The 1960 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1960. Democratic nominee

Terry Sanford James Terry Sanford (August 20, 1917April 18, 1998) was an American lawyer and politician from North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, Sanford served as the 65th Governor of North Carolina from 1961 to 1965, was a two-time U.S. pr ...

defeated

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 ...

nominee Robert L. Gavin with 54.45% of the vote.

Background

By 1960, many of the North Carolina's leading Democratic politicians from the previous two decades were dead. The incumbent governor, Luther H. Hodges did not have a strong political organization and was retiring from politics.

Democratic primary campaign

John Davis Larkins Jr. John Davis Larkins Jr. (June 8, 1909 – February 16, 1990) was an American politician and jurist who served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. Education and career ...

was the first Democrat to declare his candidacy, announcing his bid on January 20, 1960.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on May 28, 1960.

Democratic primary

Candidates

, former State Senator * I. Beverly Lake Sr., attorney * Malcolm B. Seawell,

North Carolina Attorney General The Attorney General of North Carolina is a statewide elected office in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The attorney general is a constitutional officer responsible for representing state agencies in legal matters, supplying other state offici ...

, former State Senator

Results

General election

Candidates

*Terry Sanford, Democratic *Robert L. Gavin, Republican

Results

References

Works cited

*
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{{United States elections, 1960

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Jan ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

Gubernatorial A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

November 1960 events in the United States