Keith Cartwright was an American politician who served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives between 1946 and 1948 and the Oklahoma Senate between 1948 and 1960. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for Governor of Oklahoma in 1966.
Early life and family
Keith Cartwright was born on November 27, 1911 in Wapanucka, Oklahoma to Jackson Robert Cartwright. He attended Southeastern State College. He had two brothers also active in Oklahoma politics: Wilburn Cartwright and Buck Cartwright.[1]
Cartwright also served in the United States Marine Corps from June 1943 to January 1946.[2]
Oklahoma politics
Cartwright served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives between 1946 and 1948 and the Oklahoma Senate between 1948 and 1960.[3] While in the Oklahoma Senate, he lived in Durant, Oklahoma and represented Bryan County.[4] He chaired the senate committee on roads and highways.[5] After supporting legislation for a state constitutional amendment referendum to repeal prohibition, he was banished from his Baptist church congregation.[6] He also supported combatting county commissioner corruption by giving control of all road building money to the Oklahoma Highway Commission.[7] The bill was opposed by county commissioners and the press before dying in committee.[8] He lost his next reelection campaign.[9]
He was a Democratic candidate for Governor of Oklahoma in the 1966 primary.[10] He died August 23, 1972.[3] He was married to Dorothy L. Wharton.[11]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Raymond Gary | 160,825 | 31.5% | |
| Democratic | Preston J. Moore | 104,081 | 20.4% | |
| Democratic | David Hall | 94,309 | 18.5% | |
| Democratic | Cleeta John Rogers | 71,248 | 13.9% | |
| Democratic | Charles Nesbitt | 26,546 | 5.2% | |
| Democratic | Leland Gourley | 19,898 | 3.9% | |
| Democratic | Henry W. Ford | 19,815 | 3.8% | |
| Democratic | Keith Cartwright | 5,291 | 1.0% | |
| Democratic | Carmen Moe Marcus | 2,568 | 0.5% | |
| Democratic | Al J. Kavanaugh | 1,647 | 0.3% | |
| Democratic | Howard W. Joplin | 1,330 | 0.2% | |
| Democratic | Clifton Wood | 1,116 | 0.2% | |
| Democratic | Jack K. Gillespie | 865 | 0.1% | |
| Total votes | 509,539 | 100.00% | ||
References
- ^ "Cartwright's Rites Today". Tulsa Daily World. December 8, 1957. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Money, Jack (May 5, 2002). "Legislature Honors Oklahoma's Cartwrights". The Daily Oklahoman. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ a b "Keith Cartwright: Former State Senator Dies". Tulsa World. August 24, 1972. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Harris 2024, p. 27-28.
- ^ Harris 2024, p. 30.
- ^ Harris 2024, p. 34.
- ^ Harris 2024, p. 35.
- ^ Harris 2024, p. 39.
- ^ Harris 2024, p. 40.
- ^ a b "1958-1966 results" (PDF). oklahoma.gov. Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ^ "Cartwright, Dorothy L." The Daily Oklahoman. September 20, 1998. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
Works cited
- Harris, Fred (2024). Report From A Last Survivor. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 978-0-8263-6668-9.
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