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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 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> and opposed 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>

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"/>

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"/>