Election Results
The election of 1960 ended with Kennedy beating Nixon by a very close margin of 49.7% to 49.5% of the popular vote - or the difference of 118,574 votes. (1)
Did the First debate significantly change public support?
According to a Gallup Poll, following the first debate with Nixon, Kennedy lead in the polls 51% to 45%. (2) Kennedy's support was up from 46%, and Nixon's down from 47% reported prior to the debate. (3)
Final Remarks
Much has been made about the sharp contrast between Kennedy’s and Nixon’s appearance, from suit and tie choices, to makeup, to posture and steadiness during the first debate. The substance of what Kennedy and Nixon shared, provided a much closer look at their platforms than is typical today, setting Kennedy apart from Nixon in a way that voters responded to. It is clear that the debate helped Kennedy as he moved from slightly behind to measurably ahead of Nixon after the debate. The combination of being granted an appearance equal to Nixon on the debate stage, along with positioning himself as the candidate of change mattered as much as the relative appearance of the two candidates.
Footnotes:
(1) "1960 Presidential Election Results," John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/life-of-john-f-kennedy/fast-facts-john-f-kennedy/1960-presidential-election-results.
(2) Gary A. Donaldson, The First Modern Campaign : Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960 (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007), [Page 123], https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e900xww&AN=613576&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
(3) Gary A. Donaldson, The First, 123.
(1) "1960 Presidential Election Results," John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/life-of-john-f-kennedy/fast-facts-john-f-kennedy/1960-presidential-election-results.
(2) Gary A. Donaldson, The First Modern Campaign : Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960 (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2007), [Page 123], https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e900xww&AN=613576&site=ehost-live&scope=site.
(3) Gary A. Donaldson, The First, 123.