Maurice James Murphy Jr. [2] (October 3,1927 –October 27,2002) was an American politician and lawyer from New Hampshire. He was (for one month) the Attorney General of New Hampshire and (for eleven months) an appointed United States Senator.
Murphy was born in Dover,New Hampshire and graduated from Dover High School and St. Mary's Academy. [3] [4] He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1950 and from Boston College Law School in 1953. Murphy was admitted to the bar and commenced the practice of law in Portsmouth in 1955. He served as an enlisted man in the United States Army in 1946 and 1947 and again in 1953 and 1954.
Murphy was legal counsel to the New Hampshire Senate in 1957–1958,and administrative assistant to Governor Wesley Powell from 1959 to 1961. After serving as deputy attorney general for several months,Murphy was appointed by Governor Powell as New Hampshire Attorney General,and took office on November 4,1961. [5] Three weeks later,the longest-serving U.S. Senator,conservative Republican H. Styles Bridges,died in office. On December 7,1961,Governor Powell appointed Murphy as U.S. Senator,to fill the vacancy until a November 1962 special election. Powell's choice of Murphy was controversial;powerful publisher William Loeb published a front-page editorial in the Manchester Union Leader attacking Powell for passing over the late Senator's widow Doloris. [6] Many political observers expected that Mrs. Bridges would be appointed to her husband's seat. [7] Murphy voted in favor of the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. [8]
Murphy ran in the 1962 election in an effort to keep his seat. However,Murphy was challenged in the primary by Doloris Bridges,Congressman Perkins Bass,and Congressman Chester Merrow. [6] Murphy finished third behind Bass and Mrs. Bridges. [9] Governor Powell,too,was defeated in that primary,and in his election night speech,he referenced Loeb's opposition and added that "I'm paying the penalty for appointing a Catholic to the U.S. Senate." [9]
Murphy later served on the Portsmouth Economic Commission,Portsmouth Housing Authority and was elected chairman of the board of the Portsmouth-Kittery Armed Services Committee (now called the Seacoast Shipyard Association). [10] [11] He served on the New Hampshire Boundary Commission from 1973 to 1975. [12]
Murphy then resumed the practice of law. He was chairman of the board and general counsel of the Portsmouth (N.H.) Savings Bank from 1968 to 1988. At the time of his death in 2002,he resided in Stratham,New Hampshire. He was interred in Prospect Hill Cemetery in Greenland,New Hampshire.
Murphy was married to Mary E. Doody. [13] They had three children. [13] His wife died in 2016. [13]
Perkins Bass was an American elected official from the state of New Hampshire,including four terms as a U.S. representative from 1955 to 1963.
The 1962 United States Senate elections was an election for the United States Senate. Held on November 6,the 34 seats of Class 3 were contested in regular elections. Special elections were also held to fill vacancies. They occurred in the middle of President John F. Kennedy's term. His Democratic Party made a net gain of four seats from the Republicans,increasing their control of the Senate to 68–32. However,this was reduced to 67–33 between the election and the next Congress,as on November 18,1962,Democrat Dennis Chávez,who was not up for election that year,died. He was replaced on November 30,1962,by Republican appointee Edwin L. Mechem. Additionally,Democrat Strom Thurmond became a Republican in 1964,further reducing Democrats to 66–34. This was the first time since 1932 that Democrats gained seats in this class of Senators.
The 1960 United States Senate elections coincided with the election of John F. Kennedy as president on November 8,1960. The 33 seats of Class 2 were contested in regular elections. A special election was also held on June 28,1960,for a mid-term vacancy in North Dakota where Democrats flipped a seat to expand their majority to 66–34. As Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson was elected Vice President,Mike Mansfield became the new majority leader.
John Anthony Durkin was an American politician who served as a Democratic U.S. Senator from New Hampshire from 1975 until 1980.
Thomas James McIntyre was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party,he served as a United States Senator from New Hampshire from 1962 to 1979.
Louis Crosby Wyman was an American politician and lawyer. He was a U.S. Representative and,for three days,a U.S. Senator from New Hampshire. This was one of the shortest tenures in Senate history. He was a member of the Republican Party.
Francis Parnell Murphy was an American manufacturer and politician from Nashua,New Hampshire. He served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives and on the Governor's Council before serving as the 64th governor of New Hampshire from 1937 to 1941.
The 2010 United States Senate election in New Hampshire was held on November 2,2010,alongside other midterm elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as to the United States House of Representatives. Primaries were held on September 14. Incumbent Senator Judd Gregg (R) retired instead of seeking a fourth term,and was succeeded by Kelly Ayotte,who won the open seat by over 23 points. This is the last time that Republicans won a U.S. Senate election in New Hampshire. This was also the first open seat election in the state since 1992. With Democrat Jeanne Shaheen serving in the state's other Senate seat,New Hampshire became the first state in the union to be represented in the Senate simultaneously by two women of opposite parties.
Doloris Bridges,widow of 25-year U.S. Senator H. Styles Bridges,was the first woman to seek election to the U.S. Senate from New Hampshire. Considered an example of staunchly anti-communist women who emerged as leaders during the Goldwater era of the Republican Party in the mid-1960s,she died of cancer before the decade was over,without ever winning office.
The 2012 New Hampshire gubernatorial election took place on November 6,2012,concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election,U.S. House elections,and various state and local elections.
The 1962 United States Senate election in New Hampshire took place on November 6,1962. Incumbent Republican Senator Norris Cotton won re-election to a second full term.
The 2016 New Hampshire gubernatorial election took place on November 8,2016,to elect the governor of New Hampshire,concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as elections to the United States Senate,elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 1954 United States Senate special election in New Hampshire took place on November 2,1954,to elect a U.S. Senator to complete the unexpired term of Senator Charles W. Tobey,who died on July 24,1953. Former President of the New Hampshire Bar Association Robert W. Upton was appointed on August 14,1953 by Governor Hugh Gregg to fill the vacancy until a special election could be held.
The 1962 United States Senate special election in New Hampshire took place on November 6,1962,to elect a U.S. Senator to complete the unexpired term of Senator Styles Bridges,who died on November 26,1961. New Hampshire Attorney General Maurice J. Murphy Jr. was appointed on December 7,1961 by Governor Wesley Powell to fill the vacancy until a special election could be held.
The 1966 United States Senate election in New Hampshire took place on November 8,1966. Incumbent Democratic Senator Thomas J. McIntyre won re-election to a full term,having first been elected in a special election in 1962.
The 1972 United States Senate election in New Hampshire took place on November 7,1972. Incumbent Democratic Senator Thomas J. McIntyre won re-election to a third term. Democrats would not win this seat again until 2008. This was the first time Democrats were re-elected to any Senate seat in New Hampshire.
The 1976 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 2,1976. Incumbent Republican Governor Meldrim Thomson Jr. defeated Democratic nominee Harry V. Spanos with 57.66% of the vote.
The 1970 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 3,1970.
The 1968 New Hampshire gubernatorial election was held on November 5,1968.
The 1960 United States Senate elections in Oregon took place on November 8,1960.