James Abdnor

James Abdnor
United States Senator from South Dakota
In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by	George McGovern
Succeeded by	Tom Daschle
Administrator of the United States Small Business Administration
In office 1987–1989
President	Ronald Reagan
Preceded by	James C. Sanders
Succeeded by	Susan Engeleiter
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1981
Preceded by	James Abourezk
Succeeded by	Clint Roberts
30th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota
In office 1969–1971
Governor	Frank Farrar
Preceded by	Lem Overpeck
Succeeded by	William Dougherty
Personal details
Born	(1923-02-13)February 13, 1923 Kennebec, South Dakota
Died	May 16, 2012(2012-05-16) (aged 89) Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican

E. James Abdnor (February 13, 1923 – May 16, 2012) was a Republican Senator from the state of South Dakota.

Personal life

Abdnor was born in Kennebec, South Dakota, the son of Mary (née Wehby) and Samuel J. Abdnor. Abdnor served in the United States Army during World War II and then graduated from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1945 where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He was a member of the South Dakota Senate from 1957 to 1969. A common, plain spoken man, he was affectionately known as "the people's Senator." He was also described as a "nice-guy public servant" with a "down-home, warm and fuzzy way." Like his South Dakota Congressional colleague James Abourezk, he was a second-generation Lebanese-American. He died on May 16th, 2012 at the age of 89.

Politics

Abnor was the 30th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota in 1969 to 1971, and unsuccessfully sought the nomination for House of Representatives in 1970. In 1972 he was elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican.

Abdnor ran in the 1980 election against George McGovern for the United States Senate. Abdnor claimed McGovern was out of touch with the state and he defeated McGovern by a large margin. In 1986, after winning a bruising re-election primary campaign against then Governor Bill Janklow, Abdnor narrowly lost his Senate seat to then-Congressman Tom Daschle. He served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration from 1987 to 1989, and served in an advisory capacity for John Thune's successful campaign against Daschle in 2004. Thune had been a member of Senator Abdnor's staff.

Other notable members of Abdnor's staff who went on to fill important public service roles include John Hamre, Undersecretary of Defense; Jeff Trandahl, Clerk of the House; Bruce Knight, Undersecretary, Marketing and Regulatory Programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); Larry Parkinson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Law Enforcement and Security, U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI); Phil Hogen, Chairman of the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC); Vern Larson, South Dakota State Treasurer and Auditor; South Dakota State Senators Mike Vehle and Scott Heidepriem; South Dakota State Representatives Sean O'Brien and Lee Schoenbeck; and Charlotte Fischer, South Dakota Public Utilities Commissoner.

Accomplishments

Among Abdnor's accomplishments included authorization of the Grassropes irrigation project and the Walworth, Edmunds, Brown (WEB) rural water system, reauthorization of the Belle Fourche irrigation project, and the inclusion of oats (of which South Dakota is a major producer) in the farm program.

Death

Abdnor died on May 16, 2012, at the age of 89.

References

• United States Congress. "James Abdnor (id: A000009)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.