Robert Taft, Jr.
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Robert Taft, Jr. |
Robert Taft (generally known as
Robert Taft Jr. for the sake of convenience) (
February 26,
1917–
December 7,
1993) served as a
Republican Congressman between
1963 and
1965, and between
1967 and
1971. He also served as a
U. S. Senator from
Ohio between
1971 and
1976.
Taft attended
Yale University and
Harvard University Law School. Taft served in the
Ohio House of Representatives from
1955-
1962 until winning election to the
United States House of Representatives. Taft won election to the
United States House of Representatives in
1962 as an at-large representative from Ohio (at-large seats were barred by the
Voting Rights Act). In
1964, rather than running for re-election to the House, he ran for the
U.S. Senate, but he lost to
Stephen M. Young. In 1966, Taft returned to the House of Representatives, unseating Democratic incumbent (and future
Governor of Ohio)
John J. Gilligan. In
1968, Taft won re-election, defeating Democrat
Carl F. Heiser. Taft then won Young's U.S. Senate seat six years after losing to him when Young did not run for re-election, running against
Howard Metzenbaum. Taft, however, lost six years later in a rematch against Metzenbaum. He resigned six days before the end of his term to resume the practice of law.
He was the great-grandson of
Secretary of War Alphonso Taft, grandson of
President William H. Taft, the son of
Senator Robert Alphonso Taft I and Martha Wheaton Bowers. He married Blanca Duncan Noel. They were the parents of
Ohio Governor Robert Alphonso Taft II and three other children. Although the subject of this article was listed as "Robert A. Taft, Jr." in the 1920 U.S. Federal Population Census, it is his son who is known as Robert Alphonso Taft II.
Although Taft's father was also named Robert Taft, the subject of this article is not actually named Robert Taft Jr. or Robert Taft II, because his name is not identical to his father's. The father was Robert Alphonso Taft. The son was just Robert Taft. Robert Taft's son (the current governor of Ohio), however, does have the full name, including the middle name "Alphonso." Thus, the father of the subject of this article is Robert Alphonso Taft I and his son is Robert Alphonso Taft II, but he is just plain Robert Taft.
See also:
*
Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 1st District*
Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, At-Large Seats*
Election Results, U.S. Senator from Ohio*
List of United States Representatives from Ohio*
List of United States Senators from Ohio
