Glen H. Taylor - Political Career

Political Career

By the late 1930s Taylor had settled in Pocatello. His first political campaign was in 1938 for a seat in the United States House of Representatives, but he finished a distant fourth in the Democratic primary.

Taylor first ran for the Senate in 1940 in a special election to fill the remaining term of the late William E. Borah, but lost to John W. Thomas with 47.1 percent to Thomas' 52.9 percent. Despite being labeled as "semi-socialistic" and "communistic," he ran again in 1942 against Thomas and lost a close race, 48.5 percent to 51.5 percent. Taylor won both nominations in spite of opposition from state Democratic Party leaders.

Taylor ran for the Senate for a third time in 1944, defeating incumbent D. Worth Clark in the Democratic primary and Gov. C. A. Bottolfsen in the general election. In the Senate Taylor, known as "The Singing Cowboy," acquired a reputation for eccentric behavior. Upon his arrival in Washington D.C., Taylor rode his horse, Nugget, up the steps of the United States Capitol building. Nugget also accompanied Taylor during a 1947 tour of the country highlighting his anti-war activism and opposition to the U.S. foreign policy of the time.

When Taylor moved to Washington in preparation to be sworn in in January 1945, the housing shortage caused by World War II continued to be in full swing and he and his family had a difficult time finding a place to live. In response Taylor, a musician and songwriter, stood outside and sang O GIVE US A HOME, NEAR THE CAPITAL DOME, WITH A YARD FOR TWO CHILDREN TO PLAY to the tune of "Home on the Range." He and his family were offered several places to rent.

On election night in 1946, Taylor made national headlines by allegedly breaking the jaw of a local Republican leader, Ray McKaig. Taylor claimed that McKaig had called him an obscene name, and struck him first with a punch that broke his nose, but McKaig denied those claims. McKaig claimed that while he was lying on the floor Taylor proceeded to kick him, but Taylor denied that claim. Later when Taylor lost his 1950 reelection campaign, McKaig sent a telegram that said, "You may have broken my jaw, but I just broke your back!!!"

Taylor also feuded with other Idaho Democrats, often making critical remarks about Gov. and later Sen. Charles C. Gossett. During the 1946 Democratic primary Taylor openly supported Gossett's opponent, George E. Donart, calling Gossett a "conservative" who "hobnobbed" with Republicans in Congress.

In the Senate Taylor became noted for lengthy speeches which were often critical of President Harry S. Truman's policies, particularly in foreign affairs. He was particularly critical of the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan, both of which he believed brought the United States closer to war with the Soviet Union. Taylor was decidedly less critical of the Soviet Union than most of his Senate colleagues, once noting that there was no need to criticize Soviet policy when there were 90 other Senators willing to do it every day.