The presidential race of 1960 would prove to be momentous. Having promised a New Frontier, Kennedy had to deliver a tangible plan — and address persistent doubts about his religious faith and his stance on civil rights. Kennedy took advantage of the relatively new medium of television to advance his presidential ambitions. Kennedy won the presidency over Richard Nixon, but his margin of victory — 0.2 percent of the popular vote — was the narrowest in the nation's history up to that point.