speculation surrounding their potential candidacy, but declined to actively seek the nomination.

*Senator [[Joseph S. Clark Jr.|'''Joseph Clark''']] of [[Pennsylvania]]
*Former Governor '''[[Frank G. Clement]] of''' [[Tennessee]]
*Governor '''[[Orval Faubus]]''' of [[Arkansas]]
*Senator [[Albert Gore Sr.|'''Albert Gore''']] of [[Tennessee]]
*Former Governor '''[[W. Averell Harriman]]''' of [[New York (state)|New York]]
*Senator '''[[Estes Kefauver]]''' of [[Tennessee]]
*Senator '''[[Edmund Muskie]]''' of [[Maine]]
*Governor '''[[G. Mennen Williams]]''' of [[Michigan]]

==Polling==
===National polling===
{{Graph:Chart
 | width=450
 | height=300
 | xAxisTitle=
 | yAxisTitle=%support
 | xAxisAngle = -40
 | legend=Candidate
 | interpolate = bundle
 | size = 2.5
 | xType = date
 | y1Title=Kennedy
 | y2Title=Johnson
 | y3Title=Stevenson
 | y4Title=Humphrey
 | y5Title=Kefauver
 | y6Title=Symington
 | y7Title=Other/Undecided
 | type=line
 |xGrid= 
 |yGrid=
 | x= 08/11/1957, 11/16/1957, 06/11/1958, 11/30/1958, 01/25/1959, 05/18/1959, 06/10/1959, 07/09/1959, 08/14/1959, 09/27/1959, 11/18/1959, 12/18/1959, 01/29/1960, 02/26/1960, 03/27/1960, 04/20/1960, 05/27/1960
 | y1= 23, 19, 19, 23, 25, 28, 25, 16, 29, 26, 30, 27, 24, 32, 35, 34, 39, 41
 | y2= 8, 11, 12, 6, 7, 9, 13, 12, 14, 12, 10, 11, 14, 12, 13, 15, 11, 11
 | y3= , , 23, 29, 29, 27, 26, 29, 25, 26, 26, 26, 26, 28, 23, 23, 21, 21
 | y4= 5, 3, 3, 1, 4, , 5, 6, 4, 5, 5, 4, 4, 5, 6, 5, 7, 7
 | y5= 29, 26, 16, 11, 10, 12, 10, , 11, 9, 9, 10, 10, 6, 6, , , 
 | y6= 5, 5, 4, 5, 4, 5, 7, 4, 6, 7, 6, 6, 5, 6, 5, 6, 6, 7
 | y7=30, 36, 23, 25, 21, 20, 14, 14, 11, 13, 13, 13, 14, 9, 12, 14, 13, 13
 | colors = #1E90FF, #d40000, #000080, #FFA500, #ffd12b, purple, #DDDDDD
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|- valign=bottom style="font-size:90%;"
! Poll source
! style="width:90px;"|Publication
! {{vert header|stp=1|Pat Brown}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Hubert Humphrey}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Estes Kefauver}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|John F. Kennedy}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Lyndon Johnson}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Adlai Stevenson}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Stuart Symington}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|mw=4|Other}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Undecided}}
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kefauver, Kennedy Tops in Party|last=Gallup|first=George|date=11 Aug 1957|newspaper=The Washington Post|page=E5}}</ref>
|Aug. 11, 1957
|–
|5%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''29%'''
|23%
|8%
|–
|5%
|14%{{efn|Frank Clement with 6%, G. Mennen Williams with 4%, Edmund Muskie with 2%, Robert Meyner and Robert Kerr combined for 2%|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|16%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=GALLUP POLL SHOWS: Kefauver Democratic Choice for 1960, Sen. Kennedy Second|last=Gallup|first=George|date=17 Nov 1957|work=Los Angeles Times|page=21}}</ref>
|Nov. 16, 1957
|–
|3%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''26%'''
|19%
|11%
|–
|5%
|15%{{efn|Frank Clement with 6%, Robert Meyner with 3%, and 6% combined for Happy Chandler, G. Mennen Williams, and Robert Kerr|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|21%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{cite news|title=Stevenson Top Choice of Democratic Voters|author=Gallup, George|work=Los Angeles Times|date=11 June 1958|page=15}}</ref>
|June 11, 1958
|–
|3%
|16%
|19%
|12%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''23%'''
|4%
|8%{{efn|Frank Clement with 4%, Robert Meyner and G. Mennen Williams combined for 4%|name=|group=}}
|15%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{cite news|title=Stevenson Tops Poll of Democrats: Kennedy Leads in Gallup Survey of Independent Voters|author=Gallup, George|work=Los Angeles Times|date=30 Nov 1958}}</ref>
|Nov. 30, 1958
|–
|1%
|11%
|23%
|6%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''29%'''
|5%
