The 1964 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on November 3, 1964, with the incumbent
Democratic senator,
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Massachusetts for almost 47 years, from 1962 until his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic ...
, easily defeating his
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
challenger
Howard J. Whitmore Jr.
The election coincided with the
1964 United States presidential election
The 1964 United States presidential election was the 45th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 3, 1964. Incumbent Democratic United States President Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater, the Republican nomi ...
, which was won by incumbent Democrat
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
in a landslide, as well as the
Senate election in neighboring New York which was won by Kennedy's older brother
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
. It took place less than a year after
the assassination of the incumbent Senator's eldest surviving brother,
President
President most commonly refers to:
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* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
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* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
. The two surviving Kennedy brothers thus benefited from both an overall national swing to the Democrats and public sympathy following their sibling's murder. Much of the campaign-appearance burden in Massachusetts on behalf of Ted Kennedy fell on his wife,
Joan Joan may refer to:
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* Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters
*:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine
* Joan (surname)
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*Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multip ...
, because of Ted's serious back injury in a plane crash.
Ted Kennedy recorded his highest-ever percentage of the vote in this election, although he won a larger margin of victory against divided opposition
in 2000.
Democratic primary
Candidates
*
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Massachusetts for almost 47 years, from 1962 until his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic ...
, incumbent Senator since 1962
Results
Senator Kennedy was unopposed for renomination.
Republican primary
Candidates
*
Howard J. Whitmore Jr., former State Representative and mayor of
Newton
Results
Whitmore was unopposed for the Republican nomination.
General election
Candidates
* Lawrence Gilfedder, perennial candidate (Socialist Workers)
*
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Massachusetts for almost 47 years, from 1962 until his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic ...
, incumbent Senator since 1962 (Democratic)
* Grace F. Luder, candidate for Congress in 1950 and 1952 (Prohibition)
*
Howard J. Whitmore Jr., former State Representative and mayor of
Newton (Republican)
Results
See also
*
United States Senate elections, 1964
External links
Race detailsat ourcampaigns.com
References
;Notes
;Sources
Campaigning from a Hospital BedRecordings of Telephone Calls between Edward Kennedy and President Lyndon Johnson during the 1964 campaign
{{Ted Kennedy
Mas
1964
Events January
* January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved.
* January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarc ...
1964 Massachusetts elections