Changes

After incumbent Republican senator Ernest W. Gibson died in office on June 20, 1940, Gov. Aiken appointed Gibson's son as an interm to the seat. After the younger Gibson decided against running in the [[special election]] that year, Aiken ran and easily won by over twenty percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=223197 VT US Senate - Special Election Race - Nov 05, 1940]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref> Aiken continued to be re-elected before retiring in the 1974 midterms.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=7383 Candidate - George D. Aiken]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref>

After incumbent Republican senator Ernest W. Gibson died in office on June 20, 1940, Gov. Aiken appointed Gibson's son as an interm to the seat. After the younger Gibson decided against running in the [[special election]] that year, Aiken ran and easily won by over twenty percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=223197 VT US Senate - Special Election Race - Nov 05, 1940]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref> Aiken continued to be re-elected before retiring in the 1974 midterms.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=7383 Candidate - George D. Aiken]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref>

Part of the [[progressive]]<ref>[https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/05/23/the-bizarre-political-transformation-of-vermont/ The Bizarre Political Transformation of Vermont]. ''fascinatingpolitics.com''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref>/[[Moderate Republican]] wing of the GOP, Aiken opposed [[conservative]] [[Tennessee]] congressman [[B. Carroll Reece]] when the latter was the chair of the [[RNC]]. He was liberal on a number of issues and, along with his more moderately conservative colleague [[Ralph Flanders]], voted for the censure of [[Joseph McCarthy]],<ref name=wapo/><ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/83-1954/s271 S. RES. 301. PASSAGE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.upi.com/Archives/1954/12/02/Censured-McCarthy-plans-new-investigation/4424680116219/ Censured McCarthy plans new investigation]. ''UPI''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref> who had exposed [[communist]] infiltration of the U.S. government. According to an analysis on his voting record up until 1950, he was considerably liberal.<ref>[https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2019/01/06/ideology-and-civil-rights-1950-edition/ Ideology and Civil Rights, 1950 Edition]. ''fascinatingpolitics.com''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref> Aiken also backed rural electrification programs, price supports to aid farmers,<ref name=wapo/> and was the chief architect of the 1965 food stamp program.<ref>Krebs, Albin (November 20, 1984). [https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/20/obituaries/george-aiken-longtime-senator-and-gop-maverick-dies-at-92.html GEORGE AIKEN, LONGTIME SENATOR AND G.O.P. MAVERICK, DIES AT 92]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref>

Part of the [[progressive]]<ref>[https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2018/05/23/the-bizarre-political-transformation-of-vermont/ The Bizarre Political Transformation of Vermont]. ''fascinatingpolitics.com''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref>/[[Moderate Republican]] wing of the GOP, Aiken opposed [[conservative]] [[Tennessee]] congressman [[B. Carroll Reece]] when the latter was the chair of the [[RNC]].<ref>November 27, 1947. [https://www.nytimes.com/1947/11/27/archives/aiken-asks-reece-to-quit-gop-helm-lays-failure-to-win-confidence-of.html AIKEN ASKS REECE TO QUIT GOP HELM; Lays Failure to Win Confidence of Voters to Chairman, Who Is Also Attacked by Tobey]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 13, 2021.</ref><ref>Krock, Arthur (December 3, 1947). [https://www.nytimes.com/1947/12/03/archives/futility-in-aikens-call-move-to-oust-reece-as-gop-chairman-doomed.html Futility in Aiken's Call; Move to Oust Reece as GOP Chairman Doomed by Senator's Party Irregularity]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved August 13, 2021.</ref> He was liberal on a number of issues and, along with his more moderately conservative colleague [[Ralph Flanders]], voted for the censure of [[Joseph McCarthy]],<ref name=wapo/><ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/83-1954/s271 S. RES. 301. PASSAGE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.upi.com/Archives/1954/12/02/Censured-McCarthy-plans-new-investigation/4424680116219/ Censured McCarthy plans new investigation]. ''UPI''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref> who had exposed [[communist]] infiltration of the U.S. government. According to an analysis on his voting record up until 1950, he was considerably liberal.<ref>[https://fascinatingpolitics.com/2019/01/06/ideology-and-civil-rights-1950-edition/ Ideology and Civil Rights, 1950 Edition]. ''fascinatingpolitics.com''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref> Aiken also backed rural electrification programs, price supports to aid farmers,<ref name=wapo/> and was the chief architect of the 1965 food stamp program.<ref>Krebs, Albin (November 20, 1984). [https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/20/obituaries/george-aiken-longtime-senator-and-gop-maverick-dies-at-92.html GEORGE AIKEN, LONGTIME SENATOR AND G.O.P. MAVERICK, DIES AT 92]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref>

Aiken opposed U.S. involvement in the [[Vietnam War]], saying in 1966:<ref name=wapo/><ref>Bushnell, Mark (August 16, 2020). [https://vtdigger.org/2020/08/16/then-again-the-real-story-of-george-aikens-oft-quoted-advice-on-vietnam/ Then Again: The real story of George Aiken’s oft-quoted advice on Vietnam]. ''VTDigger''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref>

Aiken opposed U.S. involvement in the [[Vietnam War]], saying in 1966:<ref name=wapo/><ref>Bushnell, Mark (August 16, 2020). [https://vtdigger.org/2020/08/16/then-again-the-real-story-of-george-aikens-oft-quoted-advice-on-vietnam/ Then Again: The real story of George Aiken’s oft-quoted advice on Vietnam]. ''VTDigger''. Retrieved June 5, 2021.</ref>