William A. Blakley
Bill Blakley | |
---|---|
United States Senator from Texas | |
In office January 3, 1961 – June 14, 1961 | |
Appointed by | Price Daniel |
Preceded by | Lyndon B. Johnson |
Succeeded by | John Tower |
In office January 15, 1957 – April 28, 1957 | |
Appointed by | Allan Shivers |
Preceded by | Price Daniel |
Succeeded by | Ralph Yarborough |
Personal details | |
Born | William Arvis Blakley November 17, 1898 Miami Station, Missouri, U.S. |
Died | January 5, 1976 Dallas, Texas, U.S. | (aged 77)
Political party | Democratic |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Army |
Battles/wars | World War I |
William Arvis "Dollar Bill" Blakley (November 17, 1898 – January 5, 1976) was an American politician and businessman from the state of Texas. Blakley was part of the conservative wing of the Texas Democratic Party. He served twice as an interim United States Senator, appointed by the Governor to fill a vacancy until his successor could be duly elected. He served first in 1957 after the resignation of Price Daniel and again in 1961 after the resignation of Lyndon B. Johnson.
Blakley ran two unsuccessful campaigns for election to the Senate in his own right. He lost the regularly scheduled 1958 primary election to incumbent liberal Democrat Ralph Yarborough. He lost as the incumbent in the 1961 election to complete Johnson's term to John Tower, the first Republican ever popularly elected from Texas.
Early years and career
Blakley was born in
Entry to politics
In 1956,
Blakley, who had gained prominence in Texas politics for his business successes, was building a $125 million shopping center and a 1,000-room hotel in Dallas. Governor Shivers, who had been considering appointing a Republican candidate to the Senate seat, named Blakley to the Senate pending a special election.
Pressured by the Democratic Party to cool tensions from the gubernatorial election, Blakley did not seek the remaining term as senator and served for fewer than four months, from January 15 to April 28. Ralph Yarborough succeeded him in the special election, winning with a
After that, Texas law was changed to require a runoff between the two leading candidates in a special election if no one had a majority in the first round). Blakley left the Senate saying, "I shall go back to my boots and saddle and ride toward the Western sunset."[1]
When the seat came up again the following year in the ordinary election cycle, Blakley ran in the primary against Yarborough as the conservative "Shivercrat" candidate. Blakley ran with the backing of
Senate appointment and subsequent loss
In 1961, upon Lyndon Johnson becoming Vice President of the United States, Blakley was appointed to fill Johnson's vacated Senate seat. Contention again appeared between the liberal and conservative wings of the Democratic Party for the nomination in the special election that would follow; Blakley maintained that he had vigorously resisted John F. Kennedy's "New Frontier" legislation, which was unpopular with Texas conservatives. Consequently, Ralph Yarborough did not endorse Blakley among the 71 candidates who ran without party designation.
Blakley ran a weak second with 191,818 (18.1 percent) votes to Republican
Final years and death
After losing the Senate election, Blakley left politics and returned to his business interests. He died in Dallas and is buried there in Restland Memorial Park, alongside his wife, the former Villa W. Darnell, a native of Washita County, Oklahoma, who also died in Dallas. The couple had 5 Children.
Blakley Braniff Foundation
A library at the University of Dallas is named after him as a result of his and Braniff founder and President Thomas Elmer Braniff's support of the school through endowments from their Blakley Braniff Foundation. Blakley had contributed US$100 million to the foundation. Before 1961, Blakley was the largest single shareholder of Braniff International Airways.[3]
References
- ^ Time (magazine)
- ^ These Texas liberals either sat out the election or even voted for Tower to protest Texas' conservative Democratic hegemony. In effect, they were laying the groundwork for a two-party system.
- ISBN 978-1-4196-7884-4.
External links
- "New Course in Texas" from Time magazine, June 2, 1961
- "Harmony in Texas" from Time magazine, July 28, 1957
- Handbook of Texas article on the Democratic Party, from University of Texas
- Braniff Flying Colors Historical Page
- United States Congress. "William A. Blakley (id: B000536)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.