Some Friendly, Some Not: Rivals in Indiana Politics

Two rivalries from Indiana political history:

• A fascinating pair of friendly rivals: Claude Bowers (D) and Albert Beveridge (R, U.S. Senate) — so friendly that Bowers wrote Beveridge’s biography in the 1930s. (Of course, Beveridge’s turn on Lincoln helped smooth that path).

•  Wendell Willkie (of Elwood, Indiana) and James Watson (of Winchester, Indiana), the senior member of the Indiana delegation to the Republican National Convention in 1940 who, in response to Willkie’s nomination for president, said ”You know that back home in Indiana we think it’s all right for the town whore to join the church, but we don’t let her lead the choir on the first night.”

Today’s blog was contributed by Kevin Smith, Ph.D., Chairperson, Department of History, Ball State University.

In February and March, Indiana Humanities is exploring the topic of “rivalry,” as part of its Spirit of Competition theme.