Early Life and Career
Born in Hood River, Oregon, Andrus attended Oregon State University in 1952 and served in the United States Naval Reserves from 1951 to 1955. After being discharged from the Navy, Andrus moved to Orofino, Idaho, where he worked in the timber industry.
In 1960, at age 28, and concerned over the local Republican state senator's stance against needed education improvements in Idaho schools, particularly in rural areas of the state, Andrus filed as a Democrat to run against him for the Idaho Senate and won, becoming the youngest member ever elected up to that time to the Idaho Legislature. He was reelected in 1962 and 1964.
Andrus first ran for Governor in Idaho in 1966, but was narrowly defeated in the Democratic primary by Salmon attorney Charles Herndon. Andrus, however, was appointed the replacement nominee after Herndon died in a plane crash while en route from Twin Falls to Coeur d'Alene in September 1966. Andrus lost the general election to Republican Don Samuelson, earning him the unlikely distinction of losing both the primary and general election races for the same office in the same year. Andrus won reelection to the Idaho State Senate two years later, in 1968.
Read more about this topic: Cecil D. Andrus
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