I'm for Me Senators' Party 1960

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The 1960 United States Senate election in Maine was historic. It was the first time in senate history that both major party candidates were women: popular Republican incumbent Margaret Chase Smith and Democratic contender Lucia Cormier. Smith had been elected in 1948, again in 1954, and was seeking her third term in 1960. That year Maine’s junior senator, Edmund Muskie, in a surprise twist, supported the opposing candidate. 

Cormier was a successful businesswoman and veteran state representative. She became Democratic floor leader in Maine’s State House of Representatives in 1959. The historic senate contest gained national attention when Senator Muskie escorted Cormier to the Senate Chamber, introduced her as “the next senator from Maine.” He urged her to take a seat at one of the historic desks. Smith complained it was a breach of Senate etiquette, and media frenzy began. 

Despite the accomplishments of both women, the press frequently derided their qualifications. They were pitted against each other as the “Widow v. Spinster.” However, the two women—who had worked together for years—were determined to be taken seriously. Referred to as the “Petticoat Race,” Margaret Chase Smith won the election by 62%.