|11%{{efn|G. Mennen Williams with 5%, Orval Faubus with 4%, and Robert Meyner with <2%|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|14%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=STEVENSON LEAD IN POLL LOWERED: Kennedy Closes Gap Over November Gallup Rating; Still lndependents'-Choice|last=Gallup|first=George|date=25 Jan 1959|work=Los Angeles Times|page=A}}</ref>
|Jan. 25, 1959
|–
|4%
|10%
|25%
|7%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''29%'''
|4%
|12%{{Efn|G. Mennen Williams with 5%, Orval Faubus with 5%, and Robert Meyner with 2%|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|9%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{cite news|title=Kennedy, Stevenson Tie for Democratic Favor: Massachusetts Senator Gains Slightly, Gallup Poll Sampling Reveals|author=Gallup, George|work=Los Angeles Times|date=5 Apr 1959}}</ref>
|April 5, 1959
|–
|–
|12%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''28%'''
|9%
|27%
|5%
|11%{{efn|Combined for Orval Faubus, Hubert Humphrey, Robert Meyner, and G. Mennen Williams|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|9%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Stevenson, Kennedy Run Close: Gallup Poll Shows Johnson Third With Democrats|last=Gallup|first=George|date=18 May 1959|work=Los Angeles Times|page=6}}</ref>
|May 18, 1959
|–
|5%
|10%
|25%
|13%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''26%'''
|7%
|6%{{Efn|Combined for G. Mennen Williams, Orval Faubus, and Robert Meyner|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|8%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Top Places Maintained by Stevenson, Kennedy|last=Gallup|first=George|date=10 June 1959|work=The Hartford Courant|page=16}}</ref>
|June 10, 1959
|–
|6%
|–
|26%
|12%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''29%'''
|4%
|6%{{Efn|Combined for Robert Meyner and G. Mennen Williams|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|8%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kennedy Moves Out Ahead of Adlai In Democrats' Rating for Nomination|last=Gallup|first=George|date=9 July 1959|newspaper=The Washington Post|page=A21}}</ref>
|July 9, 1959
|–
|4%
|11%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''29%'''
|14%
|25%
|6%
|4%{{Efn|Combined for Robert Meyner and G. Mennen Williams|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|7%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kennedy and Stevenson Still Pace the Democrats|last=Gallup|first=George|date=14 Aug 1959|newspaper=The Washington Post|page=D4}}</ref>
|Aug. 14, 1959
|2%
|5%
|9%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''26%'''
|12%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''26%'''
|7%
|6%{{Efn|Robert Meyner with 3%, G. Mennen Williams with 3%|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|7%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Party Rates Kennedy No. 1|last=Gallup|first=George|date=27 Sep 1959|work=The Boston Globe|page=A3}}</ref>
|Sep. 27, 1959
|1%
|5%
|9%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''30%'''
|10%
|26%
|6%
|8%
|5%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Stevenson Pulls Closer to Kennedy in Poll|last=Gallup|first=George|date=18 Nov 1959|work=The Hartford Courant|page=16}}</ref>
|Nov. 18, 1959
|3%
|4%
|10%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''27%'''
|11%
|26%
|6%
|5%{{Efn|G. Mennen Williams with 3% and Robert Meyner with 2%|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|8%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kennedy Loses Ground Slightly, Johnson Gains|last=Gallup|first=George|date=18 Dec 1959|newspaper=The Washington Post|page=A21}}</ref>
|Dec. 18, 1959
|3%
|4%
|10%
|24%
|14%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''26%'''
|5%
|4%{{Efn|Robert Meyner with 2% and G. Mennen Williams with 2%|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|10%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kennedy Scores Gain in Democrat Backing|last=Gallup|first=George|date=29 Jan 1960|work=Los Angeles Times|page=6}}</ref>
|Jan. 29, 1960
|2%
|5%
|6%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''32%'''
|12%
|28%
|6%
|3%{{Efn|G. Mennen Williams with 2% and Robert Meyner with 1%|name=|group=lower-alpha}}
|6%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kennedy Lead Gains as Democratic Choice|last=Gallup|first=George|date=26 Feb 1960|work=Los Angeles Times|page=21}}</ref>
