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In 1982, Railsback's district was renumbered as the 17th District; Illinois had lost two districts after the [[1980 United States Census|1980 census]]. He was defeated for renomination by a considerably more conservative Republican, [[Illinois Senate|State Senator]] [[Kenneth G. McMillan]].<ref>{{cite news|title=U.S. Rep. Railsback, 2 Illinois Colleagues Fall in Primaries|newspaper=[[Toledo Blade]]|date=March 17, 1982|accessdate=2009-11-01|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fngUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rQIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5448,6741217}}</ref> McMillan was defeated by Democrat [[Lane Evans]] in November. After leaving Congress, he worked as a [[lobbying|lobbyist]] for the [[telecommunications]] industry and federal judges association. {{citation needed|date=November 2014}}
In 1982, Railsback's district was renumbered as the 17th District; Illinois had lost two districts after the [[1980 United States Census|1980 census]]. He was defeated for renomination by a considerably more conservative Republican, [[Illinois Senate|State Senator]] [[Kenneth G. McMillan]].<ref>{{cite news|title=U.S. Rep. Railsback, 2 Illinois Colleagues Fall in Primaries|newspaper=[[Toledo Blade]]|date=March 17, 1982|accessdate=2009-11-01|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fngUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rQIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5448,6741217}}</ref> McMillan was defeated by Democrat [[Lane Evans]] in November. After leaving Congress, he worked as a [[lobbying|lobbyist]] for the [[telecommunications]] industry and federal judges association. {{citation needed|date=November 2014}}


Railsbeck died on January 20, 2020, in Mesa, Arizona, after a period of declining health.<ref>{{cite web | last1=McCann | first1=Herbert G. | title=GOP congressman who backed Nixon impeachment dead at 87 | url=https://apnews.com/1d58c85bccda9a23ed5c0254f4f6edf3 | date=January 21, 2020 | work=[[Associated Press]] | accessdate=January 21, 2020}}</ref>
Railsback died on January 20, 2020, in Mesa, Arizona, after a period of declining health.<ref>{{cite web | last1=McCann | first1=Herbert G. | title=GOP congressman who backed Nixon impeachment dead at 87 | url=https://apnews.com/1d58c85bccda9a23ed5c0254f4f6edf3 | date=January 21, 2020 | work=[[Associated Press]] | accessdate=January 21, 2020}}</ref>


==Electoral history==
==Electoral history==

Revision as of 04:48, 22 January 2020

Tom Railsback
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 19th district
In office
January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1983
Preceded byGale Schisler
Succeeded byDaniel Bever Crane
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
In office
1962–1966
Personal details
Born
Thomas Fisher Railsback

(1932-01-22)January 22, 1932
Moline, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJanuary 20, 2020(2020-01-20) (aged 87)
Mesa, Arizona
Political partyRepublican

Thomas Fisher Railsback (January 22, 1932 – January 20, 2020) was an American politician who served eight terms in the United States Congress from 1967–1983 for Illinois's 19th congressional district in Moline.

Early life

Railsback attended public schools in Moline, received a B.A. from Grinnell College in 1954; and a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago in 1957. He served in the United States Army from 1957-59.[1]

Political career

Railsback served as a member of the Illinois State House of Representatives from 1962–1966 before being elected as a Republican to Congress in 1966.[2] He was elected in 1966 defeating freshman Democrat Gale Schisler in a hotly competitive race. The race was a very friendly one with little to no negative attacks on each other, though Railsback credited his victory to the unpopularity of President Lyndon Johnson. [citation needed]

A moderate Republican, he served on the House Judiciary Committee in the mid-1970s. He voted for one of the articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon when they were pending in committee, one of six Republicans to support at least one article. In 1980, the Congressman was one of three U.S. House members (the others were future Vice President Dan Quayle (R-Indiana) and Tom Evans (R-Delaware)) involved in the controversial Florida golfing trip with lobbyist Paula Parkinson.[3]

In 1982, Railsback's district was renumbered as the 17th District; Illinois had lost two districts after the 1980 census. He was defeated for renomination by a considerably more conservative Republican, State Senator Kenneth G. McMillan.[4] McMillan was defeated by Democrat Lane Evans in November. After leaving Congress, he worked as a lobbyist for the telecommunications industry and federal judges association. [citation needed]

Railsback died on January 20, 2020, in Mesa, Arizona, after a period of declining health.[5]

Electoral history

  • Election of November 8, 1966
    • Thomas F. Railsback (R) – 77,895 (52%)
    • Gale Schisler (D) – 71,050 (48%)
  • Election of November 5, 1968
    • Thomas F. Railsback (R) – 114,948 63%
    • Craig Lovitt (D) – 66,135 (37%)
  • Election of November 3, 1970
    • Thomas F. Railsback (R) – 92,247 (68%)
    • James L. Shaw (D) – 43,094 (32%)
  • Election of November 7, 1972
    • Thomas F. Railsback (R) – 138,123 100%)
  • Election of November 4, 1974
    • Thomas F. Railsback (R) – 84,049 (65%)
    • James Gende (D) – 44,677 (35%)
  • Election of November 2, 1976
    • Thomas F. Railsback (R) – 132,571 (68%)
    • John Craver (D) – 60,967 (32%)
  • Election of November 7, 1978
    • Thomas F. Railsback (R) – 89,770 )100%)
  • Election of November 4, 1980
    • Thomas F. Railsback (R) – 142,616 (73%)
    • Thomas J. Hand (D) – 51,753 (27%)
  • Primary Election of March 16, 1982

References

  1. ^ "Profile: Thomas Fisher RAILSBACK". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  2. ^ "Thomas Railsback". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  3. ^ Rasky, Susan F. (August 17, 1988). "THE REPUBLICANS IN NEW ORLEANS: MAN IN THE NEWS; Baby Boomer With Right Credentials: James Danforth Quayle". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
  4. ^ "U.S. Rep. Railsback, 2 Illinois Colleagues Fall in Primaries". Toledo Blade. March 17, 1982. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
  5. ^ McCann, Herbert G. (January 21, 2020). "GOP congressman who backed Nixon impeachment dead at 87". Associated Press. Retrieved January 21, 2020.


U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 19th congressional district
1967–1983 		Succeeded by
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