(PRESIDENTS 1960 CAMPAIGN) County by county notes from the

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(PRESIDENTS--1960 CAMPAIGN.) County-by-county notes from the "West Virginians for Kennedy" campaign. 61 typescript leaves with occasional manuscript notes; most with looseleaf punch holes in margins; minimal wear. West Virginia, circa January to April 1960

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A set of county-by-county typed notes from John F. Kennedy's West Virginia campaign in the 1960 Democratic primary. Every county is represented. This important primary knocked Hubert Humphrey out of contention and proved Kennedy could get Protestant votes; Humphrey complained about Kennedy's enormous budget advantage and ruthlessness there.

Typical sheets list the county Democratic Party chair, Kennedy Club officers, and voting statistics from 1958. Some sheets are nearly blank, suggesting moribund operations, but others include notes on additional contacts and potential supporters. For Mercer County at the state's southern tip, we have short descriptions of 14 potential supporters and local Democratic leaders. One man wrote offering his services to Kennedy, but "also asked for a donation for grocery bill." Dr. R.R. Higginbotham is "colored, respected and has influence with negro." An honor student and wrestling champion at Marshall College hoped to launch a campus Kennedy Club: "K has special appeal to college students because of his long-time interest in education." Two rival committees for Mercer County were submitted, typed out on separate sheets. In Berkeley County, Senator Clarence Martin "appears to want to support K but unable to do so"; regarding another supporter, "Martin said he was not worth a damn." Many potential supporters are noted as Catholic. One leader in Jefferson County had "Catholic wife, likes booze." The mayor of Ravenswood in Jackson County is described as a "scardy cat." A master list is arranged by county. It lists George Chandler as the Lincoln County chair, but he is crossed off with the notation "Double Cross." In short, there's plenty of very local political color in here.