|Feb. 26, 1960
|–
|6%
|6%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''35%'''
|13%
|23%
|5%
|5%{{Efn|Robert Meyner with 2%; Pat Brown, G. Mennen Williams, Wayne Morse, and Chester Bowles combined for 3%|name=|group=}}
|7%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kennedy Keeps Lead in Democratic Vote|last=Gallup|first=George|date=27 Mar 1960|work=Los Angeles Times|page=A}}</ref>
|March 27, 1960
|3%
|5%
|–
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''34%'''
|15%
|23%
|6%
|6%
|8%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kennedy Widens Lead in New Gallup Poll|last=Gallup|first=George|date=20 Apr 1960|work=Los Angeles Times|page=24}}</ref>
|April 20, 1960
|3%
|7%
|–
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''39%'''
|11%
|21%
|6%
|5%
|8%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kennedy In Same Spot As Previous Candidates|last=Gallup|first=George|date=27 May 1960|work=The Hartford Daily Courant|page=17}}</ref>
|May 27, 1960
|–
|7%
|–
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''41%'''
|11%
|21%
|7%
|9%
|4%
|-
|}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==== Two-way races ====
'''Kennedy v. Kefauver'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
!Poll source
!Date(s)
! {{vert header|stp=1|Estes Kefauver}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|John F. Kennedy}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Undecided}}
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{cite news|title=Kennedy Widens Lead Over Kefauver in Poll|author=Gallup, George|date=7 Feb 1958|work=Los Angeles Times|page=24}}</ref>
|Feb. 7, 1958
|35%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''56%'''
|9%
|}
'''Kennedy v. Johnson'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
!Poll source
!Date(s)
! {{vert header|stp=1|Lyndon Johnson}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|John F. Kennedy}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Undecided}}
|-
|Gallup<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=Kennedy Favored by Democrats|last=Gallup|first=George|date=28 Feb 1960|work=Los Angeles Times|page=B14}}</ref>
|Feb. 28, 1960
|32%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''58%'''
|10%
|}
'''Kennedy v. Stevenson'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
!Poll source
!Date(s)
! {{vert header|stp=1|John F. Kennedy}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Adlai Stevenson}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Undecided}}
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{cite news|title=Kennedy, Stevenson Tied As '60 'Show-Down' Choice|author=Gallup, George|date=3 Dec 1958|work=The Hartford Courant}}</ref>
|Dec. 3, 1958
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''42%'''
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''42%'''
|16%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{cite news|title=GALLUP POLL REPORTS:: Stevenson in Slight Gain on Sen. Kennedy|author=Gallup, George|date=6 Feb 1959|work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>
|Feb. 6, 1959
|44%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''45%'''
|1%
|-
|Gallup<ref>{{Cite news|title=Stevenson, Kennedy in Close Race|last=Gallup|first=George|date=12 June 1959|work=Los Angeles Times|page=17}}</ref>
|June 12, 1959
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''45%'''
|44%
|11%
|-
|Gallup<ref name=":0" />
|Feb. 28, 1960
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''50%'''
|43%
|7%
|-
|''[[Look (American magazine)|Look]]'' magazine<ref>{{cite news|title=Poll Finds Nixon, Kennedy Favored|date=21 June 1960|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>
|June 21, 1960
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''59%'''
|20%
|21%
|}
'''Johnson v. Symington'''
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
!Poll source
!Date(s)
! {{vert header|stp=1|Lyndon Johnson}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Stuart Symington}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Undecided}}
|-
|Gallup<ref name=":0" />
|February 28, 1960
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''47%'''
|28%
|25%
|}

