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==Political life==

==Political life==

Tower went on to win full six-year senatorial terms in 1966 against the Democrats Waggonner Carr of [[Lubbock]], in 1972 against Harold Barefoot Sanders, Jr., of Dallas, and in 1978 against later interim Senator Robert Krueger of [[New Braunfels]]. In the 1972 campaign, he quarreled over tactics with the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee, [[Henry C. Grover]] of Houston. He did not run in 1984 and was succeeded early the next year by fellow Republican [[Phil Gramm]].

Tower went on to win full six-year senatorial terms in 1966 against the Democrats Waggonner Carr of [[Lubbock]], in 1972 against Harold Barefoot Sanders, Jr., of Dallas, and in 1978 against later interim Senator Robert Krueger of [[New Braunfels]]. In the 1972 campaign, he quarreled over tactics with the unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial nominee, [[Henry C. Grover]], a staunch conservative from Houston. He did not run in 1984 and was succeeded early the next year by fellow Republican [[Phil Gramm]].

For three years, Tower was he only Republican Senator from the South until [[Strom Thurmond]] of [[South Carolina]] switched parties in 1964. Tower opposed the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]] and the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]]. He was considered for years as one of the most [[conservative]] members of the Senate. But in 1976, Tower began to alienate many conservatives by his support of [[Gerald Ford]], rather than [[Ronald Reagan]] in the 1976 Republican presidential primaries. Reagan won every Texas delegate in the Texas Republican presidential primary and four at-large delegates chosen at the state convention, but he narrowly lost the party nomination to Ford at the convention held that year in [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]] though Ford was ultimately unseated by [[Jimmy Carter]]. [[Ernest Angelo]], one of three co-chairmen of the 1976 Reagan campaign in Texas and a former mayor of [[Midland]], recalls a visit with Tower in 1975, when Angelo informed Tower that he would be working in the Reagan campaign. Angelo recalls Tower as having told him that supporting Reagan would be a "dumb thing to do".<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo, Jr. of Midland and the 96-0 Reagan Sweep of Texas, May 1, 1976," ''West Texas Historical Association Yearbook'' Vol. 86 (2010) (since known as the ''West Texas Historical Review''), p. 85.</ref> At the time, all Republican U.S. senators except [[Jesse Helms]] of [[North Carolina]] and [[Paul Laxalt]] of [[Nevada]] were committed to Ford. Tower blamed Ford's defeat in Texas on "[[Dixiecrat]]s ... the Reagan organization, aided by former [[George Wallace]] leaders, made a concerted and obviously successful effort to get the Wallace vote in the Republican primary. In addition, some section of Ford's defense and foreign policy alienated some voters who may otherwise have cast their ballot for the president."<ref>''The Laredo Morning Times'', May 2, 1976.</ref>

For three years, Tower was he only Republican Senator from the South until [[Strom Thurmond]] of [[South Carolina]] switched parties in 1964. Tower opposed the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]] and the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]]. He was considered for years as one of the most [[conservative]] members of the Senate. But in 1976, Tower began to alienate many conservatives by his support of [[Gerald Ford]], rather than [[Ronald Reagan]] in the 1976 Republican presidential primaries. Reagan won every Texas delegate in the Texas Republican presidential primary and four at-large delegates chosen at the state convention, but he narrowly lost the party nomination to Ford at the convention held that year in [[Kansas City]], [[Missouri]] though Ford was ultimately unseated by [[Jimmy Carter]]. [[Ernest Angelo]], one of three co-chairmen of the 1976 Reagan campaign in Texas and a former mayor of [[Midland]], recalls a visit with Tower in 1975, when Angelo informed Tower that he would be working in the Reagan campaign. Angelo recalls Tower as having told him that supporting Reagan would be a "dumb thing to do".<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo, Jr. of Midland and the 96-0 Reagan Sweep of Texas, May 1, 1976," ''West Texas Historical Association Yearbook'' Vol. 86 (2010) (since known as the ''West Texas Historical Review''), p. 85.</ref> At the time, all Republican U.S. senators except [[Jesse Helms]] of [[North Carolina]] and [[Paul Laxalt]] of [[Nevada]] were committed to Ford. Tower blamed Ford's defeat in Texas on "[[Dixiecrat]]s ... the Reagan organization, aided by former [[George Wallace]] leaders, made a concerted and obviously successful effort to get the Wallace vote in the Republican primary. In addition, some section of Ford's defense and foreign policy alienated some voters who may otherwise have cast their ballot for the president."<ref>''The Laredo Morning Times'', May 2, 1976.</ref>

