The Minority Leader: Charles L. McNary of Oregon By Ray Hill It may surprise readers there was a time when Oregon was a highly Republican state.  In fact, it was the home state of Charles Linza McNary, who served as minority leader during some of the most difficult...

The Gentleman From Florida: Charles O. Andrews By Ray Hill Few, if any, regular readers of this column will ever have heard of Charles Oscar Andrews, but for a decade he represented Florida in the United States Senate.  Thin to the point of being gaunt, Andrews looked...

‘Sons of the Wild Jack Ass’ George H. Moses of New Hampshire By Ray Hill There was a time when George Higgins Moses was one of the most powerful members of the United States Senate. A partisan Republican with a tart tongue, Moses was thought to be the spokesman of...

The Last of the Gray Wolves: James Bowler By Ray Hill I would be shocked if a single reader of this column, which draws some of the best-informed people on political history in many instances, has heard of James B. Bowler before.  Yet he is notable for a few reasons,...

The Gentleman From Ohio: Martin L. Sweeney By Ray Hill Martin L. Sweeney may not have served as long as many of his colleagues in the House of Representatives, but folks knew he was there when he was a member. For twelve years, Sweeney represented a district in...

The Gentleman From Indiana: Ray J. Madden By Ray Hill   Ray John Madden served in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1943 until 1977, a total of 34 years, representing the most solidly Democratic district in Indiana.  A big, bluff man with a thick thatch of...

Bert H. Miller of Idaho By Ray Hill Numerous individuals have enjoyed very long congressional careers, serving decades in Washington.  Bert H. Miller was not one of them.  Aside from appointments to the United States Senate, which are frequently intended to be...

Idaho’s Conservative: Herman Welker By Ray Hill It’s been 66 years since Herman Welker died and very few outside of his native state of Idaho remember his name.  Welker served a single term in the United States Senate, but during his time as a member of the world’s...

Cowboy Entertainer: Glen H. Taylor of Idaho By Ray Hill Someone once described politics as show business for ugly people.  Certainly, show business and politics are related and may very well be kissing cousins.  Ronald Reagan, George Murphy, Arnold Schwarzenegger,...

The Southern Gentleman Winfield Dunn Editor’s Note: The Knoxville Focus is running this reprint of Ray Hill’s column from September 2013 on former Governor Winfield Dunn to honor his passing last month. By Ray Hill Bryant Winfield Culberson Dunn was born July 1, 1927,...