1960 United States presidential election in Texas explained

Election Name:1960 United States presidential election in Texas
Country:Texas
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1956 United States presidential election in Texas
Previous Year:1956
Next Election:1964 United States presidential election in Texas
Next Year:1964
Election Date:November 8, 1960
Image1:Jfk2 (3x4).jpg
Nominee1:John F. Kennedy
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State1:Massachusetts
Running Mate1:Lyndon B. Johnson
Electoral Vote1:24
Popular Vote1:1,167,567
Percentage1:50.52%
Nominee2:Richard Nixon
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Home State2:California
Running Mate2:Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.
Electoral Vote2:0
Popular Vote2:1,121,310
Percentage2:48.52%
Map Size:350px
President
Before Election:Dwight D. Eisenhower
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:John F. Kennedy
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 1960 United States presidential election in Texas was held on November 8, 1960, as part of the 1960 United States presidential election. The Democratic Party candidate John F. Kennedy, narrowly won the state of Texas with 50.52 percent of the vote to the Republican candidate Vice President Richard Nixon's 48.52%, a margin of two percent, giving him the state's 24 electoral votes. Despite the presence of U.S. Senator Lyndon B. Johnson on the Democratic ticket (as well as Johnson winning in a landslide in the concurrent Senate election), the result made Texas the tenth closest state in the election. Nixon's strong performance in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, Harris County, the Panhandle, and the Hill Country kept the race close.[1]

Background

The weakening of the Democratic control over the Solid South allowed Republicans to win Texas in the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections. The state legislature passed legislation requested by Lyndon B. Johnson that allowed him to run in both the presidential election and the concurrent senatorial election.

Campaign

Fears of anti-Catholic voting in West Texas, which had given Herbert Hoover a narrow win over Al Smith in 1928,[2] were not entirely realized. It is notable that the sparsely populated rural Plains counties of Armstrong, Bailey, Childress, Collingsworth, Dallam, Dawson, Donley, Floyd, Gaines, Hale, Hardeman, Hartley, Moore, Motley, Parmer, Wheeler, Willbarger and Yoakum switched from Stevenson to Nixon, as did Wise County north of Fort Worth, while a further thirty-eight counties saw Kennedy fail to reach Stevenson's vote percentage.[3] However, this was more than offset by Kennedy's gains in heavily Hispanic Catholic South Texas, where few Mexicans had voted in 1928.[4] Anti-Catholic voting was also lessened by appeals from former President Harry Truman, who campaigned for Kennedy and Johnson.[5], this is the last time Glasscock County voted for a Democratic presidential candidate.[6]

Nixon himself later commented "we lost Texas...because of that asshole Congressman",[7] referring to Bruce Alger. The only Republican congressman in Texas at the time, Alger had led protestors, many of them well-heeled conservative women, against Johnson's visit to Dallas on November 4. One woman pulled Johnson's wife's gloves out of her hand, and her hat was knocked off by a protestor's placard. Nicknamed the "mink coat mob", the resulting press coverage was a humiliation for Texas Republicans[8] [9] and was blamed for damaging the party's electoral results in the South generally at a time when wives were regarded as sacrosanct.[10]

Johnson won in the concurrent senatorial election against Republican nominee John Tower, but Tower won in the special election to fill the vacancy created by Johnson's election to the vice-presidency. This was the first time since 1920 that Texas voted differently than neighboring Oklahoma, and the second of only four such elections overall.

Results

1960 United States presidential election in Texas
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
DemocraticJohn F. Kennedy1,167,56750.52%24
RepublicanRichard Nixon1,121,30148.52%0
ConstitutionCharles L. Sullivan18,1620.79%0
ProhibitionRutherford Decker3,8700.17%0
Write-insWrite-ins1750.01%0
Totals2,311,084100.00%24

