Joseph Taylor Robinson

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Joseph Taylor Robinson
23rd Governor of Arkansas
In office January 16, 1913 – March 8, 1913
Preceded by	George Washington Donaghey
Succeeded by	William Kavanaugh Oldham
United States Senator from Arkansas
In office March 4, 1913 – July 14, 1937
Preceded by	William M. Kavanaugh
Succeeded by	John E. Miller
4th United States Senate Majority Leader
In office March 4, 1933 – June 14, 1937
Preceded by	James Eli Watson
Succeeded by	Alben W. Barkley
Democratic candidate for Vice President of the United States
Election date November 6, 1928
Running mate	Al Smith
Opponent(s)	Charles Curtis (R).
Incumbent	Charles G. Dawes (R)
Born	August 26, 1872 Lonoke, Arkansas
Died	July 14, 1937 (aged 64) Washington, D.C.
Political party	Democratic

Joseph Taylor Robinson (August 26, 1872 - July 14, 1937) was an American politician from Arkansas, of the Democratic Party. He was a state representative, a U.S. Representative, Governor of Arkansas, U.S. Senator, and Senate Majority Leader, and was a candidate for Vice President.

Born in Lonoke, Arkansas, Robinson attended the University of Arkansas and studied law at the University of Virginia.

In 1894 Robinson was elected to the Arkansas Legislature and served one term. Robinson was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1902 from the Sixth District of Arkansas, and was re-elected to four subsequent terms, serving until 1913.

In 1912 he was elected Governor of Arkansas. He resigned his Congressional seat on 14 January 1913 and took office as governor on 15 January. In the meantime, however, Senator Jefferson Davis died on 3 January. Davis had been re-elected to a new term beginning 3 March 1913. That term was now open. On 27 January, only 12 days after Robinson took office as governor, the legislature elected him to the U.S. Senate for that term.

Robinson was the last Senator elected by a state legislature rather than by direct popular vote. The Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, requiring direct election, was ratified and took effect on 8 April 1913. Other Senators elected to terms starting in 1913 were elected earlier (Arkansas had to have a second election after Davis' death). Senator James H. Brady of Idaho was elected to fill a vacancy on 24 January; he was next to last.

Robinson resigned as governor on 10 March. Though he served as governor for only 55 days, his administration focused on providing funds to complete the new state capitol building, creating a labor statistics board, adopting an official state flag, and working to create a highway commission.

Robinson was re-elected to the Senate in 1918, 1924, 1930, and 1936. He was elected Senate Minority Leader for the 68th Congress (1923-1925), and remained leader of Senate Democrats till his death, becoming Senate Majority Leader in 1933 when the Democrats became the majority. He was the first Democrat to serve as formally designated Majority Leader.

Robinson was a leading spokesman for President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal legislation and his court-packing plan in 1937. Robinson's death effectively killed off the Roosevelt proposal to restructure the United States Supreme Court.

Robinson was the Democratic candidate for Vice President in 1928, as the running mate of Alfred E. Smith (see: U.S. presidential election, 1928).

Senator Robinson died in Washington, D.C.. He is buried at the Roselawn Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas. His home in Little Rock, the Joseph Taylor Robinson House, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1994.

Robinson is the namesake of Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas's primary National Guard base; Robinson Center in downtown Little Rock; and elementary, middle and high schools on the northwestern edge of Little Rock. Robinson's face appears on the front of the United States half dollar produced for the 1936 Arkansas Centennial; he was one of only four men to appear on a U.S. coin while living.

[edit] Electoral history

[edit] External links

• Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: Joseph Taylor Robinson

v • d • e United States Senators from Arkansas Class 2: Fulton • Ashley • Sebastian • McDonald • Clayton • Garland • Berry • Davis • Heiskell • Kavanaugh • Robinson • Miller • Spencer • McClellan • Hodges • D. Pryor • Hutchinson • M. Pryor Class 3: Sevier • Borland • Johnson • Mitchel • Rice • Dorsey • Walker • Jones • Clarke • Kirby • T. Caraway • H. Caraway • Fulbright • Bumpers • Lincoln

v • d • e United States Senate Majority Leaders Lodge • Curtis • Watson • Robinson • Barkley • White • Lucas • McFarland • Taft • Knowland • Johnson • Mansfield • Byrd • Baker • Dole • Byrd • Mitchell • Dole • Lott • Daschle • Lott • Daschle • Frist • Reid

v • d • e United States Senate Minority Leaders Underwood • Robinson • McNary • Austin • McNary • White • Barkley • Wherry • Bridges • Johnson • Knowland • Dirksen • Scott • Baker • Byrd • Dole • Daschle • Lott • Daschle • Lott • Frist • Daschle • Reid • McConnell

v • d • e Democratic Party Leaders in the United States Senate Underwood • Robinson • Barkley • Lucas • McFarland • Johnson • Mansfield • Byrd • Mitchell • Daschle • Reid

v • d • e Governors of Arkansas Territorial J. Miller · Izard · Crittenden* · Pope · Fulton* State J. Conway · Yell · Adams* · Drew · Byrd* · Roane · E. Conway · Rector · Flanagin · Murphy · Clayton · Hadley* · Baxter · Brooks† · Baxter · Garland · W. Miller · Churchill · Berry · Hughes · Eagle · Fishback · Clarke · Jones · Davis · Little · Moore* · Pindall* · Martin* · Donaghey · Robinson · Oldham* · Futrell* · Hays · Brough · McRae · Terral · Martineau · Parnell · Futrell · Bailey · Adkins · Laney · McMath · Cherry · Faubus · Rockefeller · Bumpers · Riley* · Pryor · Purcell* · Clinton · White · Clinton · Tucker · Huckabee · Beebe * denotes acting † disputed, see Brooks-Baxter War