1962 Midterm Elections

In the midterm elections of 1962, the Democratic Party lost four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives but gained two seats in the U.S. Senate, retaining their majorities.

Although the opposition party traditionally makes healthy gains in midterm elections, the nation rallied behind President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, less than three weeks before the election. Two prominent Democratic freshman Senators included George McGovern of South Dakota and Birch Bayh of Indiana. Earlier in 1962 Edward Kennedy was elected to the Senate in Massachusetts in a special election.

Every incumbent Republican in the House was reelected. They did particularly well in south, defeating a four-term Democratic Senator in Alabama. Future presidential candidates that were elected Governor included Democrats George C. Wallace of Alabama and John Connally of Texas, and Republican George Romney of Michigan. Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York easily won a second term.

Future President Richard M. Nixon was defeated in his campaign for Governor of California, and told the press "You won't have Nixon to kick around any more", announcing his retirement from politics.