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James E. Murray

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James Edward “Jim”[1] Murray (May 3, 1876 – March 23, 1961) was a Democrat from Montana who was the state's Class II U.S senator from 1934 until his retirement in 1961. He was elected as a liberal and staunch New Dealer, a stance he maintained throughout his political career.[2]

U.S. Senate

Following the death of incumbent senator Thomas Walsh, Montana governor John Erickson resigned and was appointed by his successor as an interim to the seat.[1] Erickson faced outrage from constituents who suspected cronyism, and Murray was encouraged to run for the seat in the 1934 special election. In an upset, he won the primary in a field of six candidates with a plurality of 25%,[3] and easily defeated Republican opponent Scott Leavitt in the general election.[4] Two years later, Murray only barely defeated a primary challenger and proceeded to win re-election for a full Senate term.[1]

A strong supporter of Franklin D. Roosevelt and New Deal programs during the Great Depression, Murray stayed loyal to the president even during the 1937 court packing attempt.[1] Unlike his Democrat colleague Burton K. Wheeler from the state's Class I seat, he never significantly broke with Roosevelt, though ultimately did vote to recommit the Judicial Procedures Reform Bill for committee.[5]

Murray voted in 1937 to table two anti-lynching rider amendments along with the majority of his party.[6][7]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Hill, Ray (August 17, 2014). Senator James E. Murray of Montana. The Knoxville Focus. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  2. ↑ March 24, 1961. JAMES E. MURRAY, EX-SENATOR, DIES; Montana Democrat, Stanch Supporter of New Deal, Served From '35 to '61. The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  3. ↑ MT US Senate - D Primary Race - Jul 17, 1934. Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  4. ↑ MT US Senate - Special Election Race - Nov 06, 1934. Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  5. ↑ TO RECOMMIT TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIAL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. S. 1392, A BILL TO REORGANIZE THE JUDICIARY BRANCH.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  6. ↑ TO TABLE AN AMENDMENT TO S. 69, THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE ACT. THE AMEND. OFFERED BY SENATOR COPELAND WHICH WOULD HAVE ADDED HOUSE BILL 1507, THE ANTILYNCHING BILL, TO S. 69, A BILL LIMITING THE SIZE OF TRAINS IN INTERSTATE COMMERCE.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved August 2, 2021.
  7. ↑ TO TABLE AN AMENDMENT TO S. 2475. OFFERED BY SENATOR COPELAND WHICH WOULD HAVE ADDED THE ANTILYNCHING BILL AS PERFECTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY TO THE PENDING LEGISLATION.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved August 2, 2021.