The Austin-Boston Connection: Five Decades of House Democratic Leadership, 1937-1989

by Anthony Champagne, Douglas B. Harris, James W. Riddlesperger Jr., Garrison Nelson

Overview

For the more than fifty years that Democrats controlled the U.S. House of Representatives, leadership was divided between Massachusetts and Texas. When the Speaker was from Texas (or nearby Oklahoma), the Majority Leader was from the Boston area, and when the Speaker was from Boston, the Majority Leader was from Texas. The Austin-Boston Connection analyzes the importance of the friendships (especially mentor-protégé relationships) and enmities within congressional delegations, regional affinities, and the lynchpin practice of appointing the Democratic Whip. ANTHONY M. CHAMPAGNE is a professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. DOUGLAS B. HARRIS is an associate professor at Loyola University in Maryland. JAMES W. RIDDLESPERGER JR. is a professor at Texas Christian University. GARRISON NELSON is a professor at the University of Vermont. All are political scientists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781603441209
Publisher:	Texas A&M University Press
Publication date:	08/31/2009
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	338
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 18 Years

About the Author

ANTHONY M. CHAMPAGNE is a professor at the University of Texas at Dallas.

 

DOUGLAS B. HARRIS is an associate professor at Loyola University in Maryland.

 

JAMES W. RIDDLESPERGER JR. is a professor at Texas Christian University.

 

GARRISON NELSON is a professor at the University of Vermont. All are political scientists. 

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

1 Introduction 1

2 Joe Bailey 16

3 John Nance Garner 47

4 Sam Rayburn 73

5 John W. McCormack 119

6 Sam Rayburn's Boys: Who Will Lead? 148

7 Back to Boston: Tip O'Neill 188

8 Jim Wright: The Last Texan 219

9 Conclusion: The Impact of the Austin-Boston Alliance on House Politics 251

Notes 263

Index 317

Editorial Reviews

". . . a noteworthy and serious study of the leadership structure in Congress. . . ."-Patrick Cox, Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin

Center for American History, University of Texas - Patrick Cox

". . . describes the contests for party leadership positions in the words of the contestants and their contemporaries. . ."-Barry S. Rundquist, University of Chicago

— Barry S. Rundquist

University of Chicago

". . . describes the contests for party leadership positions in the words of the contestants and their contemporaries. . ."-Barry S. Rundquist, University of Chicago

University of Chicago - Barry S. Rundquist