November 8, 1960
KENNEDY WINS PRESIDENCY
Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) John F. Kennedy became President-elect of the United States today becoming the youngest elected President in history as well as the 1st of the Roman Catholic faith.
The Election of 1960 will also go down as the closest presidential contest, at least thus far, in the 20th century.
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Vice-President Richard M. Nixon won 26 states with 219 electoral votes while Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts carried 22 states with 303 electoral votes.
The Kennedy-Johnson ticket received 34,220,984 or 49.72% of the popular vote while the Nixon-Lodge ticket won 34,108,157 or 49.55%.
Harry F. Byrd, segregationist Senator of Virginia, running with Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, won 15 electoral votes.
The Vice-President watched returns from his suite at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.
Senator Kennedy, meanwhile, was at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.*
*Kennedy built an early lead with returns coming from urban centers, but Nixon came from behind as later returns came in from rural areas & the West.
Although Mr. Nixon spoke to his supporters at 3 a.m., he did not concede the election at that time.
Senator Kennedy & Senator Lyndon B. Johnson were the 1st incumbent United States senators to be elected as President & Vice-President. The next would be Senators Barack Obama & Joe Biden in 2008.
