Robert Denison Holmes (May 11, 1909 – June 6, 1976) was an American politician and journalist from the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. A native of the state of New York, he worked in newspapers and radio before entering politics. Though a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

early in his career, he served as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

in the

Oregon State Senate The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the statewide legislature for the US state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the state Sena ...

and as the 28th

Governor of Oregon The governor of Oregon is the head of government of Oregon and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. ter ...

. He was governor from 1957 to 1959.

Early life

Holmes was born on May 11, 1909, in

Canisteo, New York Canisteo () is a town in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 3,294 at the 2020 census. The name was taken from a former Native American village located there, and is Iroquoian in origin. The Town of Canisteo is in the ...

, to a family with five other siblings. His parents were George and Amy Holmes (''née'' Crary), and his father was a stockbroker. Holmes graduated from high school in 1925 from West High School in

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

. Following his graduation the entire family moved west to Oregon and settled in

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

. Holmes then worked for several newspapers in Portland for a short time before he enrolled at the

University of Oregon The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...

in Eugene. He entered in 1928 and graduated in 1932. Following college he returned to the newspaper business, working for the ''

Oregon Journal ''The Oregon Journal'' was Portland, Oregon's daily afternoon newspaper from 1902 to 1982. The ''Journal'' was founded in Portland by C. S. "Sam" Jackson, publisher of Pendleton, Oregon's ''East Oregonian'' newspaper, after a group of Portlander ...

'' and ''

The Oregonian ''The Oregonian'' is a daily newspaper based in Portland, Oregon, United States, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 185 ...

'', both in Portland. Holmes then moved to Astoria along the

Oregon Coast The Oregon Coast is a coastal region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to its west and the Oregon Coast Range to the east, and stretches approximately from the California state border in the south to the Columbia ...

in 1937 where he was involved in advertising and radio broadcasting, serving as general manager of KAST from 1943 to 1957.

Political career

Originally a Republican, he began his political career in local politics in

Clatsop County Clatsop County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 41,072. The county seat is Astoria. The county is named for the Clatsop tribe of Native Americans, who lived along the coast of ...

. Holmes first served on the school board for Gearhart south of Astoria, and then on the school board for all the rural schools in the county. After becoming a Democrat, Holmes was elected in 1948 to the

and re-elected in 1952. He was the first Democratic senator from the county in 64 years. His legislative career was marked by successfully fending off legislation he deemed would threaten the state's fisheries, and in the midst of the

McCarthy era McCarthyism is the practice of making false or unfounded accusations of subversion and treason, especially when related to anarchism, communism and socialism, and especially when done in a public and attention-grabbing manner. The term origina ...

, going on record against a special loyalty oath for teachers. Additionally, Holmes supported passage of such civil rights legislation as a fair employment law and the outlawing of discrimination in public places. He was appointed by Governor Paul L. Patterson as the chair of the Education Committee in 1953. In 1956, Holmes was elected Governor, to complete the two years remaining on the term of Patterson, who had died in office. Holmes defeated Lew Wallace in the primary and

Elmo Smith Elmo Everett Smith (November 19, 1909July 15, 1968) was an American Republican politician who served as the 27th Governor of Oregon from 1956 to 1957. Early life Smith was born in Grand Junction, Colorado on November 19, 1909. At the age of ten ...

, the Republican state Senate president who had assumed the job after Patterson's death in the general election. Holmes was the first Democrat in 18 years to serve as Oregon's governor, and the first Democrat in 22 years to win an Oregon gubernatorial election. While in office, Holmes sought to make state government more efficient and responsive. He supported public power development, and the abolition of capital punishment. He commuted every death sentence during his governorship.Clemency.
Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved on August 3, 2009. Holmes also worked to reform education, welfare programs, and also cut taxes by 16%. In 1958, he lost his bid for re-election to

Oregon Secretary of State The secretary of state of Oregon, an elected constitutional officer within the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Oregon, is first in line of succession to the governor. The duties of the office are auditor of public accounts, ch ...

Mark Hatfield Mark Odom Hatfield (July 12, 1922 – August 7, 2011) was an American politician and educator from the state of Oregon. A Republican, he served for 30 years as a United States senator from Oregon, and also as chairman of the Senate Appropr ...

, a rising star in the

Oregon Republican Party The Oregon Republican Party is the U.S. state, state affiliate of the Republican Party (United States), United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Salem, Oregon, Salem. The party was established in the Oregon Territory in February ...

Later life and family

He and the former Marie Hoy were married on May 1, 1934, and they had two sons, Robert Jr. and George. Following his governorship, Holmes hosted a television public affairs program on Portland's

KOIN Koin or KOIN may refer to: * KOIN, a TV station in Portland, Oregon * Koin, Guinea Koin, Guinea (Pular: 𞤂𞤫𞤧-𞤯𞤢𞤤𞤭𞥅𞤪𞤫 𞤑𞤮𞤴𞤭𞤲) is a town and sub-prefecture in the Tougué Prefecture in the Labé Regi ...

, and served on the Oregon Board of Higher Education from 1969 to 1974. From 1961 to 1962, Holmes also was on a commission that hoped to revise the

Oregon Constitution The Oregon Constitution is the governing document of the U.S. state of Oregon, originally enacted in 1857. As amended the current state constitution contains eighteen sections, beginning with a bill of rights.

. A one-time

Christian Scientist Christian Science is a set of beliefs and practices associated with members of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Adherents are commonly known as Christian Scientists or students of Christian Science, and the church is sometimes informally know ...

, Holmes attended the Episcopal Church. Robert D. Holmes died on June 6, 1976, in Astoria of cancer.

References

External links

Guide to Holmes Administration
- Oregon State Archives {{DEFAULTSORT:Holmes, Robert Democratic Party governors of Oregon Democratic Party Oregon state senators 1909 births 1976 deaths Politicians from Astoria, Oregon University of Oregon alumni Journalists from Portland, Oregon People from Canisteo, New York School board members in Oregon 20th-century American politicians