Difference between revisions of "William Purtell"
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| + | {{Officeholder | ||
| + | |name=William Arthur Purtell | ||
| + | |image=William Arthur Purtell.jpg | ||
| + | |party=[[Republican]] | ||
| + | |spouse=Katherine Elizabeth Cassidy | ||
| + | |religion= | ||
| + | |offices= | ||
| + | {{Officeholder/senator | ||
| + | |state=Connecticut | ||
| + | |terms=January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1959 | ||
| + | |preceded=William Benton | ||
| + | |status=f | ||
| + | |succeeded=Thomas J. Dodd | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | {{Officeholder/senator | ||
| + | |state=Connecticut | ||
| + | |terms=August 29, 1952 – November 4, 1952 | ||
| + | |preceded=Brien McMahon | ||
| + | |status=f | ||
| + | |succeeded=[[Prescott Bush]] | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | |military=y | ||
| + | |allegiance=[[United States]] | ||
| + | |rank=Corporal | ||
| + | |branch=[[United States Army]] | ||
| + | |battles=[[World War I]] | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | |||
'''William Arthur Purtell''' (May 6, 1897 – May 31, 1978) was a [[Connecticut]] [[Republican]] who served in the [[United States Senate]] from the state during the 1950s. | '''William Arthur Purtell''' (May 6, 1897 – May 31, 1978) was a [[Connecticut]] [[Republican]] who served in the [[United States Senate]] from the state during the 1950s. | ||
==U.S. Senate== | ==U.S. Senate== | ||
| − | Following the death of incumbent senator Brien McMahon in 1952, Purtell was appointed by governor John Davis Lodge to the Class III seat. He was simultaneously running for the state's Class I Senate seat, and won the general election. | + | Following the death of incumbent senator Brien McMahon in 1952, Purtell was appointed by governor John Davis Lodge as an interim to the Class III seat. He was simultaneously running for the state's Class I Senate seat, and won the general election over incumbent [[Democrat]] William Benton by eight percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=7722 CT US Senate]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref> |
Purtell was one of only twenty-two Republicans (including [[Barry Goldwater]], [[Everett Dirksen]], [[Styles Bridges]], and [[Bourke Hickenlooper]]) who voted against the censure of [[Joseph McCarthy]],<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/83-1954/s271 S. RES. 301. PASSAGE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref> a [[Wisconsin]] senator who exposed [[communist]] infiltration of the United States government. | Purtell was one of only twenty-two Republicans (including [[Barry Goldwater]], [[Everett Dirksen]], [[Styles Bridges]], and [[Bourke Hickenlooper]]) who voted against the censure of [[Joseph McCarthy]],<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/83-1954/s271 S. RES. 301. PASSAGE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref> a [[Wisconsin]] senator who exposed [[communist]] infiltration of the United States government. | ||
| − | Purtell voted in favor of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1957]]<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s75 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref> | + | Purtell strongly supported the policies of President [[Dwight Eisenhower]] during his Senate tenure.<ref name="WiMam Purtell 81; Served in the Senate From 1952 to 1959">[https://www.nytimes.com/1978/06/01/archives/william-purtell-81-served-in-the-senate-from-1952-to-1959-defender.html WiMam Purtell 81; Served in the Senate From 1952 to 1959]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref> He backed an amendment in labor laws to make discrimination by employers an unfair practice<ref name="WiMam Purtell 81; Served in the Senate From 1952 to 1959"/> and voted in favor of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1957]],<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s75 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref> opposing measures to weaken the legislation.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s57 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. POINT OF ORDER AGAINST OBJECTION BY KNOWLAND TO REFERRAL OF BILL TO JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. REJECTED. (BILL THUS BYPASSED THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s71 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO DELETE AUTHORITY FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SEEK PREVENTIVE RELIEF IN CIVIL RIGHTS CASES UNDER THE 14TH AMENDMENT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s73 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO GUARANTEE JURY TRIALS IN ALL CASES OF CRIMINAL CONTEMPT AND PROVIDE UNIFORM METHODS FOR SELECTING FEDERAL COURT JURIES.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref> |
| + | |||
