John Anderson, former Ill. rep and presidential candidate, dies at 95

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




Former Illinois congressman and independent presidential candidate John Anderson died Sunday at age 95, according to a statement from his family. Additional details were not immediately available.

Anderson was elected to Congress as a Republican in 1960, and served in the House for 20 years.

Anderson voted in unison with his fellow Republicans for his first few years in Congress, but broke away in 1968 to support the Fair House Act, which prohibited racial discrimination in housing. Anderson cast the deciding vote to send the bill to the House floor.

He ran for president in 1980 as an independent, finishing third in the popular vote behind Republican nominee Ronald Reagan and then-President Jimmy Carter. Anderson earned almost 6 million votes.



Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/363168-former-illinois-congressman-john-anderson-dies-at-95

[irisblue]

1. .

[marble falls]

2. Ronald Reagan loved this guy.

[snowybirdie]

3. The only

non Democrat I ever voted for. Have to admit a cute professor I had at the time may have influenced my choice

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Same here.

He should have split the Reagan vote, but he didn't.

[liberalhistorian]

5. Thanks for giving us Reagan,

Mr. Anderson. It will not be remembered fondly.

[Archae]

7. I don't blame Anderson for Reagan.

Reagan had his slick "machine," and Carter had the hostage crisis that Reagan's goons made sure wasn't solved by the time of the election.

[former9thward]

12. Anderson did not give anyone Reagan.

Reagan got 51% of the vote and Carter 41%. For someone with the word "historian" in your name you should check history.

[RhodeIslandOne]

14. I'm sorry, but that is a horrible misreading of that election

Even dumber than saying Perot gave us Clinton, which is also nonsense.

[bluedigger]

6. My first presidential vote.

He was the only candidate to speak on our campus. To a crowd of 50. RIP

[Rhiannon12866]

8. Sorry to hear this. He did not get my vote.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. I remember my Dad voting for him. It was a first step on the

road from Republican to Green.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Didn't realize he was still around.

Wow.

[StevieM]

11. RIP, Congressman. (eom)

[raising2moredems]

13. Favors..

Local pol in my area. Mostly known for pulling strings to keep local (white) boys out of 'Nam. Not a Dem, not a Republican (I'm talking the era before the pukes crawled in bed with the "religious" right).

[RhodeIslandOne]

15. My father voted for him in 1980

He wanted him to get the matching funding and Carter was going to win RI anyway.