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Created page with "{{Officeholder |name=Louise Despard Goff Reece |image= |party=Republican |spouse=Brazilla Carroll Reece |religion= |offices= {{Officeholder/representative |state=Ten..."
{{Officeholder
|name=Louise Despard Goff Reece
|image=
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=[[Brazilla Carroll Reece]]
|religion=
|offices=
{{Officeholder/representative
|state=Tennessee
|district=1st
|terms=May 16, 1961 – January 3, 1963
|preceded=Brazilla Carroll Reece
|former=y
|succeeded=James H. "Jimmy" Quillen
}}
}}
'''Louise Despard Goff Reece''' (November 6, 1898 – May 14, 1970) was a [[Tennessee]] [[Republican]] from the state's 1st congressional district who represented the area in the [[United States House of Representatives]] for a brief period in the early 1960s, succeeding her late husband [[Brazilla Carroll Reece]], a longtime congressman who died in 1961.
Reece's story is similar that of [[Irene Baker]], who succeeded her late husband [[Howard Baker, Sr.]] in the House around the same time period for the state's neighboring second congressional district.
==U.S. House of Representatives==
In mid-March 1961, Reece's husband died,<ref name=bio>[https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/20216 REECE, Louise Goff]. ''US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives''. Retrieved August 10, 2021.</ref> reportedly of [[lung cancer]]. She soon announced her candidacy for the special election to succeed him, which local Republican politicians threw their support for. The only primary challenge was from oilman Leland Davis, and Reece handily won the primary.<ref name=bio/> She stated during the campaign:<ref name=bio/>
{{cquote|I thought of a lot of back roads my husband had forgotten.}}
Reece won the special election by a landslide over Democrat opponent William W. Faw,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=378466 TN District 1 - Special Election Race - May 16, 1961]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 10, 2021.</ref> who received the endorsement of U.S. senator [[Estes Kefauver|Carey Estes Kefauver]].<ref name=bio/> Upon entering the House, she established a record of conservatism and supporting business interests, advocating for President [[John F. Kennedy]] to bring back tariffs on certain products made from glass.<ref name=bio/> Reece also opposed using federal money to increase the salaries of teachers, saying:<ref name=bio/>
{{cquote|If that comes, the next thing they will do is to tell us what to teach.}}
This is somewhat similar to her husband's [[anti-Communist]] attitudes towards subversion; B. Carroll Reece was the chair and namesake of the '''[[Reece Committee]]''' during the 83rd Congress which investigated [[subversion]] among tax-exempt foundations.
==Legacy==
Reece was considered a trailblazer for women in GOP politics, and can be viewed as a forerunner to the current representative from Tennessee's 1st district, [[Diana Harshbarger]]. Historian Ray Hill of ''[[The Knoxville Focus]]'' commented in 2020:<ref>Marais, Bianca (October 13, 2020). [https://www.wjhl.com/news/your-local-election-hq/first-woman-to-represent-tennessees-1st-congressional-district-inspires-new-generations/ First woman to represent Tennessee’s 1st Congressional District inspires new generations]. ''WJHL''. Retrieved August 10, 2021.</ref>
{{cquote|She left a legacy of devotion to the 1st District, the people of the 1st District, and you know, with her wealth, she did a lot of philanthropy that still remains there today, like the Archives of Appalachia and the Reece Museum, their papers are still there. They were just devoted – she and Carroll – were devoted to the people of the 1st Congressional District. You can’t really find a bigger or finer legacy than somebody who genuinely is devoted to their people.}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/R000109 Profile] at the ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
*[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7476269/louise-despard-reece Profile] at ''Find a Grave
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reece, Louise Goff}}
[[Category:Tennessee]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Fiscal Conservatives]]
[[Category:Women]]
|name=Louise Despard Goff Reece
|image=
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=[[Brazilla Carroll Reece]]
|religion=
|offices=
{{Officeholder/representative
|state=Tennessee
|district=1st
|terms=May 16, 1961 – January 3, 1963
|preceded=Brazilla Carroll Reece
|former=y
|succeeded=James H. "Jimmy" Quillen
}}
}}
'''Louise Despard Goff Reece''' (November 6, 1898 – May 14, 1970) was a [[Tennessee]] [[Republican]] from the state's 1st congressional district who represented the area in the [[United States House of Representatives]] for a brief period in the early 1960s, succeeding her late husband [[Brazilla Carroll Reece]], a longtime congressman who died in 1961.
Reece's story is similar that of [[Irene Baker]], who succeeded her late husband [[Howard Baker, Sr.]] in the House around the same time period for the state's neighboring second congressional district.
==U.S. House of Representatives==
In mid-March 1961, Reece's husband died,<ref name=bio>[https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/20216 REECE, Louise Goff]. ''US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives''. Retrieved August 10, 2021.</ref> reportedly of [[lung cancer]]. She soon announced her candidacy for the special election to succeed him, which local Republican politicians threw their support for. The only primary challenge was from oilman Leland Davis, and Reece handily won the primary.<ref name=bio/> She stated during the campaign:<ref name=bio/>
{{cquote|I thought of a lot of back roads my husband had forgotten.}}
Reece won the special election by a landslide over Democrat opponent William W. Faw,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=378466 TN District 1 - Special Election Race - May 16, 1961]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 10, 2021.</ref> who received the endorsement of U.S. senator [[Estes Kefauver|Carey Estes Kefauver]].<ref name=bio/> Upon entering the House, she established a record of conservatism and supporting business interests, advocating for President [[John F. Kennedy]] to bring back tariffs on certain products made from glass.<ref name=bio/> Reece also opposed using federal money to increase the salaries of teachers, saying:<ref name=bio/>
{{cquote|If that comes, the next thing they will do is to tell us what to teach.}}
This is somewhat similar to her husband's [[anti-Communist]] attitudes towards subversion; B. Carroll Reece was the chair and namesake of the '''[[Reece Committee]]''' during the 83rd Congress which investigated [[subversion]] among tax-exempt foundations.
==Legacy==
Reece was considered a trailblazer for women in GOP politics, and can be viewed as a forerunner to the current representative from Tennessee's 1st district, [[Diana Harshbarger]]. Historian Ray Hill of ''[[The Knoxville Focus]]'' commented in 2020:<ref>Marais, Bianca (October 13, 2020). [https://www.wjhl.com/news/your-local-election-hq/first-woman-to-represent-tennessees-1st-congressional-district-inspires-new-generations/ First woman to represent Tennessee’s 1st Congressional District inspires new generations]. ''WJHL''. Retrieved August 10, 2021.</ref>
{{cquote|She left a legacy of devotion to the 1st District, the people of the 1st District, and you know, with her wealth, she did a lot of philanthropy that still remains there today, like the Archives of Appalachia and the Reece Museum, their papers are still there. They were just devoted – she and Carroll – were devoted to the people of the 1st Congressional District. You can’t really find a bigger or finer legacy than somebody who genuinely is devoted to their people.}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/R000109 Profile] at the ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
*[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7476269/louise-despard-reece Profile] at ''Find a Grave
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reece, Louise Goff}}
[[Category:Tennessee]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Fiscal Conservatives]]
[[Category:Women]]