United States Senate elections, 1962

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

     Republican holds      Republican pickups      Democratic holds      Democratic pickups      Simultaneous hold      Republican hold and Democratic pickup
     Republican holds      Republican pickups      Democratic holds      Democratic pickups      Simultaneous hold      Republican hold and Democratic pickup

The U.S. Senate election, 1962 was an election for the United States Senate which occurred in the middle of John F. Kennedy's term. His Democratic Party made a net gain of four seats from the Republicans, maintaining control of the Senate, with Democrats having about 2/3 of the Senate seats.

Democrats took open seats in New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Maryland and defeated Republican incumbents Joseph H. Bottum (R-SD), Homer E. Capehart (R-IN), and Alexander Wiley (R-WI). Republicans defeated incumbents John A. Carroll (D-CO) and John J. Hickey (D-WY).

The appointment of Republican Edwin L. Mechem to replace deceased Dennis Chavez (D-NM) on November 30, 1962, combined with the party switch by Strom Thurmond (D-SC) to the Republicans, reduced the Democratic gain to 2 seats.

Notable freshmen included the President's brother, Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), elected to the seat left vacant by the President, and future presidential candidate George McGovern (D-SD).

[edit] Senate contests in 1962

State Incumbent Party Status Opposing Candidates
Alabama Lister Hill Democrat Re-elected, 50.9 - 49.1 James D. Martin (Republican)
Alaska Ernest Gruening Democrat Re-elected, 58.1 - 41.9 Ted Stevens (Republican)
Arizona Carl Hayden Democrat Re-elected, 54.9 - 45.1 Evan Mecham (Republican)
Arkansas J. William Fulbright Democrat Re-elected, 68.7 - 31.3 Kenneth Jones (Republican)
California Thomas H. Kuchel Republican Re-elected, 56.3 - 43.4 Richard Richards (Democrat)
Colorado John A. Carroll Democrat Defeated, 53.6 - 45.6 Peter H. Dominick (Republican)
Connecticut Prescott S. Bush Republican Retired: Democratic victory, 51.3 - 48.8 Abraham A. Ribicoff (Democrat)
Horace Seely-Brown (Republican)
Florida George A. Smathers Democrat Re-elected, 70.0 - 30.0 Emerson Rupert (Republican)
Georgia Herman E. Talmadge Democrat Re-elected, unopposed
Hawaii Oren E. Long Democrat Retired: Democratic victory, 69.4 - 30.6 Daniel K. Inouye (Democrat)
Ben Dillingham (Republican)
Idaho1 Len B. Jordan Republican Re-elected, 51.0 - 49.0 Gracie Pfost (Democrat)
Idaho Frank Church Democrat Re-elected, 54.7 - 45.3 Jack Hawley (Republican)
Illinois Everett M. Dirksen Republican Re-elected, 52.9 - 47.1 Sidney R. Yates (Democrat)
Indiana Homer E. Capehart Republican Defeated, 50.3 - 49.7 Birch Bayh (Democrat)
Iowa Bourke B. Hickenlooper Republican Re-elected, 53.4 - 46.6 E. B. Smith (Democrat)
Kansas2 James B. Pearson Republican Re-elected, 56.2 - 42.5 Paul L. Aylward (Democrat)
Kansas Frank Carlson Republican Re-elected, 62.4 - 35.9 K. L. Smith (Democrat)
Kentucky Thruston B. Morton Republican Re-elected, 52.8 - 47.2 Wilson W. Wyatt (Democrat)
Louisiana Russell B. Long Democrat Re-elected, 75.6 - 24.4 Taylor W. O'Hearn (Republican)
Maryland John M. Butler Republican Retired: Democratic victory, 62.0 - 38.0 Daniel B. Brewster (Democrat)
Edward T. Miller (Republican)
Massachusetts3 Benjamin A. Smith Democrat Retired: Democratic victory, 55.4 - 41.9 Edward M. Kennedy (Democrat)
George C. Lodge (Republican)
Missouri Edward V. Long Democrat Re-elected, 54.6 - 45.4 Crosby Kemper (Republican)
Nevada Alan Bible Democrat Re-elected, 65.3 - 34.7 William B. Wright (Republican)
New Hampshire4 Maurice J. Murphy, Jr. Republican Defeated in primary: Democratic victory, 52.3 - 47.7 Thomas J. McIntyre (Democrat)
Perkins Bass (Republican)
New Hampshire Norris Cotton Republican Re-elected, 59.7 - 40.3 Alfred Catalfo, Jr. (Democrat)
New York Jacob K. Javits Republican Re-elected, 57.4 - 40.1 James B. Donovan (Democrat)
North Carolina Sam J. Ervin, Jr. Democrat Re-elected, 60.5 - 39.6 Claude L. Greene, Jr. (Republican)
North Dakota Milton R. Young Republican Re-elected, 60.7 - 39.4 William Lanier (Democrat)
Ohio Frank J. Lausche Democrat Re-elected, 61.6 - 38.4 John M. Briley (Republican)
Oklahoma A. S. Mike Monroney Democrat Re-elected, 53.2 - 46.3 B. Hayden Crawford (Republican)
Oregon Wayne Morse Democrat Re-elected, 54.2 - 45.8 Sig Unander (Republican)
Pennsylvania Joseph S. Clark Democrat Re-elected, 51.1 - 48.7 James E. Van Zandt (Republican)
South Carolina Olin B. Johnston Democrat Re-elected, 57.2 - 42.8 W. D. Workman, Jr. (Republican)
South Dakota Joseph H. Bottum Republican Defeated, 50.1 - 49.9 George S. McGovern (Democrat)
Utah Wallace F. Bennett Republican Re-elected, 52.4 - 47.6 David S. King (Democrat)
Vermont George D. Aiken Republican Re-elected, 66.9 - 33.1 W. Robert Johnson (Democrat)
Washington Warren G. Magnuson Democrat Re-elected, 52.1 - 47.3 Richard G. Christensen (Republican)
Wisconsin Alexander Wiley Republican Defeated, 52.6 - 47.2 Gaylord Nelson (Democrat)
Wyoming5 John J. Hickey Democrat Defeated, 57.8 - 42.2 Milward Simpson (Republican)

1 special election held due to death of Henry C. Dworshak (R-ID)

2 special election held due to death of Andrew F. Schoeppel (R-KS)

3 special election held due to election of John F. Kennedy (D-MA) to the office of President in 1960

4 special election held due to death of Henry Styles Bridges (R-NH)

5 special election held due to death of Edwin Keith Thomson (Republican Senator-elect)

[edit] Senate composition before and after elections

87th Congress Senate Composition   88th Congress Senate Composition
                                                                                                     
                                                                                                     
                                                                                                     
                                                                                                     
Color Key:   = Republican   = Democratic

[edit] See also