Edward John Gurney Jr. (January 12, 1914 – May 14, 1996) was an attorney and an American politician based in Florida, where he served as a Representative and a United States Senator. Born and raised in Portland, Maine, Gurney moved to Florida after his service in World War II. Elected to the House of Representatives in 1962, Gurney was the second Republican elected to Congress from Florida in the 20th century.
In 1968, Gurney was elected as the first Republican Senator from Florida since Reconstruction. Following his indictment in an influence peddling scandal, he resigned December 31, 1974. Eventually he was acquitted of all charges. After being defeated in a run for Congress in 1978, Gurney retired from politics and resumed his law practice.
Early life, education and military service
Gurney was born in Portland, Maine, in 1914. He attended public schools and graduated in 1935 from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. He graduated in 1938 from Harvard Law School. He was admitted to the Bar of New York the following year and began practicing law in New York City.
After the United States entered World War II, Gurney enlisted as a private in the United States Army. He was commissioned as an officer and saw action in the European Theatre of conflict. By the time of his discharge in 1946, he had achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel.
After his return to civilian life, Gurney entered Duke Law School, earning a degree in 1948.
Career
Gurney started his work life after Duke by moving to Winter Park in Orange County in central Florida. He set up a law practice, partnering with Lou Frey, who later succeeded him in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 1952, Gurney was elected city commissioner of Winter Park. He served until his election as city attorney for Maitland. He completed his career in local office with service as mayor of Winter Park from 1961 to 1962.
House and Senate service
In 1962, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, the second Republican elected from Florida in the 20th century. He was re-elected in 1964 and 1966. Gurney has been credited with modernizing Florida politics, using "sophisticated advertising and other media tools for his statewide campaigns."
In 1968, Gurney was elected to the United States Senate for the seat of retiring Democrat George Smathers. The election coincided with Richard Nixon's victory in the presidential race that year, and Gurney was among the candidates who benefited by Nixon's political "coattails". The national Republican campaign conducted a Southern Strategy, trying to appeal to conservative white voters.
Gurney defeated his opponent, former governor Leroy Collins, with 55.9 percent of the vote to Collins' 44.1 percent. Many supporters of third-party presidential candidate George C. Wallace also voted for Gurney. They were part of a coalition of an increasing number of Republicans in Florida allied with a declining number of conservative white Democrats.
Gurney ran on a record that included votes against civil rights legislation (major bills were passed by Congress in 1964 and 1965 to protect constitutional rights of minorities and enforce their ability to vote), foreign aid, and what he labeled "expensive boondoggle," President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty.
In 1973, Gurney was named to the Senate select committee which investigated the Watergate scandal of the Nixon administration (otherwise known as the Senate Watergate Committee); it was led by Democratic Senator Sam J. Ervin of North Carolina. Gurney was the administration's strongest supporter on the panel, in contrast to the ranking Republican member, Howard Baker of Tennessee.
Dispute with Bill Cramer
Gurney competed in the Republican Party with Bill Cramer, a senior leader in Florida who in 1954 had been the first of his party elected to Congress from the state in the 20th century. They were prospective primary opponents for a vacant Senate seat in 1968 until Cramer yielded to Gurney. He believed that Gurney would support him for the other Senate seat, which Spessard Holland was expected to vacate in 1970.
Cramer's former law partner Herman Goldner had been mayor of St. Petersburg for one term and was a Moderate Republican. He ran in the primary against Gurney in 1968 but, underfunded and distrusted by many conservative Republican voters, Goldner received few votes. Gurney handily won the Senate seat, carrying all but four counties in the race against Democrat LeRoy Collins, a former governor. Gurney and Cramer traveled in the state in various party-building ventures.