Robert D. Blue
Encyclopedia
Robert Donald Blue was the 30th Governor of Iowa
from 1945-49.
. He served in the United States Army
during World War I
. After the war, he earned a law degree from Drake University
in 1922. He practiced law in Eagle Grove and was County Attorney of Wright County, Iowa
from 1924–31 and City Attorney of Eagle Grove from 1932-34.
In 1934, Blue was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives
. He was reelected in 1936, 1938, 1940, and 1942, and was Speaker
of the Iowa House from 1939-43. He was elected the 31st Lieutenant Governor
in 1942 and then Governor in 1944, winning reelection in 1946.
Blue's policies were unpopular among labor groups (opposed to his bill outlawing the closed shop
), farmers (opposed to his tax policies), and teachers (opposed to his cuts in education funding). One of his principal opponents in the legislature, William S. Beardsley
, took advantage of Blue's unpopularity and successfully challenged him in the Republican primary in 1948. Blue left public life and returned to his hometown of Eagle Grove. He died of a stroke
in 1989.
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...
from 1945-49.
Biography
Blue attended Capital City Commercial College and Iowa State UniversityIowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
. He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After the war, he earned a law degree from Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
in 1922. He practiced law in Eagle Grove and was County Attorney of Wright County, Iowa
Wright County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 13,229 in the county, with a population density of . There were 6,529 housing units, of which 5,625 were occupied.-2000 census:...
from 1924–31 and City Attorney of Eagle Grove from 1932-34.
In 1934, Blue 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...
. He was reelected in 1936, 1938, 1940, and 1942, and was Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Iowa House from 1939-43. He was elected the 31st Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
This is a List of Lieutenant Governors of the U.S. state of Iowa, 1858 to present. In Iowa, the Lieutenant Governor and the governor run together on the same ticket. Before the 1998 Election, the law was changed from the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor running separately....
in 1942 and then Governor in 1944, winning reelection in 1946.
Blue's policies were unpopular among labor groups (opposed to his bill outlawing the closed shop
Closed shop
A closed shop is a form of union security agreement under which the employer agrees to hire union members only, and employees must remain members of the union at all times in order to remain employed....
), farmers (opposed to his tax policies), and teachers (opposed to his cuts in education funding). One of his principal opponents in the legislature, William S. Beardsley
William S. Beardsley
William Shane "Bill" Beardsley was the 31st Governor of Iowa from 1949 to 1954.-Biography:Beardsley was born in Beacon, Iowa and grew up in Birmingham, Iowa. The son of a pharmacist, he attended pharmacy school himself, and established a drugstore in New Virginia, Iowa in 1922. He was elected to...
, took advantage of Blue's unpopularity and successfully challenged him in the Republican primary in 1948. Blue left public life and returned to his hometown of Eagle Grove. He died of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 1989.
External links
- National Governors Association biography
- "Popularity in Reverse", TIMETime (magazine)Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, June 21, 1948 - "Robert D. Blue Dies, Former Iowa Governor", New York Times, December 18, 1989