===Statewide polling===
====West Virginia====
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|- valign="bottom" style="font-size:90%;"
! Poll source
! style="width:90px;" |Date(s)
! style="width:90px;" |Sample<br />size{{efn|name=key|Key:<br />A – all adults<br />RV – registered voters<br />LV – likely voters<br />V – unclear}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Hubert Humphrey}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|John F. Kennedy}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|mw=4|Other}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Undecided}}
|-
|The ''[[Fayette Tribune]]''<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|title=West Virginia Poll Finds Kennedy Gain|last=Lawrence|first=W.H.|date=6 May 1960|work=The New York Times|page=1}}</ref>
|May 6, 1960
|181 A in [[Fayette County, West Virginia|Fayette County]]
|24%
| {{party shading/Democratic}} |'''38%'''
|–
|'''39%'''
|}

====Wisconsin====
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;"
|- valign=bottom style="font-size:90%;"
! Poll source
! style="width:90px;"|Date(s)
! style="width:90px;"|Sample<br />size{{efn|name=key|Key:<br />A – all adults<br />RV – registered voters<br />LV – likely voters<br />V – unclear}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Hubert Humphrey}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|John F. Kennedy}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Lyndon Johnson}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Adlai Stevenson}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Stuart Symington}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|mw=4|Other}}
! {{vert header|stp=1|Undecided}}
|-
|Sen. [[William Proxmire]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Kennedy, Nixon in Poll Lead|work=The Austin Statesman|date=5 Aug 1959|page=3}}</ref>
|Aug 5, 1959
|1,311 A
|17%
|{{party shading/Democratic}}|'''43%'''
|4%
|29%
|7%
|–
|–
|-
|}

==Schedule and results==
===States by winner===

{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="margin-left:10px; text-align:center"
|+
|-
!Date
!Contest
!Pledged delegates
! [[John F. Kennedy]]
!Lyndon Johnson
! [[Pat Brown]]
! [[Hubert Humphrey]]
! [[George Smathers]]
! [[Michael DiSalle]]
!George H. McLain
! Unpledged
!Others
|-
| March 8
| [[1960 United States presidential election in New Hampshire#Democratic primary|New Hampshire]] primary
|11
| '''11'''
'''43,372'''
|–
| –
| –
| –
| –
|
| –
|7,527
|-
| April 5
| [[1960 United States presidential election in Wisconsin#Democratic primary|Wisconsin]] primary
|31
| '''23'''
'''476,024'''
|–
| –
| 8
366,753
| –
| –
|
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | April 12
| [[1960 United States presidential election in Illinois#Democratic primary|Illinois]] preference primary
|0
| '''34,332'''
|–
| –
| 4,283
| –
| –
|
| –
|14,552
|-
|Illinois delegate primary
|69
| colspan="9" |{{Data missing|date=April 2024}}
|-
| April 19
| [[1960 United States presidential election in New Jersey#Democratic primary|New Jersey]] primary
|0
| –
|–
| –
| –
| –
| –
|
| '''217,608'''
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | April 26
| [[1960 United States presidential election in Massachusetts#Democratic primary|Massachusetts]] primary
|41
| '''41'''
'''91,607'''
|–
| –
| 794
| –
| –
|
| –
|6,762
|-
| [[1960 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania#Democratic primary|Pennsylvania]] primary
|83
| '''183,073'''
|–
| –
| 13,860
| –
| –
|
| –
|59,880
|-
| rowspan="3" | May 3
| [[1960 United States presidential election in Indiana#Democratic primary|Indiana]] primary
|34
| '''353,832'''
|–
| –
| –
| –
| –
|
| –
|82,937
|-
| [[1960 United States presidential election in Ohio#Democratic primary|Ohio]] primary
|64
| –
|–
| –
| –
| –
| '''315,312'''
|
| –
|
|-
| [[1960 United States presidential election in the  District of Columbia#Democratic primary|Washington D.C.]] primary
|9
| –
|–
| –
| '''8,239'''
| –
| –
|
| –
|6,127
|-
|May 8
|[[1960 United States presidential election in Texas|Texas]] caucuses<ref>{{Cite news |date=1960-05-09 |title=JOHNSON SWEEPS TEXAS CAUCUSES; Senator Assured of Control of State's Delegation to Democratic Convention |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1960/05/09/archives/johnson-sweeps-taxas-caucuses-senator-assured-of-control-of-states.html |access-date=2024-04-24 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
|61
|–
|'''61'''
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|-
| rowspan="2" | May 10
| [[1960 United States presidential election in Nebraska#Democratic primary|Nebraska]] primary
|16
| '''80,408'''
|–
| –
| 3,202
| –
| –
|
| –
|7,082
|-
| [[1960 United States presidential election in West Virginia#Democratic primary|West Virginia]] primary
|25
| '''236,510'''
|–
| –
| 152,187
| –
| –
|
| –
|
|-
| May 17
| [[1960 United States presidential election in Maryland#Democratic primary|Maryland]] primary
|24
| '''201,769'''
|–
| –
| –
| –
| –
|
| 24,350
|49,420
|-
| May 20
| [[1960 United States presidential election in Oregon#Democratic primary|Oregon]] primary
|17
| '''146,663'''
|–
| –
| 16,319
| –
| –
|
| –
|
|-
| May 24
| [[1960 United States presidential election in Florida#Democratic primary|Florida]] primary
|29
| –
|–
| –
| –
| '''322,235'''
| –
|
| –
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | June 7
| [[1960 United States presidential election in California#Democratic primary|California]] primary
|81
| –
|–
| '''1,354,031'''
| –
| –
| –
|646,387
| –
|
|-
| [[1960 United States presidential election in South Dakota#Democratic primary|South Dakota]] primary
|11
| –
|–
| –
| '''24,773'''
| –
| –
|
| –
|
|-
|
|TOTALS
|
|'''1,847,259'''
|
|1,354,031
|590,410
|322,235
|315,312
|646,387
|241,958
|369,072
|}

