Hugh A. Butler

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by LT (talk | contribs) at 00:27, August 24, 2021. It may differ significantly from current revision.

Hugh Alfred Butler (February 28, 1878 – July 1, 1954) was a strongly conservative Republican from Nebraska who served as the state's U.S. senator from 1941 until his death in office at 1954. Similar to his senatorial colleague Kenneth Wherry, Butler was an outspoken isolationist and part of the Old Right.

Hugh Alfred Butler
Former U.S. Senator from Nebraska
From: January 3, 1941 – July 1, 1954
Predecessor Edward R. Burke
Successor Samuel W. Reynolds
Information
Party Republican
Spouse(s) Fay Johnson[1]
Religion Congregationalist[2]

U.S. Senate

In 1940, incumbent Democrat senator Edward R. Burke, who initially supported Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal but broke with the president, lost renomination. In the concurrent GOP primary, Butler won with a plurality polling 37% of the vote.[3] During the general election, Burke crossed party lines in endorsing Butler, who handily defeated Democrat Robert L. Cochran.[4] Butler similarly won re-election in 1946 and 1952 by landslide margins.[5]

Butler proved to be a consistently adamant conservative. He voted with the political right over 90% of the time during the 1945–46 congressional session[6] as well as the 1949–50 session.[7] He also supported cloture for a "voluntary FEPC" bill introduced by Robert Taft against a Southern filibuster,[8] in addition to an amendment by Scott Lucas bolstering President Harry Truman's army desegregation.[9]

Butler missed 9.5% of all roll call votes in Congress.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Paul, Justus F. THE MAKING OF A SENATOR ~ THE EARLY LIFE OF HUGH BUTLER. Nebraska State Historical Society. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  2. ↑ Butler, G to I. The Political Graveyard. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  3. ↑ NE US Senate - R Primary Race - Apr 09, 1940. Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  4. ↑ NE US Senate Race - Nov 05, 1940. Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  5. ↑ Candidate - Hugh A. Butler. Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  6. ↑ FascinatingPolitics (July 31, 2020). 1945-46-civil-rights-converted.pdf. Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  7. ↑ FascinatingPolitics (January 6, 2019). Ideology and Civil Rights, 1950 Edition. Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  8. ↑ S 1728. PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. MOTION FOR CLOTURE.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  9. ↑ HR 6826. EXTENSION OF SELECTIVE SERVICE MANPOWER REGISTRA- TION ACT. AMEND. TO ELIMINATE A COMMITTEE AMEND. WHICH WOULD GIVE OPTION TO ENLISTEE TO SERVE IN A UNIT, THE PER- SONNEL OF WHICH ARE OF HIS OWN RACE.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  10. ↑ Sen. Hugh Butler. GovTrack.us. Retrieved August 23, 2021.

External links

  • Profile at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
  • Profile at Find a Grave