Results by county

CountyJohn F. Kennedy
Democratic
Richard Nixon
Republican
Various candidates
Other parties
MarginTotal votes cast
data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" %data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" %data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" %data-sort-type="number" data-sort-type="number" %
Anderson3,29647.21%3,64252.16%440.63%-346-4.95%6,982
Andrews1,82153.42%1,55045.47%381.11%2717.95%3,409
Angelina7,04656.32%5,16941.32%2952.36%1,87715.00%12,510
Aransas94854.23%79245.31%80.46%1568.92%1,748
Archer1,34166.29%68033.61%20.10%66132.68%2,023
Armstrong36542.44%48856.74%70.81%-123-14.30%860
Atascosa2,54458.34%1,81241.55%50.11%73216.79%4,361
Austin1,72546.15%1,97852.92%350.94%-253-6.77%3,738
Bailey1,06446.85%1,18051.96%271.19%-116-5.11%2,271
Bandera53936.32%94263.48%30.20%-403-27.16%1,484
Bastrop2,86670.25%1,20829.61%60.15%1,65840.64%4,080
Baylor1,19962.68%71337.27%10.05%48625.41%1,913
Bee2,55753.42%2,22046.38%100.21%3377.04%4,787
Bell10,65169.67%4,60630.13%310.20%6,04539.54%15,288
Bexar75,37353.74%63,93445.59%9380.67%11,4398.15%140,245
Blanco83059.54%55739.96%70.50%27319.58%1,394
Borden23055.96%16640.39%153.65%6415.57%411
Bosque1,85252.54%1,65346.89%200.57%1995.65%3,525
Bowie9,19860.54%5,92739.01%680.45%3,27121.53%15,193
Brazoria10,56148.66%10,88050.13%2641.22%-319-1.47%21,705
Brazos5,90756.38%4,55343.46%170.16%1,35412.92%10,477
Brewster71649.14%73650.51%50.34%-20-1.37%1,457
Briscoe57051.26%53347.93%90.81%373.33%1,112
Brooks1,93477.02%56722.58%100.40%1,36754.44%2,511
Brown3,72051.11%3,51248.26%460.63%2082.85%7,278
Burleson2,46678.46%67221.38%50.16%1,79457.08%3,143
Burnet1,77059.48%1,18939.95%170.57%58119.53%2,976
Caldwell2,72964.64%1,48235.10%110.26%1,24729.54%4,222
Calhoun1,96154.56%1,59944.49%340.95%36210.07%3,594
Callahan1,55954.93%1,26144.43%180.63%29810.50%2,838
Cameron12,41654.84%10,19045.01%340.15%2,2269.83%22,640
Camp1,30759.41%87339.68%200.91%43419.73%2,200
Carson1,00941.92%1,38757.62%110.46%-378-15.70%2,407
Cass2,93455.46%2,32243.89%340.64%61211.57%5,290
Castro1,54464.82%81034.01%281.18%73430.81%2,382
Chambers1,52454.12%1,26044.74%321.14%2649.38%2,816
Cherokee4,54457.65%3,23341.02%1051.33%1,31116.63%7,882
Childress1,18942.97%1,57156.78%70.25%-382-13.81%2,767
Clay1,69262.25%1,01937.49%70.26%67324.76%2,718
Cochran1,02861.41%64638.59%00.00%38222.82%1,674
Coke79957.56%57541.43%141.01%22416.13%1,388
Coleman1,83546.14%2,12753.48%150.38%-292-7.34%3,977
Collin5,22957.10%3,86542.20%640.70%1,36414.90%9,158
Collingsworth69138.78%1,08460.83%70.39%-393-22.05%1,782
Colorado2,29954.13%1,90944.95%390.92%3909.18%4,247
Comal1,84537.34%3,08262.38%140.28%-1,237-25.04%4,941
Comanche1,97951.67%1,82847.73%230.60%1513.94%3,830
Concho71857.81%52242.03%20.16%19615.78%1,242
Cooke3,16844.15%3,98355.50%250.35%-815-11.35%7,176
Coryell2,70064.41%1,47735.23%150.36%1,22329.18%4,192
Cottle98672.45%37027.19%50.37%61645.26%1,361
Crane84854.08%67843.24%422.68%17010.84%1,568
Crockett51744.72%63554.93%40.35%-118-10.21%1,156
Crosby1,78366.46%88933.13%110.41%89433.33%2,683
Culberson34352.77%30046.15%71.08%436.62%650
Dallam83546.18%96153.15%120.66%-126-6.97%1,808
Dallas88,87636.99%149,36962.16%2,0540.85%-60,493-25.17%240,299
Dawson2,06348.59%2,16150.89%220.52%-98-2.30%4,246
Deaf Smith1,29938.79%2,02460.44%260.78%-725-21.65%3,349
Delta1,36074.24%46025.11%120.66%90049.13%1,832
Denton5,36648.26%5,72451.48%290.26%-358-3.22%11,119
DeWitt2,25344.80%2,76354.94%130.26%-510-10.14%5,029
Dickens1,07566.89%52132.42%110.68%55434.47%1,607
Dimmit88657.64%64842.16%30.20%23815.48%1,537
Donley76444.42%95155.29%50.29%-187-10.87%1,720
Duval3,80382.42%80917.53%20.04%2,99464.89%4,614
Eastland3,05847.42%3,35952.09%320.50%-301-4.67%6,449
Ector8,99643.52%11,14553.91%5312.57%-2,149-10.39%20,672
Edwards16826.29%46372.46%81.25%-295-46.17%639
Ellis5,84161.21%3,66638.42%360.38%2,17522.79%9,543
El Paso26,02754.59%21,55145.20%990.21%4,4769.39%47,677
Erath2,49047.74%2,69651.69%300.58%-206-3.95%5,216
Falls3,39968.46%1,55931.40%70.14%1,84037.06%4,965
Fannin4,28269.76%1,84430.04%120.20%2,43839.72%6,138
Fayette3,46260.75%2,21338.83%240.42%1,24921.92%5,699
Fisher1,96674.05%67925.57%100.38%1,28748.48%2,655
Floyd1,43747.24%1,58051.94%250.82%-143-4.70%3,042
Foard72372.66%27027.14%20.20%45345.52%995
Fort Bend4,33956.27%3,30142.81%710.92%1,03813.46%7,711
Franklin1,14864.71%62034.95%60.34%52829.76%1,774
Freestone1,99754.71%1,62944.63%240.66%36810.08%3,650
Frio1,06859.66%71339.83%90.50%35519.83%1,790
Gaines1,49849.26%1,52049.98%230.76%-22-0.72%3,041
Galveston23,94058.64%16,37340.10%5151.26%7,56718.54%40,828
Garza82952.60%73746.76%100.63%925.84%1,576
Gillespie81623.27%2,68776.62%40.11%-1,871-53.35%3,507
Glasscock20756.56%15241.53%71.91%5515.03%366
Goliad71148.87%74150.93%30.21%-30-2.06%1,455
Gonzales2,73063.62%1,55436.22%70.16%1,17627.40%4,291
Gray2,80231.09%6,19768.76%140.16%-3,395-37.67%9,013
Grayson9,86657.26%7,31242.44%530.31%2,55414.82%17,231
Gregg7,76541.44%10,67956.99%2931.56%-2,914-15.55%18,737
Grimes1,71361.66%1,05337.90%120.43%66023.76%2,778
Guadalupe3,11645.91%3,65753.88%140.21%-541-7.97%6,787
Hale3,69543.31%4,78456.07%530.62%-1,089-12.76%8,532
Hall1,19255.88%93944.02%20.09%25311.86%2,133
Hamilton1,13641.51%1,59258.17%90.33%-456-16.66%2,737
Hansford51227.84%1,32271.89%50.27%-810-44.05%1,839
Hardeman1,18244.52%1,47255.44%10.04%-290-10.92%2,655
Hardin4,31566.89%2,11532.79%210.33%2,20034.10%6,451
Harris148,27545.57%168,17051.68%8,9542.75%-19,895-6.11%325,399
Harrison5,10851.36%4,61346.39%2242.25%4954.97%9,945
Hartley39748.71%41350.67%50.61%-16-1.96%815
Haskell2,77676.05%86623.73%80.22%1,91052.32%3,650
Hays2,91664.39%1,60635.46%70.15%1,31028.93%4,529
Hemphill33328.20%84771.72%10.08%-514-43.52%1,181
