Harley M. Kilgore

Harley M. Kilgore

Harley Martin Kilgore (born January 11, 1893 in Brown , Harrison County , West Virginia , † February 28, 1956 in Bethesda , Maryland ) was an American politician ( Democratic Party ).

After attending public school, Kilgore studied law at West Virginia University in Morgantown and graduated there in 1914. In the same year he was admitted to the bar.

As a result, he first worked as a teacher in Morgan County before helping in 1915 to build the first high school in Raleigh County . He became the first head of the school and now also worked as a lawyer in Beckley . During World War I Kilgore served in the infantry ; In 1920 he was discharged from the army with the rank of captain . In the following year he was instrumental in organizing the West Virginia's National Guard , to which he remained associated for many years. With the rank of Colonel , he resigned in 1953.

Harley Kilgore took his first public office in 1933 when he became a judge in the Raleigh County Criminal Court . He resigned from this post after he was elected to the US Senate for the Democrats . He took office in 1940 and was re-elected twice. During the 48th session of Congress , he served as chairman of the Judiciary Committee . He was also named after him Kilgore Committee before that during the Second World War, the mobilization oversaw and helped the War Mobilization Board building. He was also involved in setting up the National Science Foundation .

In the run-up to the 1948 presidential election , Kilgore ran as a Democratic candidate and won the primary elections in his home state unchallenged. He was a so-called favorite-son candidate , i.e. an only apparent candidate for the presidential candidacy who, in the event of a close election at the convention , could leave the votes awarded to him to another candidate, for which there were usually promises to the then retiring. Since President Harry S. Truman ultimately had a clear lead over his rival Richard B. Russell , there was no way for Kilgore to use his votes profitably.

During his third term, he died at the Bethesda Naval Hospital . He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Web links

• Harley M. Kilgore in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)