Paul Cunningham (Iowa)
Encyclopedia
Paul Harvey Cunningham served nine consecutive terms as a Republican U.S. Representative
from Iowa
. First elected in 1940, he was re-elected eight times, and defeated in 1958.
Born on a farm in Indiana County, Pennsylvania
near Kent, Cunningham attended the public schools.
He graduated from State Teachers College
, Indiana, Pennsylvania
, in 1911, from the literary department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1914, and from its Law School
in 1915.
He was admitted to the bar
in 1915 and commenced practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan
.
During the First World War, from 1917 to 1919, he served as a first lieutenant in the Infantry.
He moved to Des Moines, Iowa
, in 1919 and continued the practice of law. He served as member of the Iowa National Guard from 1920 to 1923. He was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives
in 1933, and served until 1937.
On February 4, 1940, Congressman Cassius C. Dowell
died, thereby creating a vacancy in Iowa's 6th congressional district
. Cunningham fell four votes short of receiving the Republican Party's nomination as its candidate in the March 5, 1940 special election. Although Robert K. Goodwin
received he nomination and won the special election, Cunningham received his party's nomination for the 1940 general election, where he defeated E. Frank Fox.
Iowa's districts were reapportioned before the next election to reflect the loss of one Iowa seat, placing Cunningham's home county (Polk) in Iowa's 5th congressional district
. In 1942, and in the next eight elections, Cunningham was re-elected to Congress from that district.
In 1958, Cunningham faced a challenge from Neal Smith, then seeking his first term. Two weeks before the election, Cunningham was slightly favored to win, based on a split within the Polk County Democratic Party's organization. However, Smith defeated Cunningham, winning his first of eighteen terms. Cunningham's congressional service began January 3, 1941, and ended January 3, 1959.
After his defeat, Cunningham resumed the practice of law. He died at his summer home on Gull Lake, Brainerd, Minnesota
, on July 16, 1961. He was interred in Masonic Cemetery, Des Moines, Iowa
.
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 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...
. First elected in 1940, he was re-elected eight times, and defeated in 1958.
Born on a farm in Indiana County, Pennsylvania
Indiana County, Pennsylvania
-Government and politics:As of November 2008, there are 58,077 registered voters in Indiana County .* Democratic: 26,653 * Republican: 24,159 * Other Parties: 7,265 -County commissioners:*Rodney Ruddock, Chairman, Republican...
near Kent, Cunningham attended the public schools.
He graduated from State Teachers College
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA. The university is northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the largest university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and is the commonwealth's fifth largest university...
, Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana, Pennsylvania
Indiana is a borough in and the county seat of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,895 at the 2000 census.The borough and the region as a whole promotes itself as the "Christmas Tree Capital of the World" because the national Christmas Tree Grower's Association was...
, in 1911, from the literary department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1914, and from its Law School
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
in 1915.
He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1915 and commenced practice in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
.
During the First World War, from 1917 to 1919, he served as a first lieutenant in the Infantry.
He moved to Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, in 1919 and continued the practice of law. He served as member of the Iowa National Guard from 1920 to 1923. He was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives
Iowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 100 members of the House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 29,750 for each constituency...
in 1933, and served until 1937.
On February 4, 1940, Congressman Cassius C. Dowell
Cassius C. Dowell
Cassius Clay Dowell was a Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa. He served from 1915 to his death in 1940, except for a two-year period in 1935-36 resulting from a 1934 election loss....
died, thereby creating a vacancy in Iowa's 6th congressional district
Iowa's 6th congressional district
Iowa's 6th congressional district is a former congressional district in Iowa. It existed from 1862 to 1992, when it was lost due to Iowa's declining population....
. Cunningham fell four votes short of receiving the Republican Party's nomination as its candidate in the March 5, 1940 special election. Although Robert K. Goodwin
Robert K. Goodwin
Robert Kingman Goodwin was a Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa from a March 1940 special election until the end of his term in January 1941.Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Goodwin attended the public schools....
received he nomination and won the special election, Cunningham received his party's nomination for the 1940 general election, where he defeated E. Frank Fox.
Iowa's districts were reapportioned before the next election to reflect the loss of one Iowa seat, placing Cunningham's home county (Polk) 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 1942, and in the next eight elections, Cunningham was re-elected to Congress from that district.
In 1958, Cunningham faced a challenge from Neal Smith, then seeking his first term. Two weeks before the election, Cunningham was slightly favored to win, based on a split within the Polk County Democratic Party's organization. However, Smith defeated Cunningham, winning his first of eighteen terms. Cunningham's congressional service began January 3, 1941, and ended January 3, 1959.
After his defeat, Cunningham resumed the practice of law. He died at his summer home on Gull Lake, Brainerd, Minnesota
Brainerd, Minnesota
Brainerd is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,590 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Crow Wing County and one of the largest cities in Central Minnesota...
, on July 16, 1961. He was interred in Masonic Cemetery, Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
.