Henderson3,41157.14%2,52142.23%380.64%89014.91%5,970
Hidalgo18,66357.59%13,62842.05%1150.35%5,03515.54%32,406
Hill4,34065.83%2,22633.76%270.41%2,11432.07%6,593
Hockley3,16959.15%2,15940.29%300.56%1,01018.86%5,358
Hood1,23856.61%94343.12%60.27%29513.49%2,187
Hopkins3,22860.26%2,11739.52%120.22%1,11120.74%5,357
Houston2,70361.67%1,59136.30%892.03%1,11225.37%4,383
Howard4,84458.12%3,40340.83%881.06%1,44117.29%8,335
Hudspeth40959.71%26738.98%91.31%14220.73%685
Hunt4,11649.94%4,08449.55%420.51%320.39%8,242
Hutchinson3,29533.81%6,43265.99%200.21%-3,137-32.18%9,747
Irion24650.51%23848.87%30.62%81.64%487
Jack1,07944.37%1,34255.18%110.45%-263-10.81%2,432
Jackson2,26857.10%1,67042.04%340.86%59815.06%3,972
Jasper3,00458.64%2,10241.03%170.33%90217.61%5,123
Jeff Davis19551.18%18247.77%41.05%133.41%381
Jefferson40,53357.63%29,39541.80%4030.57%11,13815.83%70,331
Jim Hogg1,25584.85%22415.15%00.00%1,03169.70%1,479
Jim Wells5,33065.71%2,77334.18%90.11%2,55731.53%8,112
Johnson3,84445.59%4,51053.49%770.91%-666-7.90%8,431
Jones2,77255.60%2,19644.04%180.36%57611.56%4,986
Karnes2,55662.57%1,52637.36%30.07%1,03025.21%4,085
Kaufman3,00852.15%2,71747.10%430.75%2915.05%5,768
Kendall54926.14%1,54473.52%70.33%-995-47.38%2,100
Kenedy7851.32%7448.68%00.00%42.64%152
Kent49170.34%20529.37%20.29%28640.97%698
Kerr1,32328.79%3,25270.76%210.46%-1,929-41.97%4,596
Kimble55043.89%69955.79%40.32%-149-11.90%1,253
King13376.88%3922.54%10.58%9454.34%173
Kinney35862.92%21137.08%00.00%14725.84%569
Kleberg3,77364.32%2,09235.66%10.02%1,68128.66%5,866
Knox1,36565.06%72934.75%40.19%63630.31%2,098
Lamar5,08456.02%3,96443.68%280.31%1,12012.34%9,076
Lamb3,08951.42%2,76446.01%1542.56%3255.41%6,007
Lampasas1,37252.59%1,22246.84%150.57%1505.75%2,609
La Salle71868.64%32631.17%20.19%39237.47%1,046
Lavaca4,00272.47%1,50727.29%130.24%2,49545.18%5,522
Lee1,36955.85%1,04842.76%341.39%32113.09%2,451
Leon1,80367.18%86832.34%130.48%93534.84%2,684
Liberty3,90253.12%3,36145.76%821.12%5417.36%7,345
Limestone3,47263.00%2,02336.71%160.29%1,44926.29%5,511
Lipscomb26722.08%93977.67%30.25%-672-55.59%1,209
Live Oak77042.26%1,04857.52%40.22%-278-15.26%1,822
Llano1,13161.47%70438.26%50.27%42723.21%1,840
Loving4648.42%4244.21%77.37%44.21%95
Lubbock15,34043.08%20,06556.35%2020.57%-4,725-13.27%35,607
Lynn1,87265.85%95333.52%180.63%91932.33%2,843
McCulloch1,57957.46%1,16542.39%40.15%41415.07%2,748
McLennan20,10057.17%14,92642.46%1300.37%5,17414.71%35,156
McMullen24049.90%24150.10%00.00%-1-0.20%481
Madison90958.57%60739.11%362.32%30219.46%1,552
Marion90453.46%74243.88%452.66%1629.58%1,691
Martin83169.08%35029.09%221.83%48139.99%1,203
Mason57540.58%83358.79%90.64%-258-18.21%1,417
Matagorda2,97149.53%2,97549.60%520.87%-4-0.07%5,998
Maverick1,49870.03%63929.87%20.09%85940.16%2,139
Medina2,32553.23%2,02846.43%150.34%2976.80%4,368
Menard49144.68%60855.32%00.00%-117-10.64%1,099
