Changes

==Political career==

==Political career==

In 1932, Ecton was elected to the Montana House of Representatives (where he served for four years) despite the election cycle being highly favorable for the Democratic Party. He moved up to the state Senate, with duties from 1936 to 1946.<ref name=Tribune/> In 1946, he ran for the Senate seat being vacated by [[isolationist]] [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Burton K. Wheeler]], who had lost the Democrat primary to Montana Supreme Court Justice Leif Erickson.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=382828 MT US Senate - D Primary Race - Jul 16, 1946]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 31, 2021.</ref> Ecton defeated Erickson in the general election, 54 to 46 percent.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=83025 MT US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1946]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 31, 2021.</ref> He served in the Senate for one term, having been narrowly defeated for reelection in 1952 by [[U.S. Representative]] [[Mike Mansfield]],<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=83024 MT US Senate Race - Nov 04, 1952]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 31, 2021.</ref> a Democrat college professor from Great Falls who would later be the longest-serving [[Senate Majority Leader]] from 1961 to 1977.<ref>"U.S. Sen. Zales Ecton dies," ''The Billings Gazette,'' April 2, 1961.</ref> Mansfield successfully bucked the Republican tide at the top of the [[Dwight Eisenhower|Eisenhower]], who won Montana in both 1952 and 1956.

In 1932, Ecton was elected to the Montana House of Representatives (where he served for four years) despite the election cycle being highly favorable for the Democratic Party. He moved up to the state Senate, with duties from 1936 to 1946.<ref name=Tribune/> In 1946, he ran for the Senate seat being vacated by [[isolationist]] [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Burton K. Wheeler]], who had lost the Democrat primary to Montana Supreme Court Justice Leif Erickson.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=382828 MT US Senate - D Primary Race - Jul 16, 1946]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 31, 2021.</ref> Ecton defeated Erickson in the general election, 54 to 46 percent.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=83025 MT US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1946]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 31, 2021.</ref> He served in the Senate for one term, having been narrowly defeated for reelection in 1952 by [[U.S. Representative]] [[Mike Mansfield]],<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=83024 MT US Senate Race - Nov 04, 1952]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 31, 2021.</ref> a Democrat college professor from Great Falls who would later be the longest-serving [[Senate Majority Leader]] from 1961 to 1977.<ref>"U.S. Sen. Zales Ecton dies," ''The Billings Gazette,'' April 2, 1961.</ref> Mansfield successfully bucked the Republican tide though [[Dwight Eisenhower]], who won Montana in both 1952 and 1956.

While in the Senate, Ecton was assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. He also served on the Post Office and Public Lands committees.<ref name=sna/>

While in the Senate, Ecton was assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. He also served on the Post Office and Public Lands committees.<ref name=sna/>