T. Cooper Evans
Encyclopedia
Thomas Cooper Evans (May 26, 1924 - December 22, 2005) was a three-term Republican U.S. Representative
from Iowa's 3rd congressional district
. First elected to Congress in a close race amidst a Republican landslide, in a district that became less Republican through reapportionment, Evans defied expectations by winning re-election by increasingly large margins.
Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
, Evans graduated from Grundy Center High School, Grundy Center, Iowa
in 1942. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Army
, serving as infantryman from 1943 to 1946. After his discharge, he attended St. Andrews University in Scotland
in 1948. He earned his B.S.
from Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa
in 1949, and earned his M.S. in 1955. He graduated from Oak Ridge School of Reactor Technology, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
in 1956.
He also served as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Corps of Engineers from 1949 to 1965.
Evans served as president of Evans Farms, Inc. from 1965 to 1980, and served on the Grundy County Board of Property Tax Review from 1968 to 1974. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives
from 1975 to 1979. He was a delegate to the Iowa State Republican conventions from 1966 to 1978.
In 1980, Republican two-term Congressman Charles Grassley gave up his seat in Iowa's 3rd congressional district
to launch a successful run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent John C. Culver. Evans won a four-way race for the Republican nomination to succeed Grassley, winning 45 percent of the primary vote. In a general election in which Ronald Reagan
and Grassley won landslide victories, Evans won a narrow victory in his historically Republican district, defeating Democrat Lynn Cutler by only four percentage points.
In Evans' first year in Congress, the Iowa Legislature was required to reapportion Iowa's congressional districts. The state's non-partisan Legislative Service Bureau produced two plans that were rejected by legislators, but its third plan removed six traditionally Republican counties from Evans' district while adding historically Democratic Johnson County
, home of the University of Iowa
. Pundits observed that the third plan, if adopted, "will probably make it much more difficult for Republicans to win in that district." An effort by Evans' supporters in the Legislature to amend the third plan to preserve its Republican character failed, and it took effect upon the governor's signature.
In the 1982 general election, Evans again faced Cutler, and was considered one of the most vulnerable freshman Republicans. However, despite redistricting and a minor national Democratic comeback, Evans handily defeated Cutler, winning this time by over 20,000 votes. Two years later, Evans won re-election by an even greater margin, receiving over 60 percent of the vote when defeating Democrat Joe Johnston.
In January 1986, Evans announced that he would not seek a fourth term, but would return to Iowa to farm. In all, he served from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1987.
Evans died on December 22, 2005, aged 81, in Grundy Center, Iowa
, and was interred in Rose Hill Cemetery there.
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's 3rd congressional district
Iowa's 3rd congressional district
Iowa's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that currently covers an area from Des Moines to the western outskirts of the Cedar Falls-Waterloo Metropolitan Area to the western outskirts of the Cedar Rapids area and to Lucas and Monroe counties .The...
. First elected to Congress in a close race amidst a Republican landslide, in a district that became less Republican through reapportionment, Evans defied expectations by winning re-election by increasingly large margins.
Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, Evans graduated from Grundy Center High School, Grundy Center, Iowa
Grundy Center, Iowa
Grundy Center is a city in Grundy County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,706 at the 2010 census a 4.2% increase from 2,596 at the 2000 census. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population was 2,524 in 2009...
in 1942. After graduating from high school, he enlisted 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...
, serving as infantryman from 1943 to 1946. After his discharge, he attended St. Andrews University in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1948. He earned his B.S.
from Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
in 1949, and earned his M.S. in 1955. He graduated from Oak Ridge School of Reactor Technology, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 27,387 at the 2000 census...
in 1956.
He also served as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Corps of Engineers from 1949 to 1965.
Evans served as president of Evans Farms, Inc. from 1965 to 1980, and served on the Grundy County Board of Property Tax Review from 1968 to 1974. He served in 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...
from 1975 to 1979. He was a delegate to the Iowa State Republican conventions from 1966 to 1978.
In 1980, Republican two-term Congressman Charles Grassley gave up his seat in Iowa's 3rd congressional district
Iowa's 3rd congressional district
Iowa's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that currently covers an area from Des Moines to the western outskirts of the Cedar Falls-Waterloo Metropolitan Area to the western outskirts of the Cedar Rapids area and to Lucas and Monroe counties .The...
to launch a successful run for the U.S. Senate against incumbent John C. Culver. Evans won a four-way race for the Republican nomination to succeed Grassley, winning 45 percent of the primary vote. In a general election in which Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and Grassley won landslide victories, Evans won a narrow victory in his historically Republican district, defeating Democrat Lynn Cutler by only four percentage points.
In Evans' first year in Congress, the Iowa Legislature was required to reapportion Iowa's congressional districts. The state's non-partisan Legislative Service Bureau produced two plans that were rejected by legislators, but its third plan removed six traditionally Republican counties from Evans' district while adding historically Democratic Johnson County
Johnson County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 130,882 in the county, with a population density of . There were 55,967 housing units, of which 52,715 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, home of 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...
. Pundits observed that the third plan, if adopted, "will probably make it much more difficult for Republicans to win in that district." An effort by Evans' supporters in the Legislature to amend the third plan to preserve its Republican character failed, and it took effect upon the governor's signature.
In the 1982 general election, Evans again faced Cutler, and was considered one of the most vulnerable freshman Republicans. However, despite redistricting and a minor national Democratic comeback, Evans handily defeated Cutler, winning this time by over 20,000 votes. Two years later, Evans won re-election by an even greater margin, receiving over 60 percent of the vote when defeating Democrat Joe Johnston.
In January 1986, Evans announced that he would not seek a fourth term, but would return to Iowa to farm. In all, he served from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1987.
Evans died on December 22, 2005, aged 81, in Grundy Center, Iowa
Grundy Center, Iowa
Grundy Center is a city in Grundy County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,706 at the 2010 census a 4.2% increase from 2,596 at the 2000 census. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population was 2,524 in 2009...
, and was interred in Rose Hill Cemetery there.