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'''Lawrence Patton McDonald''' (April 1, 1935 &mdash; September 1, 1983<ref>Generally accepted date of death. See below for theories on his survival.</ref>), was a  [[conservative Democrat]]ic member of the United States House of Representatives, who represented the seventh congressional district of [[Georgia]]. He was onboard [[Korean Airlines Flight 007]] when it was shot down by Soviet interceptors just west of Sakhalin Island on Sept. 1, 1983. He was the president of the [[John Birch Society]] and the only member of Congress killed by Communists during the [[Cold War]].

'''Lawrence Patton "Larry" McDonald''' (April 1, 1935 &mdash; September 1, 1983<ref>Generally accepted date of death. See below for theories on his survival.</ref>), was a  [[conservative Democrat]]ic member of the United States House of Representatives, who represented the seventh congressional district of [[Georgia]]. He was onboard [[Korean Airlines Flight 007]] when it was shot down by Soviet interceptors just west of Sakhalin Island on Sept. 1, 1983. He was the president of the [[John Birch Society]] and the only member of Congress killed by Communists during the [[Cold War]].

==Early life==

==Early life==

In 1972, McDonald unsuccessfully ran for Congress.<ref name="Killing"/> He ran again in 1974, facing Democrat incumbent John W. Davis in the primary.<ref name="Killing"/> McDonald emphasized school integration programs during his campaign, which he strongly opposed and which his opponent supported.<ref name="Killing"/> McDonald won the primary and faced Republican J. Quincy Collins Jr., who was an Air Force POW during the [[Vietnam War]].<ref name="Killing"/> McDonald narrowly won the election and took office on January 3, 1975.<ref name="Killing"/> He would go on to win his re-election campaigns with wide margins.<ref name="Killing"/>

In 1972, McDonald unsuccessfully ran for Congress.<ref name="Killing"/> He ran again in 1974, facing Democrat incumbent John W. Davis in the primary.<ref name="Killing"/> McDonald emphasized school integration programs during his campaign, which he strongly opposed and which his opponent supported.<ref name="Killing"/> McDonald won the primary and faced Republican J. Quincy Collins Jr., who was an Air Force POW during the [[Vietnam War]].<ref name="Killing"/> McDonald narrowly won the election and took office on January 3, 1975.<ref name="Killing"/> He would go on to win his re-election campaigns with wide margins.<ref name="Killing"/>

Even though McDonald was a Democrat, he was very conservative, being even more conservative than many, if not most, Republicans.<ref name="Killing"/> He received a perfect score of 100 from the [[American Conservative Union]] every year expect 1978, when he received a 95.<ref name="Killing"/> In addition, he received high ratings from other conservative organizations including the [[National Right to Life Committee]], [[Gun Owners of America]], and the [[American Security Council]].<ref name="Killing"/>

Even though McDonald was a Democrat, he was very conservative, being even more conservative than many, if not most, Republicans.<ref name="Killing"/> He received a perfect score of 100 from the [[American Conservative Union]] every year expect 1978, when he received a 95.<ref name="Killing"/> In addition, he received high ratings from other conservative organizations including the [[National Right to Life Committee]], [[Gun Owners of America]], and the [[American Security Council]].<ref name="Killing"/> In fact, in a survey done by the ''American Journal of Political Science'', McDonald was rated as the second most conservative member of either chamber of Congress between 1937 and 2002, only behind [[Ron Paul]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Poole|first=Keith T.|title=Is John Kerry a Liberal?|date=2004-10-13|url=http://voteview.com/Is_John_Kerry_A_Liberal.htm|accessdate=2009-08-24}}</ref>

McDonald was so conservative that in 1978 the 7th District Democratic Committee (the district he represented) "voted 10-8-1 in favor of a resolution that would censure McDonald 'for the dishonorable and despicable act of calling himself a Democrat.'"<ref name="Killing"/> Various reasons for this was McDonald's membership in the John Birch Society, his refusal to support [[Jimmy Carter]]'s presidential candidacy, not believing that there were implied powers in the [[Constitution]], and allegedly using "misleading advertisements during his campaigns."<ref name="Killing"/>

McDonald was so conservative that in 1978 the 7th District Democratic Committee (the district he represented) "voted 10-8-1 in favor of a resolution that would censure McDonald 'for the dishonorable and despicable act of calling himself a Democrat.'"<ref name="Killing"/> Various reasons for this was McDonald's membership in the John Birch Society, his refusal to support [[Jimmy Carter]]'s presidential candidacy, not believing that there were implied powers in the [[Constitution]], and allegedly using "misleading advertisements during his campaigns."<ref name="Killing"/>