1960 United States Senate election in Oklahoma

Summary

The 1960 United States Senate election in Oklahoma took place on November 8, 1960. Incumbent Democratic Senator Robert S. Kerr ran for re-election to a third term. He won the Democratic primary in a landslide and then faced former U.S. Attorney B. Hayden Crawford, the Republican nominee, in the general election. Even as Vice President Richard Nixon was winning Oklahoma in a landslide over John F. Kennedy, Kerr was able to defeat Crawford by a wide margin, winning his third term. However, Kerr died just shy of two years into his third term, on January 1, 1963. He was replaced by Governor J. Howard Edmondson in the Senate and a special election was held in 1964.

1960 United States Senate election in Oklahoma

← 1954 November 8, 1960 1964 (special) →
 
Nominee Robert S. Kerr B. Hayden Crawford
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 474,116 385,646
Percentage 54.84% 44.61%

County results
Kerr:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Crawford:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Robert S. Kerr
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Robert S. Kerr
Democratic

Democratic primary edit

Candidates edit

Results edit

Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Robert S. Kerr (inc.) 300,061 77.61%
Democratic Thomas C. Dunn 65,139 16.85%
Democratic D. R. Condo 21,420 5.54%
Total votes 386,620 100.00%

Republican primary edit

Candidates edit

  • B. Hayden Crawford, former U.S. Attorney[2]
  • Herbert K. Hyde, former U.S. Attorney,[3] 1936 Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate

Results edit

Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican B. Hayden Crawford 37,508 70.44%
Republican Herbert K. Hyde 15,743 29.56%
Total votes 53,251 100.00%

General election edit

Results edit

=
1960 United States Senate election in Oklahoma[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Robert S. Kerr (inc.) 474,116 54.84% -1.00%
Republican B. Hayden Crawford 385,646 44.61% +0.95%
Independent Billy E. Brown 4,713 0.55%
Majority 88,470 10.23% -1.95%
Turnout 864,475
Democratic hold

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "1958-1966 Election Results" (PDF). Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "Considers Race For Kerr's Seat". Miami News-Record. Miami, Okla. February 21, 1960. p. 17. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  3. ^ "State Filings In Late Rally Friday". Muskogee Times-Democrat. Muskogee, Okla. April 30, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved June 18, 2021.