Franklin Roosevelt

Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford, of Louisville, today targeted opponent and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) for supporting initiatives that would privatize parts of the Social Security program.

In conjunction with the 73rd anniversary of the creation of the Social Security system, Lunsford's campaign released a brief statement using the occasion to criticize their opponent.

"For nearly three-quarters of a century, Social Security has helped provide America's seniors with a safe and secure retirement and helped millions of other Americans who have fallen on hard times," said Lunsford in the statement. "Rather than work to strengthen Social Security, Mitch McConnell has led the charge in Washington to privatize Social Security and reduce the guaranteed benefits our greatest generation has earned. That is wrong."

Before Bill Bradley, there was Harry C. Harper.

Widely known as "Hackensack Harry," Harper spent ten seasons as a major league baseball pitcher with the Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Brooklyn Dodgers, compiling a lifetime record of 59-77. The southpaw started the sixth game of the 1921 World Series for the Yankees against the New York Giants.

After his baseball career ended, the 32-year-old Harper entered politics, winning election as the Bergen County Sheriff in 1927.

Harper became a candidate for State Senator in 1931, seeking the seat vacated by Republican Ralph Chandless. Chandless had been expelled for his role in a Lodi sewer scandal. Harper, who ran with the support of Bergen GOP leder Daniel Thomson, a Chandless rival, won 61% of the vote against John Zabriskie, who had the support of Chandless' political organization.

Presidents have (very) occassionaly favored Washingtonians with prominent appointments. Our senators' replies to whether they wanted to be vice president led us to look into other Washingtonians in presidential administrations.