William A. Blakley

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William Arvis "Dollar Bill" Blakley (November 17, 1898 – January 5, 1976) was an American politician and businessman from the state of Texas. Blakley was part of the conservative wing of the Texas Democratic Party. He served twice as an interim United States Senator, appointed by the Governor to fill a vacancy until his successor could be duly elected. He served first in 1957 after the resignation of Price Daniel and again in 1961 after the resignation of Lyndon B. Johnson. Blakley ran two unsuccessful campaigns for election to the Senate in his own right. He lost the regularly scheduled 1958 primary election to incumbent liberal Democrat Ralph Yarborough. He lost as the incumbent in the 1961 election to complete Johnson's term to John Tower, the first Republican elected by popular vote from Texas or any other former state of the Confederacy.

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