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Dirksen was famous for his oratorical skills, tremendous wit, and likable, down-to-earth appearance. He was also a very shrewd politician who in just his second term was voted by a wide margin of 20–14 over [[Kentucky]] [[Moderate Republican]] [[John Sherman Cooper]] to become the [[Minority Leader]] in the Senate.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=53648 Minority Leader Race - Jan 07, 1959]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 19, 2021.</ref> Being so beloved by his colleagues that within three years of his untimely death from cancer, Democrats approved renaming a Senate building as the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
Dirksen was famous for his oratorical skills, tremendous wit, and likable, down-to-earth appearance. He was also a very shrewd politician who in just his second term was voted by a wide margin of 20–14 over [[Kentucky]] [[Moderate Republican]] [[John Sherman Cooper]] to become the [[Minority Leader]] in the Senate.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=53648 Minority Leader Race - Jan 07, 1959]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 19, 2021.</ref> Being so beloved by his colleagues that within three years of his untimely death from cancer, Democrats approved renaming a Senate building as the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
His long-term senatorial colleague was [[liberal]] Democrat [[Paul Douglas]], also a strong supporter of civil rights.
==Background==
==Background==
*[[Leslie Arends]], former Republican U.S. representative from Illinois' 17th district
*[[Leslie Arends]], former Republican U.S. representative from Illinois' 17th district
*[[Charlotte T. Reid]], former Republican U.S. representative from Illinois' 15th district
*[[Charlotte T. Reid]], former Republican U.S. representative from Illinois' 15th district
*[[Mike Mansfield]], former Democrat senator from [[Montana]]
*[[Mike Mansfield]], former Democrat senator from [[Montana]]