by design | Feb 15, 2026 | Columnist, Hill, Ray Hill's Archives, Stories In This Week's Focus:
By Ray Hill Above average height, lean and with his neat thatch of graying hair combed back from his forehead, David Aiken Reed looked like he might have been born to the American aristocracy. During his time in the U.S. Senate, Reed was described as “a higher type...
by design | Feb 8, 2026 | Columnist, Hill, Ray Hill's Archives, Stories In This Week's Focus:
By Ray Hill Gifford Pinchot (pronounced Pin-Show) was the epitome of the aristocrat in politics. Immensely wealthy, Pinchot dedicated himself to conservation and was a perennial office seeker. The future governor was motivated to participate in politics for a number...
by design | Feb 1, 2026 | Columnist, Hill, Ray Hill's Archives, Stories In This Week's Focus:
By Ray Hill There were several Congressional districts across the country largely populated by immigrants. There were districts in New York City with a heavy Italian population, while similar districts in Illinois and Michigan were inhabited by Polish citizens. ...
by design | Jan 25, 2026 | Columnist, Hill, Ray Hill's Archives, Stories In This Week's Focus:
By Ray Hill Andrew Jackson May was a colorful Democrat whose career was derailed by corruption. The backwoods lawyer from rural Kentucky was one of the fiercest critics of the Tennessee Valley Authority in the House of Representatives. May was a man who relished...
by design | Jan 18, 2026 | Columnist, Hill, Ray Hill's Archives, Stories In This Week's Focus:
By Ray Hill Kentucky was not quite so solidly a Democratic state as many of its sister border and southern states; Republicans could periodically win statewide elections, but Democrats held a strong advantage in most state, local and federal elections in the Bluegrass...
by design | Jan 11, 2026 | Columnist, Hill, Ray Hill's Archives, Stories In This Week's Focus:
By Ray Hill For decades, Tennessee was either a largely or solidly Democratic state, especially in statewide elections. Democrats also dominated the congressional seats from Tennessee save for the First and Second Congressional Districts. Tennessee had only once...
