Eugene McCarthy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
United States Senator from Minnesota
In office: January 3, 1959 - January 3, 1971
Preceded by: Edward John Thye
Succeeded by: Hubert Humphrey
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 4th district
In office: January 3, 1949 - January 3, 1959
Preceded by: Edward Devitt
Succeeded by: Joseph Karth
Personal details
Born: Eugene Joseph McCarthy on March 29, 1916, Watkins, Minnesota
Died: December 10, 2005 (aged 89), Washington, D.C.
Nationality: American
Political party: Democratic - Farmer - Labor
Spouse: Abigail McCarthy (1915 - 2001)
Alma mater: Saint John's University, University of Minnesota
Profession: Professor
Religion: Roman Catholicism
Eugene Joseph ''Gene'' McCarthy (March 29, 1916 - December 10, 2005) was an American politician, poet, and a long time Congressman from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971.
In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first candidate to challenge incumbent Lyndon B. Johnson for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States, running on an anti-Vietnam War platform. The unexpected vote total he achieved in the New Hampshire primary and his strong polling in the upcoming Wisconsin primary contributed to Johnson's decision to withdraw from the race, and lured Robert F. Kennedy into the contest. Fellow Minnesotan U.S. Vice President Hubert Humphrey also entered the race after Johnson's withdrawal. McCarthy would unsuccessfully seek the presidency five times altogether.
