Kennedy traveled extensively to build his support among Democratic elites and voters . At the time , party officials controlled most of the delegates , but several states also held primaries , and Kennedy sought to win several primaries to boost his chances of winning the nomination . In his first major test , Kennedy won the Wisconsin primary , effectively ending Humphrey 's hopes of winning the presidency . Nonetheless , Kennedy and Humphrey faced each other in a competitive West Virginia primary in which Kennedy could not benefit from a Catholic bloc , as he had in Wisconsin . Kennedy won the West Virginia primary , impressing many in the party , but at the start of the 1960 Democratic National Convention , it was unclear as to whether he would win the nomination
1960 Democratic National Convention
1960 Democratic National Convention
John F. Kennedy