Tom Connally

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Thomas Terry “Tom” Connally


In office
March 4, 1929 – January 3, 1953
Preceded by Earle B. Mayfield
Succeeded by Price Daniel

U.S. Representative from Texas'
11th Congressional District
In office
March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1929
Preceded by Robert L. Henry
Succeeded by Oliver H. Cross

State Representative from
Texas' 69th District
In office
January 3, 1903 – January 10, 1905
Preceded by Abram Cole
Succeeded by Austin Milton Kennedy
W. C. O'Bryan

State Representative from
Texas' 72th District
In office
January 8, 1901 – January 13, 1903
Preceded by Sam Little
Succeeded by John W. Stollenwerck, Sr.
Samuel R. Boyd

Born August 19, 1877
Eddy, Texas
Died October 28, 1963 (aged 86)
Washington, D.C.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Louise Clarkson (died 1935)
Lucile Sanderson Sheppard
Children One
Alma mater Baylor University
Religion Methodist

Thomas Terry Connally (August 19, 1877 – October 28, 1963), usually referred to as Tom Connally, was a progressive Wilsonian Democrat from Texas who served as the state's U.S. representative and senator. A racist liberal, he was a New Dealer who blocked anti-lynching legislation and led internationalists in foreign policy.

U.S. House of Representatives

Connally was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1916 from Texas' 11th congressional district and re-elected five times.[1]

U.S. Senate

Connally in 1937.

Connally ran for Senate in 1928 and faced incumbent Democrat Klansman Earle B. Mayfield. He finished second in the primary with Mayfield garnering a plurality,[2] and won the runoff by just over ten percentage points.[3]

Connally opposed the policies of Republican president Herbert Hoover, including efforts to raise the tariff.[4] During the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Connally was a staunch supporter of New Deal programs. The only notable time he broke from Roosevelt was during the president's 1937 court packing attempt.

Civil rights opposition

Connally and co. filibustering the Anti-Lynching Bill of 1938.

In 1935, Connally participated in the Southern Democratic filibuster of the Costigan–Wagner Act, an anti-lynching bill introduced by senators Edward P. Costigan and Robert F. Wagner.[5] Three years later, Connally joined fellow Southern Democratic senators Richard Russell, Jr., Walter Franklin George, and Claude Densen Pepper in filibustering the Wagner–Van Nuys Act.[6][7]

Connally led a filibuster for ten days against an attempt to rid the poll tax in 1942.[4]

Foreign policy

A globalist, Connally opposed the isolationist Republicans and headed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during the 1940s and 50s. He created a powerful alliance with Arthur Vandenberg which dominated foreign policy during the presidency of Harry Truman, and played a crucial role the establishment of the United Nations and NATO.[4]

See also

References

External links

  • Profile at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress