Final answer:
Richard Nixon was the loser in the closely contested 1960 presidential election against John F. Kennedy, who won by a narrow margin of popular and electoral votes.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the presidential election of 1960, the candidate who lost was Richard Nixon. This election was one of the closest in American history, with John F. Kennedy winning by a narrow margin of 118,550 popular votes. Nixon's loss was particularly significant given the tight race, characterized by Kennedy's strong support from urban centers and his eventual victory in the Electoral College with 303 votes to Nixon's 219. Despite concerns about Kennedy being Roman Catholic and his liberal stance on civil rights, he managed to edge out Nixon, who had been the Vice President under Dwight D. Eisenhower.