==Primary race==
From the outset of the campaign, Kennedy's religion played a major role. [[Happy Chandler]], the governor of [[Kentucky]] and a major power broker in the party, emphatically stated that Kennedy could not win [[Kentucky]] due to his Catholicism.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46158108/the-boston-globe/ |title=Kennedy Can't Take Kentucky, Chandler Says |date=January 13, 1960 |work=The Boston Globe |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200305152028/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46158108/the-boston-globe/ |archive-date=March 5, 2020 |page=16 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

===New Hampshire: March 8===
{{See also|1960 New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary}}Kennedy faced trivial opposition in the neighboring state of [[New Hampshire]] and won overwhelmingly.<ref>{{cite book|title=John F. Kennedy: A Biography|first=Michael|last=O'Brien|year=2006|page=444|isbn=978-0-312-35745-0 |publisher=St. Martin's Griffin }}</ref> While campaigning in [[Madison, Wisconsin]], Kennedy expressed enthusiasm about the New Hampshire results: "I'm very happy about it; we did better than I thought we would."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1960/03/10/page/19/article/many-factors-aid-kennedys-n-h-triumph|title=Many Factors Aid Kennedy's N.H. Triumph|date=March 10, 1960|first=William|last=Fulton|publisher=Chicago Tribune}}</ref>

===Wisconsin: April 5===
The first sharply contested popular primary was in Wisconsin, where Kennedy faced Humphrey on April 5.

