Historic Quote: “Problems are truly wonderful because we have the opportunity to solve them.” West Virginia Senator Jennings Randolph.

Over the years, Robert Byrd has sucked up so much oxygen in West Virginia politics that it is easy to forget that a good part of his tenure in the Senate was accompanied by another man. In that vein, it defies credulity to imagine anyone being more senior than Byrd, but this individual was Byrd’s senior West Virginia colleague for 26 years in the body.

Jennings Randolph’s time as a political figure was almost as long as Byrd’s, though Randolph’s was interrupted by a defeat that led him into the Truman administration. But having won his office along the FDR landslide in 1932, Randolph would ultimately earn another distinction. With his retirement taking effect in 1985, he’d be the last “New Dealer” to serve in Congress, leading James Casto to note that “when he retired from the U.S. Senate in 1985, he closed the book on a remarkable political career that spanned the FDR and Reagan eras.”

Randolph may have been obscure, but his accomplishments are as tangible to every day life as possible. The Interstate Highway System was his baby, and Randolph is referred to as it’s father. A quarter of a century before it was enacted, it was Randolph who authored the Constitutional Amendment granting 18 year old’s the right to vote. And unlike Byrd, Randolph supported Civil Rights legislation. He was also a career long advocate of the blind. And the poor. and West Virginia.

Randolph was a populist with a for the people approach. While Byrd could be cold, caustic, while wooing folks with his scholarly nature, Randolph was a boy of the hills: generous, dignified, and willing to lend his time to the common folks folks.

A young reporter once recalled hesitating before approaching Randolph for an interview during a local event. Not only did Randolph invite him back to his hotel, but he filled up a number of pages in that reporter’s notebook by responding to one question, after which he said, “Did you have something else you wanted to ask?”

WVCulture.org

Randolph was a product of West Virginia and his first name resulted from the fact that his parents were admirers of William Jennings Bryan. He was a co-editor of the Clarksburg Daily Record. Randolph’s electoral history essentially mirrored a what’s what for his party’s climate.

After losing a 1930 bid to unseat a Republican incumbent by just 1,100 votes at 28, Randolph won his House seat in 1932, a glorious year for Democrats, held it for 14 years, and was sent packing in 1946, when his party lost both Houses in Congress. When a vacancy arose in 1958, Randolph won it as Democrats nationwide were making strong gains nationwide (Byrd won a seat that same day but Randolph, filling an unexpired term, was sworn in immediately, thus making him the senior Senator). In his subsequent re-elections prior to ’78, Randolph held the seat fairly easily.

He reflected with awe on his destiny to be ushered in with FDR. “It was a good omen for the beginning of the New Deal and the uplifting of the spirit which Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt brought to a disheartened America.” He recalls a Depression era conversation with a banker while trying to obtain a loan for an apartment in dc. Well,” the banker replied, “I know you will be here at least two years, so we’ll give you the loan.”

After his 1946 defeat, Randolph worked in the Truman White House and took up Public Relations at Capital Airlines. His opportunity for a comeback came when Republican Senator Matthew Neely died in early ’58 and West Virginia’s rare GOP Governor appointed a fellow Republican to fill the seat. Randolph beat him with 59%.

While Randolph may have expected backlash from backing not just the Civil Rights Act but the Voting Rights and “Great Society,” he was always parochial. He once said, “I essentially am a West Virginia Senator. I’m not what you’d call a national Senator or international Senator.”

With Scoop Jackson, another champion of his state (Historic Images)

But his national contributions were countless even without the ERA or the Interstate. Randolph wrote the first federal airport aid act in 1946 and later sponsored the legislation that established the immensely popular National Air and Space Museum in Washington. And there was his work on behalf of the blind, which made him endearing to all in that community. His efforts on behalf of the blind were numerous. The Randolph-Sheppard Act was signed into law by FDR in 1936, and it gives priorities to blind vendors who are operating stands.

But he was parochial. Casto said “Randolph, perhaps more than any other individual, can be considered the father of the Appalachian Regional Commission” for sponsoring the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965. He would constantly fight for his coal miners, getting a $1 billion allocation to help miners with black lung disease.

As for the cost of these measures, Randolph would say “I don’t begrudge a dime of it. If we have to have a deficit budget, let it be a people deficit every time.”

Randolph in 1960 (Media Matters-USA Today)

In the House, Randolph had shepherded highway legislation to include West Virginia. For years, Randolph had championed the coal industry, even flying back to Washington on one occasion a coal powered plane. But by the 1970’s, under fire from consumer groups for voting to weaken mine safety, he conceded “mistakes”

Eventually, he’d chair the Environment and Public Works Committee, for which he’d seem a natural.

By 1978, however, he faced the ultimate test. Randolph was turning 76, and many thought he might retire. An additional reason was that his GOP opponent would be as formidable as one can get: Arch Moore, who had just completed two relatively successful terms as West Virginia’s Governor. But Moore could also be a lightening rod for controversy. He was once indicted on defrauding the IRS of $25,000, though the charges would be acquitted. But Randolph decided to go one more time.

Initially, things were not going his way. He came under fire for opposing the Panama Canal Treaty, but, under pressure from Carter and Byrd, not casting his vote until the Senate roll call was complete. Congresssional Quarterly quoted a Charleston journalist as saying “Randolph would have looked better if he had fainted before the vote.”

Byrd, in his first term as Senate Majority Leader, did not want to be hindered by a loss in his home state, and he campaigned hard for Randolph.

And Randolph and Moore engaged in a tit-for-tat over who was more responsible for West Virginia’s roads. Randolph cited his long advocacy, but Moore said it was his Governorship that funded them and said “if a six year old boy, we would have received the same funding we’re getting now.”

By October, many, including “Congressional Quarterly,” were giving Moore an edge in the race. But by early November, it was back to “no clear favorite.” Randolph outspent Moore by $200,000.

Election Night confirmed that. The race was nip’n’tuck for a while, but Randolph held on by just over 5,000 votes out of 692,000 cast, giving him one last hurrah.

wvculture.org

Moore was able to get a comeback of sorts, winning back the Governorship, before losing it again over yet more personal controversy. His daughter, Shelley Moore Capito won a House seat in 2000 and is now the favorite to win the seat of Jay Rockefeller, who succeeded Randolph when he did retire in 1984.

Randolph lived to be 96 years old, dying in St. Louis where he had moved to be closer to his son. His life was a gift of greatness for West Virginia. it was a legacy all could be proud of.

Wiki Photo
Jennings Randolph (1902-1998)