Midland5,84233.11%11,34364.28%4602.61%-5,501-31.17%17,645
Milam3,64065.51%1,89834.16%180.32%1,74231.35%5,556
Mills86946.05%1,01253.63%60.32%-143-7.58%1,887
Mitchell2,13163.61%1,20836.06%110.33%92327.55%3,350
Montague2,34652.54%2,10147.05%180.40%2455.49%4,465
Montgomery3,51050.60%3,30947.70%1181.70%2012.90%6,937
Moore1,54738.43%2,46361.19%150.37%-916-22.76%4,025
Morris1,95255.08%1,56944.27%230.65%38310.81%3,544
Motley43947.10%48051.50%131.39%-41-4.40%932
Nacogdoches3,52252.32%3,04245.19%1682.50%4807.13%6,732
Navarro5,54062.24%3,36137.76%00.00%2,17924.48%8,901
Newton1,81570.08%75629.19%190.73%1,05940.89%2,590
Nolan3,24757.22%2,42142.66%70.12%82614.56%5,675
Nueces29,36160.70%18,90739.09%1000.21%10,45421.61%48,368
Ochiltree52121.76%1,87078.11%30.13%-1,349-56.35%2,394
Oldham32650.70%31348.68%40.62%132.02%643
Orange9,07862.02%5,48337.46%760.52%3,59524.56%14,637
Palo Pinto3,02252.63%2,69546.93%250.44%3275.70%5,742
Panola2,18748.41%2,26450.11%671.48%-77-1.70%4,518
Parker3,62950.77%3,46748.50%520.73%1622.27%7,148
Parmer1,09039.12%1,67460.09%220.79%-584-20.97%2,786
Pecos1,72454.44%1,41244.58%310.98%3129.86%3,167
Polk2,03760.63%1,26837.74%551.64%76922.89%3,360
Potter8,98938.70%14,20261.14%380.16%-5,213-22.44%23,229
Presidio86669.39%37630.13%60.48%49039.26%1,248
Rains68062.90%40137.10%00.00%27925.80%1,081
Randall3,28231.96%6,95867.76%290.28%-3,676-35.80%10,269
Reagan62154.91%48943.24%211.86%13211.67%1,131
Real27341.81%37757.73%30.46%-104-15.92%653
Red River2,85064.94%1,52734.79%120.27%1,32330.15%4,389
Reeves2,23558.48%1,54940.53%380.99%68617.95%3,822
Refugio1,77762.53%1,06237.37%30.11%71525.16%2,842
Roberts10423.37%33976.18%20.45%-235-52.81%445
Robertson2,66973.81%93525.86%120.33%1,73447.95%3,616
Rockwall91757.93%65241.19%140.88%26516.74%1,583
Runnels1,93847.56%2,12852.22%90.22%-190-4.66%4,075
Rusk4,39040.50%6,00155.36%4494.14%-1,611-14.86%10,840
Sabine1,20865.55%61933.59%160.87%58931.96%1,843
San Augustine1,26964.68%63832.52%552.80%63132.16%1,962
San Jacinto1,11571.02%44828.54%70.45%66742.48%1,570
San Patricio5,24662.52%3,12937.29%160.19%2,11725.23%8,391
San Saba1,25159.35%84940.28%80.38%40219.07%2,108
Schleicher35143.39%45556.24%30.37%-104-12.85%809
Scurry3,02057.09%2,23542.25%350.66%78514.84%5,290
Shackelford71351.04%68448.96%00.00%292.08%1,397
Shelby3,26665.41%1,67933.63%480.96%1,58731.78%4,993
Sherman30530.72%68669.08%20.20%-381-38.36%993
Smith8,49440.80%12,04257.84%2851.37%-3,548-17.04%20,821
Somervell34543.13%44155.13%141.75%-96-12.00%800
Starr4,05193.49%2806.46%20.05%3,77187.03%4,333
Stephens1,35744.80%1,66454.94%80.26%-307-10.14%3,029
Sterling19351.47%18248.53%00.00%112.94%375
Stonewall86473.66%30626.09%30.26%55847.57%1,173
Sutton47452.03%43747.97%00.00%374.06%911
Swisher1,77757.27%1,31042.22%160.52%46715.05%3,103
Tarrant59,38544.66%72,81354.75%7880.59%-13,428-10.09%132,986
Taylor9,34743.17%12,25856.62%450.21%-2,911-13.45%21,650
