Clifford Philip Case Jr. (April 16, 1904March 5, 1982), was an American lawyer and politician. For over 30 years, Case represented the state of New Jersey as a member of the Republican Party in both the U.S. House of Representatives (1945–1953) and the U.S. Senate (1955–1979).

Case began his life in politics in 1937, serving in the Rahway Common Council from 1938 to 1942. He then served one term in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1943 to 1945, before being elected to represent New Jersey's 6th congressional district from 1945 to 1953. As one of the most left-leaning Republicans of the House, Case was supportive of President Harry S. Truman's Fair Deal and Marshall Plan programs. After an unsuccessful attempt at the Republican nomination for the 1953 New Jersey gubernatorial election, Case became president of the Ford Foundation's Fund for the Republic.

After Robert C. Hendrickson's retirement, Case defeated fellow U.S. Representative Charles R. Howell for Hendrickson's seat in the United States Senate. In the Senate, Case was one of the strongest supporters of Democratic presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson's New Frontier and Great Society programs. Case's support of civil rights for African-Americans and welfare programs often put him at odds with the right wing of the Republican Party. Initially supportive of the Vietnam War, Case began to have doubts about the war, supporting the McGovern-Hatfield Amendment, and co-sponsoring the Case-Church Amendment with Idaho Senator Frank Church. In 1978, Case lost renomination to his Senate seat against fellow Republican Jeffrey Bell, who ran to his right. After leaving the Senate, Case returned to practicing law. A heavy smoker, Case died of lung cancer in 1982.

Early life and education

The oldest of six children, Clifford Case was born in the Franklin Park section of Franklin Township, New Jersey, to Clifford Philip and Jeannette McAlpin (née Benedict) Case. His father was a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church. His father was also a staunch Republican who even canceled his subscription to The New York Times after it endorsed Woodrow Wilson in the 1912 presidential election. His uncle, Clarence E. Case, served as a member of the New Jersey Senate and as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. His great-grandfather was a court crier in Somerset County. His class predicted he would become vice president of the United States, adding, "His good nature, however, and his stubborn hair will keep the Cabinet happy and harmonious." He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1925. He was subsequently re-elected to four more terms, never receiving less than 55% of the vote. During the campaign, Case openly criticized Senator Joseph McCarthy, and pledged to vote against seating McCarthy on any committee with investigative functions. A conservative faction within the Republican Party unsuccessfully attempted to force Case off the ballot, also proposing a write-in campaign for former U.S. Representative Fred A. Hartley Jr., co-author of the Taft-Hartley Act.

On November 2, 1954, Case narrowly defeated Howell by a margin of 3,369 votes. 1960, 1964, and 1968, as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court. Case was one of thirteen Republicans in the Senate to vote in favor of the creation of the Medicare program for the aged. During his time in the Senate, Case received zero ratings from the Americans for Constitutional Action in 1971, 1974 and 1976 and often got ratings in the high nineties from the Americans for Democratic Action organization. From 1973 to 1978, Case, along with fellow Republican senators Jacob Javits and Edward Brooke, is seen by GovTrack as being to the left of Democrats like Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern, Edmund Muskie and Gaylord Nelson.

When Case was asked why he was a member of the Republican Party instead of the Democratic Party, he replied: "I am a Republican, and I believe in the Republican Party. But I have my own convictions as to what the Republican Party should stand for, and I intend to fight for them as hard as I can. And I will not be driven away from my Republicanism simply because some Democrats happen to agree with me on certain issues - and some Republicans don't."

Despite his liberalism, Case saw himself as a conservative in the vein of Edmund Burke, Benjamin Disraeli, