Karl M. Le Compte
Encyclopedia
Karl Miles Le Compte was a ten-term Republican U.S. Representative
from south-central Iowa
. He won ten consecutive races from 1938 to 1956, before choosing not to run again in 1958.
Born in Corydon, Iowa
, Le Compte attended the public schools and graduated from the University of Iowa
at Iowa City in 1909. One year later (in 1910) he became owner and publisher of the Corydon Times-Republican. In 1916, at age 29, he won election to the Iowa Senate
, becoming its youngest member. In 1918, during the First World War served as a private in the medical detachment of United States General Hospital No. 26, but did not serve overseas. His service in the Senate ended in 1921.
When Republican U.S. Representative Lloyd Thurston ran for the U.S. Senate in 1938, Le Compte ran for his seat in Iowa's 5th congressional district
. In a successful bid for the Republican nomination in the primary, his advertisements stressed that he was "inalterably opposed to the New Deal Program of waste and extravagance." In the general election, he defeated Albia, Iowa
Postmaster Ruth F. Hollingshead, the first woman to run for Congress in Iowa, and began serving in 1939. In his first term, he served on the Committee on Public Lands and the Committee on Insular Affairs. He was re-elected to his 5th district seat in 1940, before redistricting in 1941 retitled the same set of counties as Iowa's 4th congressional district
. He was not seriously challenged until 1948, when attorney and Democrat Steven V. Carter
first ran against Le Compte, and came within 4,000 votes of unseating Le Compte. Le Compte easily prevailed in the next three elections before Carter again came within 2,000 votes of unseating him in 1956. After the 1956 election, Carter filed a challenge against the result with the U.S. House, which decided two years later that Le Compte was properly declared the winner.
He served as chairman of the Committee on House Administration in the Eightieth
Congress (from 1947 to 1948) and in the Eighty-third
Congress (from 1953 to 1955).
Rather than running again in 1958, Le Compte retired, and Carter won the seat on his fourth attempt. In all, Le Compte served in Congress between January 3, 1939 and January 3, 1959.
After his last term in Congress, Le Compte returned to newspaper publishing. He later retired but continued as a contributing editor.
He died in Centerville, Iowa
, on September 30, 1972. He was interred in Corydon Cemetery.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from south-central Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. He won ten consecutive races from 1938 to 1956, before choosing not to run again in 1958.
Born in Corydon, Iowa
Corydon, Iowa
Corydon is a city in Wayne County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,585 in the 2010 census, a decline from 1,591 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wayne County....
, Le Compte attended the public schools and graduated from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
at Iowa City in 1909. One year later (in 1910) he became owner and publisher of the Corydon Times-Republican. In 1916, at age 29, he won election to the Iowa Senate
Iowa Senate
The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 members of the Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 59,500 per constituency. Each Senate district is composed of two House districts...
, becoming its youngest member. In 1918, during the First World War served as a private in the medical detachment of United States General Hospital No. 26, but did not serve overseas. His service in the Senate ended in 1921.
When Republican U.S. Representative Lloyd Thurston ran for the U.S. Senate in 1938, Le Compte ran for his seat in Iowa's 5th congressional district
Iowa's 5th congressional district
Iowa's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of Western Iowa and includes the cities of Council Bluffs and Sioux City...
. In a successful bid for the Republican nomination in the primary, his advertisements stressed that he was "inalterably opposed to the New Deal Program of waste and extravagance." In the general election, he defeated Albia, Iowa
Albia, Iowa
Albia is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,706 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Albia's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 41.026600, −92.805262....
Postmaster Ruth F. Hollingshead, the first woman to run for Congress in Iowa, and began serving in 1939. In his first term, he served on the Committee on Public Lands and the Committee on Insular Affairs. He was re-elected to his 5th district seat in 1940, before redistricting in 1941 retitled the same set of counties as Iowa's 4th congressional district
Iowa's 4th congressional district
Iowa's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers most of the north-central part of the state....
. He was not seriously challenged until 1948, when attorney and Democrat Steven V. Carter
Steven V. Carter
Steven V. Carter was a Democratic U.S. Representative from south central Iowa in 1959.Born in Carterville, Utah, at age fourteen Carter moved with his parents to Lamoni, Iowa, and graduated from Lamoni High School...
first ran against Le Compte, and came within 4,000 votes of unseating Le Compte. Le Compte easily prevailed in the next three elections before Carter again came within 2,000 votes of unseating him in 1956. After the 1956 election, Carter filed a challenge against the result with the U.S. House, which decided two years later that Le Compte was properly declared the winner.
He served as chairman of the Committee on House Administration in the Eightieth
80th United States Congress
The Eightieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1947 to January 3, 1949, during the third and fourth...
Congress (from 1947 to 1948) and in the Eighty-third
83rd United States Congress
The Eighty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1953 to January 3, 1955, during the first two years...
Congress (from 1953 to 1955).
Rather than running again in 1958, Le Compte retired, and Carter won the seat on his fourth attempt. In all, Le Compte served in Congress between January 3, 1939 and January 3, 1959.
After his last term in Congress, Le Compte returned to newspaper publishing. He later retired but continued as a contributing editor.
He died in Centerville, Iowa
Centerville, Iowa
Centerville is a city in and the county seat of Appanoose County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,528 in the 2010 census, a decline from 5,924 in the 2000 census. After the turn of the 20th century Centerville had a booming coal mining industry that attracted many European immigrants...
, on September 30, 1972. He was interred in Corydon Cemetery.