Terrell35254.49%29145.05%30.46%619.44%646
Terry2,23753.75%1,90845.84%170.41%3297.91%4,162
Throckmorton68960.76%44238.98%30.26%24721.78%1,134
Titus2,70154.61%2,21644.80%290.59%4859.81%4,946
Tom Green7,03146.12%8,17653.63%390.26%-1,145-7.51%15,246
Travis27,02254.85%22,10744.87%1350.27%4,9159.98%49,264
Trinity1,52167.18%70731.23%361.59%81435.95%2,264
Tyler1,24246.76%1,40152.75%130.49%-159-5.99%2,656
Upshur3,24858.48%2,26240.73%440.79%98617.75%5,554
Upton93052.84%79845.34%321.82%1327.50%1,760
Uvalde1,32437.27%2,21462.33%140.39%-890-25.06%3,552
Val Verde2,04956.87%1,55143.05%30.08%49813.82%3,603
Van Zandt2,82556.88%2,12042.68%220.44%70514.20%4,967
Victoria5,77955.58%4,59144.16%270.26%1,18811.42%10,397
Walker1,83250.85%1,75048.57%210.58%822.28%3,603
Waller1,10148.57%1,11549.18%512.25%-14-0.61%2,267
Ward2,01852.39%1,76345.77%711.84%2556.62%3,852
Washington1,86441.52%2,61358.21%120.27%-749-16.69%4,489
Webb10,05984.78%1,80215.19%40.03%8,25769.59%11,865
Wharton5,00459.16%3,38740.04%670.79%1,61719.12%8,458
Wheeler1,01141.37%1,42858.43%50.20%-417-17.06%2,444
Wichita14,58753.60%12,58746.25%390.14%2,0007.35%27,213
Wilbarger2,31945.21%2,79654.51%140.27%-477-9.30%5,129
Willacy2,10960.48%1,36739.20%110.32%74221.28%3,487
Williamson5,41068.74%2,42930.86%310.39%2,98137.88%7,870
Wilson2,90569.88%1,24830.02%40.10%1,65739.86%4,157
Winkler1,64250.48%1,56248.02%491.51%802.46%3,253
Wise2,47048.90%2,56250.72%190.38%-92-1.82%5,051
Wood2,63351.51%2,40046.95%791.55%2334.56%5,112
Yoakum99444.88%1,20754.49%140.63%-213-9.61%2,215
Young2,41953.65%2,06745.84%230.51%3527.81%4,509
Zapata67572.19%26027.81%00.00%41544.38%935
Zavala70647.86%76151.59%80.54%-55-3.73%1,475
Totals1,167,56750.52%1,121,31048.52%22,2070.96%46,2572.00%2,311,084

See also

Works cited

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1960 Presidential General Election Results - Texas . April 26, 2016.
  2. Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 212
  3. Menendez, Albert J.; The Religious Factor in the 1960 Presidential Election: An Analysis of the Kennedy Victory over Anti-Catholic Prejudice, p. 135
  4. Phillips; The Emerging Republican Majority, p. 221
  5. Carty, T.; A Catholic in the White House?: Religion, Politics, and John F. Kennedy's Presidential Campaign, p. 90
  6. Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, pp. 311–319
  7. Web site: Solis . Meagan . 11 November 2013 . Primary Sources Illuminate Dallas 1963 . May 24, 2020 . Texas Observer.
  8. Web site: Davis . Steven . 20 November 2013 . LBJ and Dallas's Mink Coat Mob . American Prospect.
  9. News: Schuddel . Matt . April 25, 2015 . Bruce Alger, firebrand Republican congressman from Texas, dies at 96 . . May 17, 2015.
  10. Book: Dan Helpingstine . Dallas Forever Changed: The Legacy of November 1963 . June 24, 2015 . Pelican Publishing Company . 978-1-4556-2055-5 . 42.