Changes

==Political career==

==Political career==

Hruska's political career began In 1944, when he accepted a seat on the Douglas County Board of Commissioners to succeed a friend who had resigned the post. He served as a regular member from 1944 to 1945 and as chairman from 1945 to 1952.<ref name=wpost/> During his time on the board of commissioners, Hruska also sat on the advisory committee of the Nebraska Board of Control from 1947 to 1952.<ref name=bioguide>{{cite web|url=https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=H000875|title=Hruska, Roman Lee (1904-1999)|work=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|publisher=U.S. Congress|accessdate=July 6, 2021}}</ref> He was president of the Nebraska Association of County Officials from 1950 to 1951 and vice president of the National Association of County Officials from 1951 to 1952.<ref name=bioguide/>

Hruska's political career began In 1944, when he accepted a seat on the Douglas County Board of Commissioners to succeed a friend who had resigned the post. He served as a regular member from 1944 to 1945 and as chairman from 1945 to 1952.<ref name=wpost/> During his time on the board of commissioners, Hruska also sat on the advisory committee of the Nebraska Board of Control from 1947 to 1952.<ref name=bioguide>{{cite web|url=https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=H000875|title=Hruska, Roman Lee (1904–1999)|work=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|publisher=U.S. Congress|accessdate=July 6, 2021}}</ref> He was president of the Nebraska Association of County Officials from 1950 to 1951 and vice president of the National Association of County Officials from 1951 to 1952.<ref name=bioguide/>

Hruska was elected in 1952 to the Omaha-dominated 2nd congressional district in the [[United States House of Representatives]].<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=405409 NE District 2 Race - Nov 04, 1952]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> He served only part of one term and instead ran for the Senate to fill the vacancy created by the death of Hugh Alfred Butler (1878-1954).<ref name=wpost/> Hruska won,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30808 NE US Senate Special Race - Nov 02, 1954]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> and was reelected in 1958,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30795 NE US Senate Race - Nov 04, 1958]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> 1964,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30793 NE US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1964]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> and 1970<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=6530 NE US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1970]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> and served in the Senate until his retirement in 1977. His opponent in 1958 and 1970 was the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Frank Brenner Morrison (1905-2004), the governor of Nebraska from 1961 to 1967. Hruska did not run for reelection to a fourth Senate term in 1976 and was succeeded by the Republican-turned-Democrat Edward Zorinsky, who had also followed Hruska in the U.S. House in 1954.

Hruska was elected in 1952 to the Omaha-dominated 2nd congressional district in the [[United States House of Representatives]].<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=405409 NE District 2 Race - Nov 04, 1952]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> He served only part of one term and instead ran for the Senate to fill the vacancy created by the death of Hugh Alfred Butler (1878–1954).<ref name=wpost/> Hruska won,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30808 NE US Senate Special Race - Nov 02, 1954]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> and was reelected in 1958,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30795 NE US Senate Race - Nov 04, 1958]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> 1964,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=30793 NE US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1964]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> and 1970<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=6530 NE US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1970]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref> and served in the Senate until his retirement in 1977. His opponent in 1958 and 1970 was the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Frank Brenner Morrison (1905–2004), the governor of Nebraska from 1961 to 1967. Hruska did not run for reelection to a fourth Senate term in 1976 and was succeeded by the Republican-turned-Democrat Edward Zorinsky, who had also followed Hruska in the U.S. House in 1954.

Even after the resignation of [[U.S. President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]], Hruska persisted in defending him and claimed that [[Watergate]] was a partisan effort to hammer him.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hruska dead at 94 |url=http://columbustelegram.com/hruska-dead-at/article_584e3153-72c9-5396-a319-db66befe8fcf.html |publisher=''The Columbus Telegram''|date=April 26, 1999|accessdate=April 22, 2018}}</ref>

Even after the resignation of [[U.S. President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]], Hruska persisted in defending him and claimed that [[Watergate]] was a partisan effort to hammer him.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hruska dead at 94 |url=http://columbustelegram.com/hruska-dead-at/article_584e3153-72c9-5396-a319-db66befe8fcf.html |publisher=''The Columbus Telegram''|date=April 26, 1999|accessdate=April 22, 2018}}</ref>

Hruska is remember for his statement that "even the mediocre need a little representation too" during the Senate defeat of the confirmation of Judge George Harrold Carswell (1919-1992) to the [[United States Supreme Court]]. Carswell was a former segregationist from [[Georgia]] and [[Florida]]. His Senate critics had called Carswell "mediocre."  The seat then went to the [[liberal]] [[Harry Blackmun]] of [[Minnesota]], the principal author of ''[[Roe v. Wade]].'' The complete quote is "Even if he (Carswell) were mediocre, there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren’t they, and a little chance? We can’t have all [[Louis Brandeis|Brandeises]], [[Felix Frankfurter|Frankfurters]], and [[Benjamin Cardozo|Cardozos]].’’<ref>McCain's "Hruskaism:" The Mediocre People of America Deserve Representation! | HuffPost, accessed July 6, 2021.</ref>Hruska's remarks did not prevent his reelection to the Senate in November 1970, seven months after his "mediocre" statement.

Hruska is remember for his statement that "even the mediocre need a little representation too" during the Senate defeat of the confirmation of Judge George Harrold Carswell (1919–1992) to the [[United States Supreme Court]]. Carswell was a former segregationist from [[Georgia]] and [[Florida]]. His Senate critics had called Carswell "mediocre."  The seat then went to the [[liberal]] [[Harry Blackmun]] of [[Minnesota]], the principal author of ''[[Roe v. Wade]].'' The complete quote is "Even if he (Carswell) were mediocre, there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers. They are entitled to a little representation, aren’t they, and a little chance? We can’t have all [[Louis Brandeis|Brandeises]], [[Felix Frankfurter|Frankfurters]], and [[Benjamin Cardozo|Cardozos]].’’<ref>McCain's "Hruskaism:" The Mediocre People of America Deserve Representation! | HuffPost, accessed July 6, 2021.</ref>Hruska's remarks did not prevent his reelection to the Senate in November 1970, seven months after his "mediocre" statement.

Named in his honor are the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center in Clay County and the Roman L. Hruska Federal Courthouse in Omaha.<ref>[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18258/roman-lee-hruska Roman Lee Hruska (1904-1999)] - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed July 6, 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.gsa.gov/cdnstatic/Roman_Hruska_United_States_Courthouse__Omaha__NE.pdf Roman L. Hruska United States Courthouse]. ''U.S. General Services Administration''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref>

Named in his honor are the Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center in Clay County and the Roman L. Hruska Federal Courthouse in Omaha.<ref>[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18258/roman-lee-hruska Roman Lee Hruska (1904-1999)] - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed July 6, 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.gsa.gov/cdnstatic/Roman_Hruska_United_States_Courthouse__Omaha__NE.pdf Roman L. Hruska United States Courthouse]. ''U.S. General Services Administration''. Retrieved July 6, 2021.</ref>