Michael A. Feighan

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Michael A. Feighan bigraphy, stories - American politician

Michael A. Feighan : biography

February 16, 1905 – March 19, 1992

Michael A. Feighan (February 16, 1905 – March 19, 1992) was an American politician from Lakewood, Ohio, near Cleveland. He served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, and as a Democratic Party U.S. Representative from 1943 to 1971, serving Ohio’s 20th congressional district.

Originally, he was recruited by national Democrats who wanted to replace Congressman Martin L. Sweeney (D-OH), who had for eleven years held the seat representing the west side of Cleveland. They considered Sweeney to be too isolationist; for example, he had argued against enacting Lend-Lease to the United Kingdom.

After Feighan had served almost three decades in the House of Representatives, some local Democratic officials, led by Cleveland City Council President James V. Stanton, had grown tired of his leadership. Sensing that they could not beat Feighan in one election, they set up a stalking horse running a Michael Sweeney, a local lawyer with a good political name. Sweeney lost, but his vote total showed that Feighan could be vulnerable in a rematch. Two years later, in 1970, Stanton himself ran and defeated Feighan in the Democratic primary, concluding Feighan’s political career.

Electoral history

Ohio|20|}}: Results 1942–1968
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
1942 34,462 61.81% 14,001 25.11% Independent 7,289 13.07%
1944 75,218 75.85% 23,945 24.15%
1946 49,670 66.99% 24,476 33.01%
1948 64,241 100%
1950 60,565 74.21% 21,044 25.79%
1952 109,211 65.21% 58,271 34.79%
1954 81,304 67.66% 38,865 32.34%
1956 105,562 65.25% 56,209 34.75%
1958 113,200 79.43% 29,308 20.57%
1960 113,302 67.79% 53,845 32.21%
1962 91,544 71.04% 37,325 28.96%
1964 115,675 74.43% 39,747 25.57%
1966 63,629 76.05% 20,034 23.95%
1968 72,918 72.38% 27,827 27.62%