Kennedy had begun building campaign operations in the state as early as June 1959, when he hired Jerry Bruno, the organizer behind [[William Proxmire]]'s election to the Senate, and laid the groundwork for a campaign headquarters in [[Milwaukee]].<ref name=Savage>{{cite book|title=JFK, LBJ, and the Democratic Party|first=Sean J.|last=Savage|year=2004|isbn=978-0-7914-6169-3|publisher=State University of New York Press|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/jfklbjdemocratic00sava_0/page/52}}</ref> Kennedy formally announced his intention to run in Wisconsin on January 21, intending to show popular support for his campaign.<ref name=Pietrusza>{{cite book|title=1960: LBJ Vs. JFK Vs. Nixon: the Epic Campaign that Forged Three Presidencies|first=David|last=Pietrusza|year=2008|publisher=Union Square Press|isbn=978-1-4027-6114-0}}</ref> The wealthy Kennedy was far better funded than Humphrey, a man of relatively modest means.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pages.shanti.virginia.edu/Kennedys_in_the_60s/jfk/public-view/|title=JFK and the Public View|publisher=shanti.virginia.edu}}</ref> Kennedy was also supported by his wealthy and glamorous extended family and friends; in his memoirs, Humphrey later lamented that "[[Muriel Humphrey|Muriel]] and I and our 'plain folks' entourage were no match for the glamour of [[Jackie Kennedy]] and the other Kennedy women, for [[Peter Lawford]] ... and [[Frank Sinatra]] singing their commercial 'High Hopes'. Jack Kennedy brought family and Hollywood to Wisconsin. The people loved it and the press ate it up."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Humphrey|first=Hubert H.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S57qnQEACAAJ|title=Education of a Public Man: My Life and Politics|publisher=[[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday & Company]]|year=1976|isbn=978-0-8166-1897-2|page=207}}</ref> Humphrey nevertheless believed that by beating Kennedy in Wisconsin, he could blunt the latter's momentum and overtake him in later primaries.

In Wisconsin, Kennedy won with the support of Catholic voters, including some Republican Catholics who voted in the Democratic primary.<ref name=Lawrence>Lawrence W.H.; 'Wisconsin Buoys Kennedy's Drive but Poses Perils: Senator's Feat in Outpolling Humphrey and Nixon Aids His Presidential Fight'; ''Special to ''[[The New York Times]]'' '', April 7, 1960, p. 1</ref><ref>Janson, Donald; 'Religion Big Factor In Kennedy Victory', Special to ''The New York Times'', April 6, 1960, p. 1</ref> Days before the primary, Kennedy said it had been the "toughest, closest, most meaningful".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1960/04/03/page/1/article/press-wisconsin-campaign|title=Press Wisconsin Campaign; Sen. Kennedy, Humphrey In Final Drive|date=April 3, 1960|publisher=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> However, some observers found his margin of victory unexpectedly narrow and attributed it solely to Catholic support, while Protestants had backed Humphrey, leaving questions about Kennedy's ability to carry the convention or the election in the fall.<ref>{{cite book|last=Solberg|first=Carl|title=Hubert Humphrey: A Biography|publisher=Borealis Books|year=1984|page=208|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wzGabQcvDvcC&pg=PA206|isbn=0-87351-473-4}}</ref> Humphrey remained in the race, setting up a second popular showdown in the more heavily Protestant state of [[West Virginia]].

The Wisconsin race was covered in the documentary film ''[[Primary (film)|Primary]]''.

===West Virginia: May 10===
In West Virginia, Kennedy sought to show that he could win the support of Protestant voters and to remove Humphrey from the race, securing the party's liberal wing and setting up a showdown with Johnson for the nomination. Humphrey had high expectations, given that the state's population was rural, working class, ninety-five percent Protestant, and its delegates had backed him against Kennedy in the vice presidential contest four years prior.{{sfn|Solberg|1984|p=209}}

Kennedy met the religious issue head-on, hoping to redefine the race as one of "tolerance against intolerance," rather than Catholic against Protestant. His father also brought [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr.]] to campaign in the state;<ref name="NYTObit">{{cite news|last1=Mcquiston|first1=John T.|title=Franklin Roosevelt Jr., 74, Ex-Congressman, Dies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/08/18/obituaries/franklin-roosevelt-jr-74-ex-congressman-dies.html|access-date=August 13, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=August 18, 1988}}</ref> Roosevelt then raised the issue of Humphrey's failure to serve in [[World War II]]. Though Humphrey had tried and failed to serve due to physical disability,<ref>{{cite book|title=Flawed Giant: Lyndon Johnson and His Times, 1961–1973|first=Robert|last=Dallek|page=[https://archive.org/details/flawedgiantlyndo00dall/page/256 256]|isbn=978-0-19-505465-1|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1998|url=https://archive.org/details/flawedgiantlyndo00dall/page/256}}</ref> Roosevelt attacked his lack of service record, publicly telling audiences, "I don't know where [Humphrey] was in World War Two," and distributing flyers that accused him of [[draft dodger|draft dodging]].<ref name=CaroPassage3>{{citation|last=Caro|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Caro|title=[[The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Passage of Power]]|pages=85–86|chapter=3. Forging Chains|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf|location = New York|year = 2012}}</ref> After the primary was over, Roosevelt apologized to Humphrey and retracted the claims,{{sfn|Solberg|1984|p=209}} which he later called his greatest political regret.<ref>{{cite book|last=Schlesinger|first=Arthur M. Jr.|title=Robert Kennedy and His Times|location=New York|publisher=Ballantine Books|year=1996|page=201}}</ref>

