{{Officeholder
|name=Jennings Randolph
|image=Jennings Randolph.jpg
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Mary Katherine Babb
}}
'''Jennings Randolph''' (March 8, 1902 – May 8, 1998) was a [[West Virginia]] [[Democrat]] U.S. representative and senator who was the last [[New Deal]]er to serve in Congress. <ref>Weil, Martin (May 9, 1998). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/junkie/links/randolph.htm Former Sen. Jennings Randolph Dies]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> He was considered to have mostly been [[liberal]],<ref name=nytimes>Stout, David (May 9, 1998). [https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/09/us/senator-jennings-randolph-of-west-virginia-dies-at-96.html Senator Jennings Randolph of West Virginia Dies at 96]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/jennings_randolph/409027 Sen. Jennings Randolph]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> though was notably [[pro-life]].<ref>Meehan, Mary. [https://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=916 Democrats for Life: Part I. What They Face]. ''Catholic Online''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>
==Political career==
===U.S. House of Representatives===
Pro-[[civil rights]], Randolph voted for [[anti-lynching legislation]] in 1937<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/75-1/h27 TO PASS H. R. 1507, AN ANTI-LYNCHING BILL.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> and 1940,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/76-3/h96 TO PASS H.R. 801, A BILL TO MAKE LYNCHING A FEDERAL CRIME.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> respectively the Gavagan-Wagner and Gavagan-Fish bills.<ref>FascinatingPolitics (July 1, 2018). [https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/07/01/on-ideology-and-anti-lynching-legislation/ On Ideology and Anti-Lynching Legislation]. ''Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>
===U.S. Senate===
Randolph was pro-[[civil rights]] and voted for the [[Civil Rights Act]]s of 1960,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/86-1960/s284 HR. 8601. PASSAGE OF AMENDED BILL.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> [[Civil Rights Act of 1964|1964]],<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/s409 HR. 7152. PASSAGE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> 1968,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/90-1968/s346 TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN SALE OR RENTAL OF HOUSING, AND TO PROHIBIT RACIALLY MOTIVATED INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON EXERCISING HIS CIVIL RIGHTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> in addition to the [[24th Amendment]]<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/87-1962/s226 S.J. RES. 29. APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION BANNING THE POLL TAX AS PREREQUISITE FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> which outlawed [[poll tax]]es in all federal-level elections as well as the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]].<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/89-1965/s78 TO PASS S. 1564, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>
He was a leading advocate of lowering the U.S. voting age and wrote the [[26th Amendment]].<ref name=nytimes/>
Randolph faced a formidable challenge in his 1978 re-election campaign from Governor Arch A. Moore.<ref>Franklin, Ben A. (May 28, 1978). [https://www.nytimes.com/1978/05/28/archives/toughest-race-in-decades-for-west-virginia-senator-an-irreverent.html Toughest Race in Decades for West Virginia Senator]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> Although he heavily outspent Moore,<ref>Roberts, Sam (January 8, 2015). [https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/09/us/arch-moore-91-w-virginia-trail-blazer-dies.html Arch Moore, Trailblazing West Virginia Governor, Dies at 91]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> Randolph only won the general election by one percentage point.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=5331 WV US Senate Race - Nov 07, 1978]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>
Randolph gave support in 1982 to a proposed gasoline tax as a means to fund a transit program.<ref>Tolchin, Martin (December 8, 1982). [https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/08/us/senate-democrats-urge-works-bill-as-a-substitute-for-road-job-plan.html SENATE DEMOCRATS URGE WORKS BILL AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR ROAD-JOB PLAN]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>
In 1983, Randolph voted for the [[Orrin Hatch|Hatch]]-Eagleton [[Human Life Amendment]] which would have overturned ''[[Roe v. Wade]]''.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/98-1983/s169 TO PASS S. J. RES. 3, A MEASURE AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION TO ESTABLISH LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY IN CONGRESS AND THE STATES WITH RESPECT TO ABORTION, THEREBY OVERTURNING THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION IN ROE VS. WADE. (MOTION FAILED;2/3 REQUIR.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref> However, it only received a total of forty-nine affirmative votes, falling far short of the two-thirds majority required for congressional approval of constitutional amendments.
==Quotes==
{{cquote|I essentially am a West Virginia senator. I'm not what you'd call a national senator or international senator.<ref>May 8, 1998. [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-sen-jennings-randolph-dies/ Former Sen. Jennings Randolph Dies]. ''CBS News''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>}}
==Legacy==
Randolph has the Jennings Randolph Lake renamed in his honor.<ref>[https://www.recreation.gov/camping/gateways/183 Jennings Randolph Lake]. ''recreation.gov''. Retrieved August 2, 2021.</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=R000046 Profile] at the ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
*[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8188526/jennings-randolph Profile] at ''Find a Grave
*[https://wvsocialstudies.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/e-wv-jennings-randolph.pdf Biography] at ''The West Virginia Encyclopedia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Randolph, Jennings}}
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Former United States Senators]]
[[Category:New Deal]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Baptists]]
[[Category:Moderate Democrats]]
[[Category:Civil Rights]]
[[Category:Pro-Life]]