Michael Howlett
Michael J. Howlett Sr. | |
---|---|
Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts | |
In office January 9, 1961 – January 8, 1973 | |
Governor | |
Preceded by | Elbert S. Smith |
Succeeded by | |
Personal details | |
Born | Chicago, Illinois | August 30, 1914
Died | May 4, 1992 Chicago, Illinois | (aged 77)
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Helen Geary |
Children | 6 |
Military service | |
Branch/service | United States Navy |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Michael J. Howlett Sr. (August 30, 1914 – May 4, 1992) was an American politician who served as the 24th
Early life
Howlett was born in
Career
Early career
In the 1930s, Howlett established an independent insurance business. He later served as Chicago-area director of the National Youth Administration, worked as an executive for the Chicago Park District, and was appointed regional director of the Economic Stabilization Agency. He later worked as a steel company executive. He served in the United States Navy during World War II.
Illinois Auditor
In 1956, Howlett ran for
In 1972, Howlett was elected Illinois Secretary of State, becoming the first Democratic state officer to win four consecutive statewide elections.
1976 Illinois Gubernatorial Campaign
Howlett was prepared to run for re-election in 1976, but was encouraged by Cook County Democrats to challenge incumbent Governor Dan Walker for the Democratic nomination in 1976. Howlett defeated Walker in the March primary, and stood as the Democratic nominee for governor of Illinois in the general election, whereupon he was defeated by Republican nominee James R. Thompson.
Throughout the campaign, Howlett was dogged by conflict of interest charges, first raised by Walker, over payments Howlett received as an executive at Sun Steel Company. A report issued by former Illinois Supreme Court Justice Marvin Burt at the behest of Republican state Attorney General William J. Scott was highly critical of Howlett. However, a Cook County judge ruled no conflict of interest had arisen, and cleared Howlett. Thompson, who successfully prosecuted former Illinois governor Otto Kerner Jr., continued to hammer the issue during the general election campaign, and attacked Howlett as corrupt, and Attorney General Scott vowed to appeal the judge's ruling. Ironically, it was Scott who later was forced to resign after a felony conviction.[2]
Early polls of the contest had Howlett in the lead, although Thompson had nearly closed the gap by the time of the primary.
Retirement
After his loss in the 1976 governor's race, Howlett opened a private consulting business.
Howlett would later see his son run for statewide office through bizarre circumstances. In the 1986 Democratic primary for
Death and legacy
Howlett died in Chicago's Mercy Hospital of chronic kidney failure. He had suffered a stroke three months earlier and remained hospitalized from then until his death.
The building housing the offices of the Illinois Secretary of State in Springfield, Illinois, formerly known as the Centennial Building, is named after Howlett.
Election history
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican
|
James R. Thompson | 3,000,395 | 64.68 | +15.66 | |
Democratic
|
Michael Howlett | 1,610,258 | 34.71 | -15.97 | |
Libertarian
|
F. Joseph McCaffrey | 7,552 | 0.16 | ||
Communist Party (US) | Ishmael Flory | 10,091 | 0.22 | +0.12 | |
Others | 10,375 | 0.23 | |||
Majority | 1,390,137 | 29.93 | |||
Turnout | 4,638,671 | ||||
Democratic
|
Swing |
References
Sources
- Chicago Tribune Historical Archive online (May 5, 1992), retrieved April 28, 2007.
- Illinois Comptroller web site - History of the Office - Howlett
- "Howlett v. Thompson," Illinois Issues, November 1976
- 1975-1976 Illinois Blue Book p40