Kennedy continued to outspend Humphrey heavily in West Virginia; though he publicly claimed expenditures of $100,000, later estimates placed his family's overall spending at $1.5 million, dwarfing Humphrey's $23,000.{{sfn|Solberg|1984|pp=210-11}} Humphrey traveled the state in a rented bus, while the Kennedys used a family-owned airplane.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wvculture.org/history/1960presidentialcampaign/article.html|title=Battleground West Virginia Electing the President in 1960|author=Bryan Ward Jr.|publisher=wvculture.org|date=26 Apr 2013|access-date=21 Apr 2023|archive-date=12 Nov 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112055237/http://www.wvculture.org/history/1960presidentialcampaign/article.html}}</ref> Humphrey later wrote of the West Virginia campaign, "as a professional politician I was able to accept and indeed respect the efficacy of the Kennedy campaign. But underneath the beautiful exterior, there was an element of ruthlessness and toughness that I had trouble either accepting or forgetting."{{sfn|Humphrey|1976|p=208}} 

On May 4, 1960, Humphrey and Kennedy took part in a televised one-on-one debate at [[WCHS-TV]] in [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston]], [[West Virginia]], ahead of the state's primary.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Berquist |first1=Goodwin F. Jr. |title=The Kennedy-Humphrey debate |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01463376009385139?journalCode=rcqu19 |journal=Today's Speech |access-date=10 September 2020 |pages=2–31 |doi=10.1080/01463376009385139 |date=1 September 1960|volume=8 |issue=3 }}</ref>

Kennedy defeated Humphrey soundly in West Virginia, and Humphrey announced his withdrawal from the race that night.

== Convention ==

=== Presidential nomination ===
{{main|1960 Democratic National Convention}}

Presidential tally:<ref>[http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=58375 Our Campaigns - US President - D Convention Race - Jul 11, 1960]</ref>

* [[John F. Kennedy]]: 806 (52.89%)
* [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]: 409 (26.84%)
* [[Stuart Symington]]: 86 (5.64%)
* [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai Stevenson]]: 80 (5.25%)
* [[Robert B. Meyner]]: 43 (2.82%)
* [[Hubert Humphrey]]: 42 (2.76%)
* [[George Smathers]]: 30 (1.97%)
* [[Ross Barnett]]: 23 (1.51%)
* [[Herschel C. Loveless]]: 2 (0.13%)
* [[Pat Brown]], [[Orval E. Faubus]], [[Albert Dean Rosellini]]: each 1 vote

=== Vice-presidential nomination ===
{{see|1960 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate selection}}
Kennedy announced Lyndon B. Johnson as his choice of running-mate on the afternoon following his nomination.<ref>{{cite book|last1=White|first1=Theodore|title=The Making of the President 1960|date=1961|publisher=Giant Cardinal|page=212}}</ref> Johnson was nominated by acclamation that evening.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lawrence|first1=W. H.|title=Johnson is Nominated for Vice President; Kennedy Picks Him to Placate the South|url=https://partners.nytimes.com/library/politics/camp/600715convention-dem-ra.html|access-date=11 September 2016|work=The New York Times|date=July 15, 1960}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[1960 Republican Party presidential primaries]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{1960 United States presidential election}}
{{1960 United States elections}}
{{U.S. presidential primaries}}
{{John F. Kennedy}}
{{Lyndon B. Johnson}}
{{Hubert Humphrey}}
{{Democratic Party (United States)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1960 Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries}}
[[Category:1960 United States Democratic presidential primaries| ]]