1950 United States Senate election in California
Richard Nixon defeated Democrat Helen Gahagan Douglas in the 1950 U.S. Senate election. Douglas was a former actress and opera singer, and the wife of actor Melvyn Douglas. Nixon and Douglas each gave up their congressional seats to run against Downey. Nixon was later criticized for his tactics in the campaign, but he defended his actions.
About 1950 United States Senate election in California in brief
Richard Nixon defeated Democrat Helen Gahagan Douglas in the 1950 U.S. Senate election. Douglas was a former actress and opera singer, and the wife of actor Melvyn Douglas. Nixon and Douglas each gave up their congressional seats to run against Downey. The campaign gave rise to two political nicknames, both coined by Boddy or making their first appearance in his newspaper: \”the Pink Lady\” for Douglas and \”Tricky Dick\” for Nixon. Nixon was later criticized for his tactics in the campaign, but he defended his actions, and also stated that Douglas’s positions were too far to the left for California voters. Nixon won the November 7 general election by almost 20 percentage points, carrying 53 of California’s 58 counties and all metropolitan areas. In the 1940s, California experienced a huge influx of migrants from other US states, increasing its population by 55%. Party registration in 1950 was 58. 4% Democratic and 37. 1% Republican. However, other than Downey, most major California officeholders were Republican including Governor Earl Warren and Senator William Knowland. During the 1950 campaign, both accused each other of having a voting record comparable to that of New York Congressman Vito Marcio. Marcantonio was accused of being a communist, though he denied being one; he rarely discussed the Soviet Union or communism. Nixon disregarded advice from party officials to wait until 1952 to run for the Senate, when Douglas would be up for reelection. Nixon served on the House Un-American Activities Committee, which served as a concern for the beginning of the Korean War.
He was known for his anticommunist activities, including his involvement in the Alger Hiss affair. In 1946, he defeated 12th district Congressman Jerry Voorhis to claim a seat in the United States House of Representatives, where he became known for being a staunch supporter of the New Deal. In 1950, he ran unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor of California as Upton Sinclair’s running mate. As a senator, however, his positions gradually moved to the right, and he began to favor corporate interests. He had a reputation as a liberal, and had a tendency to vote against citations requested by the Bill of Rights, such as that of the Communist Party of America. In 1952, he served as chairman of the House Committee on Un- American Activities, which requested that the Bill be amended to include a ban on contempt of Congress. He also served as chair of the Senate Committee on Education and the Judiciary, which required him to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He died in a plane crash in 1963. He is survived by his wife, Helen, and their son, Richard Nixon, Jr., who was elected to the U.N. Senate in 1968. He served as president of the International Monetary Fund from 1969 to 1971. He has a daughter, Helen Nixon, and a son-in-law, Robert Nixon, who served as vice-presidential candidate for the Republican Party of California from 1971 to 1973.
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