By virtue of their primary defeat, the Texas Ford supporters were shut out of the national convention in Kansas City. Angelo recalls Tower as having "begged" for a delegate slot because he was a U.S. senator and was supposed to be the Ford floor leader at the convention. Angelo said that Tower could have been a delegate if he were to support Reagan, an impossible stipulation. Tower hence was not a delegate to the 1976 convention because Angelo was mindful that a close convention showdown could have been decided by a handful of delegate votes. Angelo said that he always personally liked and admired Tower though they disagreed on some issues: "John was the best extemporaneous speaker and solid as a rock on most issues." Tower had campaigned for Angelo in the latter's unsuccessful race in 1968 for the Texas State Senate. As time passed though, Tower alienated the conservative wing of his party with his support for legalized [[abortion]] and opposition to Reagan's [[Strategic Defense Initiative]].<ref>Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo", pg. 86.</ref> Barbara Staff, the Reagan co-chairman for Dallas County and North Texas, recalls that Tower spent much of his time at the convention with the closely divided [[Mississippi]] delegation and did not address the phalanx of Reagan backers in his own state's delegation. Among the Reagan backers was Betty Andujar of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman to serve in the State Senate.<ref>"Convention Notes: No love lost between Texans, [[Betty Ford]]", ''Dallas Morning News'', August 19, 1976, pg. 6A.</ref>

By virtue of their primary defeat, the Texas Ford supporters were shut out of the national convention in Kansas City. Angelo recalls Tower as having "begged" for a delegate slot because he was a U.S. senator and was supposed to be the Ford floor leader at the convention. Angelo said that Tower could have been a delegate if he were to support Reagan, an impossible stipulation. Tower hence was not a delegate to the 1976 convention because Angelo was mindful that a close convention showdown could have been decided by a handful of delegate votes. Angelo said that he always personally liked and admired Tower though they disagreed on some issues: "John was the best extemporaneous speaker and solid as a rock on most issues." Tower had campaigned for Angelo in the latter's unsuccessful race in 1968 for the Texas State Senate. As time passed though, Tower alienated the conservative wing of his party with his support for legalized [[abortion]] and opposition to Reagan's [[Strategic Defense Initiative]].<ref>Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo", pg. 86.</ref> Barbara Staff, the Reagan co-chairman for Dallas County and North Texas, recalls that Tower spent much of his time at the convention with the closely divided [[Mississippi]] delegation and did not address the phalanx of Reagan backers in his own state's delegation. Among the Reagan backers was Betty Andujar of Fort Worth, the first Republican woman to serve in the State Senate.<ref>"Convention Notes: No love lost between Texans, [[Betty Ford]]", ''Dallas Morning News'', August 19, 1976, pg. 6A.</ref>

In his last four years in the Senate, Tower headed the Senate Armed Services Committee, considered among the more significant of all congressional committee chairmanships.

In his last four years in the Senate, Tower headed the Senate Armed Services Committee, considered among the more significant of all congressional committee chairmanships. Though a strongly conservative in his first few years in office, he moved steadily leftward until he left the Senate. He voted against the [[Martin Luther King]] holiday bill in 1983 though many other Republicans supported the holiday.

After he left the Senate, Tower was chief negotiator of the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks with the former [[Soviet Union]] and led the Tower Commission, which issued a report highly critical of the Reagan administration's relations with the [[Contras]] and [[Iran]]. In 1989, incoming President [[George H. W. Bush]] chose Tower as his nominee for [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]], but his nomination was rejected by the Senate after charges of drinking and womanizing surfaced. The opposition of [[Georgia]] Senator Sam Nunn solidified the Democratic majority against the nomination, and Tower was defeated, 53-47. After this stinging rebuke, Tower chaired the Bush Intelligence Advisory Board.

After he left the Senate, Tower was chief negotiator of the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks with the former [[Soviet Union]] and led the Tower Commission, which issued a report highly critical of the Reagan administration's relations with the [[Contras]] and [[Iran]]. In 1989, incoming President [[George H. W. Bush]] chose Tower as his nominee for [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]], but his nomination was rejected by the Senate after charges of drinking and womanizing surfaced. The opposition of [[Georgia]] Senator Sam Nunn solidified the Democratic majority against the nomination, and Tower was defeated, 53-47. After this stinging rebuke, Tower chaired the Bush Intelligence Advisory Board.