Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ:
Mgbakọ Mba Ọchịchị Kọmunist nke 1956. Mgbe onye isi ala Republican bụ Dwight D. Eisenhower meriri Adlai Stevenson na ntuli aka onye isi ala nke 1956, Kennedy bidoro ịkwadebe maka ọkwa onye isi ala na ntuli aka nke 1960. Na Jenụwarị 1960, Kennedy kwupụtara ọkwa ya na ntuliaka onyeisiala nke afọ ahụ. Senator Hubert Humphrey nke Minnesota pụtara dị ka onye isi ịma aka Kennedy na 1960 Democratic primaries, mana mmeri Kennedy na steeti West Virginia nke Protestant siri ike kpaliri Humphrey ịhapụ agbụrụ ahụ. Na 1960 Democratic National Convention, Kennedy gbochiri ihe ịma aka sitere na Stevenson na Senator Lyndon B. Johnson nke Texas iji merie nhọpụta onye isi ala na ntuli aka mbụ nke mgbakọ ahụ. Kennedy họọrọ Johnson ka ọ bụrụ osote onye isi oche ya, n'agbanyeghị mmegide sitere n'aka ọtụtụ ndị nnọchi anya onye nweere onwe ya na ndị ọrụ Kennedy, gụnyere nwanne ya nwoke Robert F. Kennedy. Kennedy kwenyere na ọnụnọ Johnson na tiketi ahụ ga-amasị ndị na-eme ntuli aka na ndịda, o chekwara na Johnson nwere ike ịbụ onye njikọ bara uru na Senate.