United States Senate elections, 1962

United States Senate elections, 1962

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's seat Montana Illinois Last election 64 seats 36 seats Seats before 63 37 Seats won 66 34 Seat change 3 3 Popular vote 20,832,503 20,245,509 Percentage 50.4% 49.0% Swing 4.7% 4.8%

Republican hold   Republican gain   Democratic hold   Democratic gain

Majority Leader before election Mike Mansfield Democratic Elected Majority Leader Mike Mansfield Democratic

The U.S. Senate election, 1962 was an election for the United States Senate which was held in the middle of President John F. Kennedy's term. His Democratic Party made a net gain of three seats from the Republicans, increasing their control of the Senate, because of Kennedy's resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Change in Senate composition

Senate composition before the elections

Senate composition as a result of the elections

Senate composition at the beginning of the next Congress

Retirements

Through open seats due to retirements, Democrats gained two seats.

Democratic seats held by Democrats

1. Hawaii: Oren E. Long (D) was replaced by Daniel Inouye (D).
2. Massachusetts (Class 1): Appointee Benjamin A. Smith (D) was replaced by Ted Kennedy (D)

Republicans replaced by Democrats

1. Connecticut: Prescott Bush (R) was replaced by Abraham Ribicoff (D)
2. Maryland: John M. Butler (R) was replaced by Daniel B. Brewster (D)

Losing incumbents

Democrats had a net gain of two seats in election upsets.

Democrats lost to Republicans

1. Colorado : John A. Carroll (D) lost to Peter H. Dominick (R)
2. Wyoming (Class 2): Appointee John J. Hickey (D) lost to Milward Simpson (R)

Republicans lost to Democrats

1. Indiana: Homer E. Capehart (R) lost to Birch Bayh (D)
2. New Hampshire (Class 2): Appointee Maurice J. Murphy, Jr. (R) lost renomination to Perkins Bass (R). Bass lost the general election to Thomas J. McIntyre (D).
3. South Dakota: Appointee Joseph H. Bottum (R) lost to George S. McGovern (D)
4. Wisconsin: Alexander Wiley (R) lost to Gaylord Nelson (D)

Other changes

The Democrats' four-seat net gain was reduced by one seat between the election and the next Congress.

1. New Mexico: On November 18, 1962, Democrat Dennis Chavez, who was not up for election that year, died. He was replaced on November 30, 1962 by Republican appointee Edwin L. Mechem.

Subsequent changes

• September 16, 1964: South Carolina — Strom Thurmond switched parties from Democratic to Republican.

Summary of all contests

Bold states indicates link to election article.

Bold candidates indicates winner.

See also

• 88th United States Congress
• United States House of Representatives elections, 1962