| + | He was defeated for re-election in 1958, losing by fifteen percentage points to [[Democrat]] Thomas J. Dodd,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=7721 CT US Senate]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref> the father of future U.S. senator [[Christopher Dodd]]. During the campaign, Dodd asserted that Purtell's [[conservatism]] "makes <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Robert Taft]]] look like a left‐wing [[New Deal]]er.<ref name="WiMam Purtell 81; Served in the Senate From 1952 to 1959"/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Sen. Purtell was absent for 4% of all roll call votes in his tenure.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/william_purtell/408958 Sen. William Purtell]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved April 25, 2021.</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Quotes== | ||
| + | {{cquote|We have the finest country, the finest system of society and the finest government in the world.<ref name="WiMam Purtell 81; Served in the Senate From 1952 to 1959"/>}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | *[[Eugene Millikin]], former Republican senator from [[Colorado]] | ||
| + | *[[William E. Jenner]], former Republican senator from [[Indiana]] | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 18: | Line 57: | ||
[[Category:Republicans]] | [[Category:Republicans]] | ||
[[Category:Former United States Senators]] | [[Category:Former United States Senators]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Anti-Communism]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Civil Rights]] | ||
| + | [[Category:United States Veterans]] | ||
| + | [[Category:United States Army]] | ||
| + | [[Category:World War I]] | ||
Latest revision as of 18:02, June 5, 2021
| William Arthur Purtell | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Former U.S. Senator from Connecticut From: January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1959 | |||
| Predecessor | William Benton | ||
| Successor | Thomas J. Dodd | ||
| Former U.S. Senator from Connecticut From: August 29, 1952 – November 4, 1952 | |||
| Predecessor | Brien McMahon | ||
| Successor | Prescott Bush | ||
| Information | |||
| Party | Republican | ||
| Spouse(s) | Katherine Elizabeth Cassidy | ||
| Military Service | |||
| Allegiance | United States | ||
| Service/branch | United States Army | ||
| Rank | Corporal | ||
| Battles/wars | World War I | ||
William Arthur Purtell (May 6, 1897 – May 31, 1978) was a Connecticut Republican who served in the United States Senate from the state during the 1950s.
U.S. Senate
Following the death of incumbent senator Brien McMahon in 1952, Purtell was appointed by governor John Davis Lodge as an interim to the Class III seat. He was simultaneously running for the state's Class I Senate seat, and won the general election over incumbent Democrat William Benton by eight percentage points.[1]
Purtell was one of only twenty-two Republicans (including Barry Goldwater, Everett Dirksen, Styles Bridges, and Bourke Hickenlooper) who voted against the censure of Joseph McCarthy,[2] a Wisconsin senator who exposed communist infiltration of the United States government.
Purtell strongly supported the policies of President Dwight Eisenhower during his Senate tenure.[3] He backed an amendment in labor laws to make discrimination by employers an unfair practice[3] and voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1957,[4] opposing measures to weaken the legislation.[5][6][7]
He was defeated for re-election in 1958, losing by fifteen percentage points to Democrat Thomas J. Dodd,[8] the father of future U.S. senator Christopher Dodd. During the campaign, Dodd asserted that Purtell's conservatism "makes [Robert Taft] look like a left‐wing New Dealer.[3]
Sen. Purtell was absent for 4% of all roll call votes in his tenure.[9]
Quotes
| “ | We have the finest country, the finest system of society and the finest government in the world.[3] | ” |
See also
- Eugene Millikin, former Republican senator from Colorado
- William E. Jenner, former Republican senator from Indiana
References
- ↑ CT US Senate. Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ↑ S. RES. 301. PASSAGE.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 WiMam Purtell 81; Served in the Senate From 1952 to 1959. The New York Times. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ↑ HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ↑ HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. POINT OF ORDER AGAINST OBJECTION BY KNOWLAND TO REFERRAL OF BILL TO JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. REJECTED. (BILL THUS BYPASSED THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ↑ HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO DELETE AUTHORITY FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SEEK PREVENTIVE RELIEF IN CIVIL RIGHTS CASES UNDER THE 14TH AMENDMENT.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ↑ HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO GUARANTEE JURY TRIALS IN ALL CASES OF CRIMINAL CONTEMPT AND PROVIDE UNIFORM METHODS FOR SELECTING FEDERAL COURT JURIES.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ↑ CT US Senate. Our Campaigns. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
- ↑ Sen. William Purtell. GovTrack.us. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
External links
- Profile at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress