Ed Edmondson (politician)

Edmond Augustus Edmondson (April 7, 1919 – December 8, 1990) was a U.S. politician from Oklahoma. He served 10 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1953 to 1973. He was defeated in U.S. Senate elections in Oklahoma three times in 1972, 1974, and 1978.

Ed Edmondson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1973
Preceded by	William G. Stigler
Succeeded by	Clem McSpadden
Personal details
Born	Edmond Augustus Edmondson (1919-04-07)April 7, 1919 Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	December 8, 1990(1990-12-08) (aged 71) Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	June Edmondson
Children	James E. Edmondson Drew Edmondson
Alma mater	University of Oklahoma Georgetown University Law Center
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1943–46 (Navy) 1946-70 (Navy Reserve)

Early life

He was born and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he attended public school before going on to attend Muskogee Junior College.[1] Following graduation from the University of Oklahoma in 1940, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation, serving as a special agent until 1943.[2] From 1943 to 1946, he served in the United States Navy and continued in the reserves until 1970. He earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1947.[3]

Political career

He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1953 to 1973.[4] In the 1972 election, he was a candidate for the U.S. Senate, but narrowly lost the general election to former Governor Dewey F. Bartlett.

Edmondson did not sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto, and voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,[5] 1960,[6] 1964,[7] and 1968,[8] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[9][10]

In the 1974 election, he ran for the state's other U.S. Senate seat, losing to incumbent Henry Bellmon by less than 1 percent of the vote. In the 1978 election, he made a surprise late entry in the U.S. Senate race, losing the Democratic primary runoff to popular Governor David L. Boren by a wide margin.

Family

He and his wife June had five children, including their sons, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice James E. Edmondson, and former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson. His brother was J. Howard Edmondson, a former Governor of Oklahoma and U.S. Senator. He died in Muskogee, Oklahoma on December 8, 1990. In 2003, the federal courthouse in Muskogee was renamed the Ed Edmondson United States Courthouse in his honor.[11]

References

1. Kosmerick, Todd J. "Edmondson, Edmond Augustus (1919-1990)." Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Retrieved 10-12-09
2. Kosmerick, Todd J. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10-12-09
3. Kosmerick, Todd J. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10-12-09
4. Kosmerick, Todd J. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10-12-09
5. "HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957". GovTrack.us.
6. "HR 8601. PASSAGE".
7. "H.R. 7152. PASSAGE".
8. "TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES".
9. "S.J. RES. 29. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN THE USE OF POLL TAX AS A REQUIREMENT FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS". GovTrack.us.
10. "TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT".
11. "Statement on H.R. 1668." The White House (news release). September 17, 2003. Retrieved 10-12-09

External links

• United States Congress. "Ed Edmondson (id: E000054)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Party political offices
Preceded by Fred R. Harris	Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Oklahoma (Class 2) 1972	Succeeded by David Boren
Preceded by Mike Monroney	Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Oklahoma (Class 3) 1974	Succeeded by Andy Coats
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by William G. Stigler	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1973	Succeeded by Clem McSpadden