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1960 United States Senate elections in Oregon

(Redirected from 1960 United States Senate special election in Oregon)

The 1960 United States Senate elections in Oregon took place on November 8, 1960.

1960 United States Senate elections in Oregon
← 1954 November 8, 1960 1966 →
 
Nominee Maurine Neuberger Elmo Smith
Party Democratic Republican
Regular election 412,757
54.61% 		343,009
45.38%
Special election 422,024
54.98% 		345,464
45.01%
Regular/special election county results[a]
Neuberger:      50–60%      60–70%
Smith:      50-60%
U.S. senator before election

Hall S. Lusk
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Maurine Neuberger
Democratic

First-term Democrat Richard L. Neuberger had been diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1958 that became terminal by 1960 — but was kept from the public. Neuberger remained at home in early 1960, reportedly battling the flu. Though still publicly seeking re-election, he told his campaign chair, attorney Jack Beatty, "Remember, there's always another Neuberger," referring to his wife. The comment, combined with Neuberger's reluctance to meet in public and weak voice on the phone, led Beatty to believe that Neuberger's condition was grave, a suspicion confirmed by the Senator's physician shortly before Neuberger died at Good Samaritan Hospital on March 9, 1960.[1][2]

Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court Hall S. Lusk was appointed on March 16, 1960, by Republican governor Mark Hatfield to fill the vacancy until a special election could be held.[3][4]

Hatfield stated that he intended to have appointed Neuberger, but that he wanted to appoint someone who would be focused on completing the remaining eight months of the term and not running in the regular-term Senate election as Neuberger had announced she would.[5] Some observers noted that Hatfield, a Republican, though required by state law to appoint someone of the same political party as the late Senator Neuberger, did not want to give the other party the political advantage of incumbency.[5][6]

Two elections for the Class 2 Senate seat were held on the same day; one as a special election to fill the remainder of Neuberger's original six-year term, and another to select a Senator to serve the next six-year term. Senator Lusk did not run for election.

Neuberger's widow Maurine Brown Neuberger was elected on November 8, 1960, both to finish the term and to the next term. Democrats would not win this seat again until 2008.

Primary elections

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Primary elections were held on May 20, 1960.

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Maurine Neuberger was the only candidate for the special election to finish Richard Neuberger's term. Cox was ineligible for the nomination as he had not properly registered in time as a voter.[8]

Results

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Regular election
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Democratic primary results[9][10][11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maurine Neuberger 211,961 77.88%
Democratic Harry C. Fowler 28,032 10.30%
Democratic William B. Murphy 16,245 5.97%
Democratic Roscoe Imrie Conn 7,164 2.63%
Democratic Fred O. Like 5,352 1.97%
Democratic Daniel N. Cox 3,142 1.15%
Write-in 283 0.10%
Total votes 272,179
Special election
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Democratic primary results[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Maurine Neuberger 244,865 99.49%
Write-in 1,249 0.51%
Total votes 246,114

Republican primary

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Candidates

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Cook and Killam were not candidates for the special election to finish Neuberger's term.

Results

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Regular election
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Republican primary results[9][10][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elmo Smith 179,575 76.53%
Republican George Altvater 20,438 8.71%
Republican R. F. Cook 19,443 8.29%
Republican Thomas Killam 14,490 6.18%
Write-in 701 0.30%
Total votes 234,647
Special election
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Republican primary results[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elmo Smith 201,024 85.52%
Republican George Altvater 33,022 14.05%
Write-in 1,013 0.43%
Total votes 235,059

General election

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Results

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Regular election

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1960 United States Senate election in Oregon[13][14][15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Maurine Neuberger 412,757 54.61%
Republican Elmo Smith 343,009 45.38%
Write-in 109 0.01%
Majority 69,748 9.23%
Turnout 755,875
Democratic hold

Special election

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1960 United States Senate special election in Oregon[13][14][17][18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Maurine Neuberger 422,024 54.98%
Republican Elmo Smith 345,464 45.01%
Write-in 93 0.01%
Majority 76,560 9.97%
Turnout 767,581
Democratic hold

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ While there were some slight differences in the particular percentages, the county results for the regular and special elections, both in their winners and percent ranges, were identical.

References

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  1. ^ Beatty, Jack (2010). The Politics of Public Virtue. pp. 261–268.
  2. ^ "Sen. Neuberger, Jewish Member of U.S. Senate, Dies; Was 47 Years Old". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. March 10, 1960.
  3. ^ "Lusk Meets President, Takes Oath as Senator". Evening star. Washington, D.C. March 23, 1960. p. A-5. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  4. ^ Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy (ed.). The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992. United States Senate Historical Office. Vol. Four. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 157. ISBN 9780160632563.
  5. ^ a b "Oregon Justice, Democrat, gets Neuberger's seat in U. S. Senate" (PDF). The New York Times. March 16, 1960. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  6. ^ "Women in Congress: Maurine B. Neuberger, Senator from Oregon". United States Congress. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Neuberger's Widow Faces 4 in Primary". Evening star. Washington, D.C. March 12, 1960. p. A-2. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  8. ^ "14 Contests, One Measure on Ballot for Oregon Voters Friday". Medford Mail Tribune. Medford, Oregon. May 19, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 147.
  10. ^ a b c d Oregon Primary Returns 1960, p. 16.
  11. ^ "OR US Senate, 1960 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  12. ^ "OR US Senate, 1960 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  13. ^ a b Congressional Quarterly 1998, p. 95.
  14. ^ a b Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives (1961). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1960" (PDF). U.S. Government Printing Office.
  15. ^ Oregon General Election Returns 1960, p. 6.
  16. ^ "OR US Senate, 1960". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  17. ^ Oregon General Election Returns 1960, p. 5.
  18. ^ "OR US Senate, 1960 - Special Election". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 19, 2022.

Bibliography

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