Compton I. White Jr.

Compton Ignatius White Jr. (December 19, 1920 – October 19, 1998) was a two-term congressman from northern Idaho. A Democrat, he was elected to the open seat in the first district in 1962 and re-elected in 1964.[1] White left office in January 1967 and was the last from the Idaho Panhandle region to represent the state in Congress.

For Compton I. White, Sr., also a United States Representative from Idaho, see Compton I. White.
Compton I. White Jr.
White in 1963
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Idaho's 1st district
In office
January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1967
Preceded byGracie Pfost
Succeeded byJim McClure
Personal details
Born
Compton Ignatius White Jr.

(1920-12-19)December 19, 1920
Spokane, Washington, US
DiedOctober 19, 1998(1998-10-19) (aged 77)
Sandpoint, Idaho, US
Resting placeWhite Family Cemetery
Clark Fork, Idaho, US
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseFlorence Eulalia Waddell White
Children5 sons, 1 daughter[1]
ResidenceClark Fork
Alma materUniversity of Idaho, 1942
George Washington University
ProfessionAgriculture, Mining

Early years

The son of Congressman Compton I. White and Josephine Elizabeth White (née Bunn), White was born in Spokane, Washington, and grew up in his family's hometown of Clark Fork, Idaho, and in Washington, D.C. He attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. for his freshman year of college,[2] then transferred to the University of Idaho in Moscow, where he graduated in 1942.[3]

During World War II, White worked as an engineer for Boeing in Seattle, and also in mining, logging, and livestock breeding. After the war, he returned to Clark Fork and served on the school board. From 1958 to 1962 White served as mayor of Clark Fork.

Congress

In 1960, White announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Henry Dworshak, but was third of five in the Democratic primary.[4][5] Runner-up Bob McLaughlin of Mountain Home won the runoff over leader Gregg Potvin of American Falls,[6][7] but lost the general election. That seat was open again in 1962 after Dworshak's death in July, and Gracie Pfost was the Democratic nominee, vacating her 1st district seat in the House. White won the Democratic primary and general election, the same seat his father held for eight terms.

White was re-elected in the Democratic landslide of 1964,[8] but was defeated for a third term in 1966 by Republican state senator Jim McClure of Payette, who defeated him again in 1968.

U.S. House elections (Idaho's 1st district): Results 1962–1968
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct
1962 Compton I. White Jr. 51,422 53.0% Erwin H. Schwiebert 45,552 47.0%
1964 Compton I. White Jr. (inc.) 56,203 51.7% John Mattmiller 52,468 48.3%
1966 Compton I. White Jr. (inc.) 65,446 48.2% Jim McClure 70,410 51.8%
1968 Compton I. White Jr. 62,002 40.6% Jim McClure (inc.) 90,870 59.4%

Source:[9]

After Congress

White secured a position as a consultant with the U.S. Treasury Department in 1967. Unopposed for the Democratic nomination in 1968, he ran again against the incumbent McClure, but lost by a large margin. Afterwards, White returned to Clark Fork and served on its city council, as well as working in ranching once again.

His grandson, Ryan M. White, currently serves as Legislative Director for Idaho Senator Jim Risch.[10]

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

  1. "Compton 'Comp' White Jr". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. October 22, 1998. p. D5.
  2. Doyle, Randall Jordan (1996). The life and career of Congressman Compton White, Jr. and the Idaho Democratic Party in the 1960s (Ph.D.). University of Idaho. p. 30. OCLC 43774727.
  3. "Seniors". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1942. p. 310.
  4. Wakeley, Daniel A. (June 8, 1960). "Northerners differ from Idaho vote in race". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 14.
  5. "McLaughlin lead reduced". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). June 11, 1960. p. 3.
  6. "Potvin leads Idaho race". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. June 8, 1960. p. 5.
  7. Wakeley, Daniel A. (June 29, 1960). "Northern Idaho prefers Potvin". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 6.
  8. "White says his race close because of Barry's showing". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 5, 1964. p. 5.
  9. "Office of the Clerk: Election statistics". U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  10. http://www.idahostatesman.com/273/story/571750.html
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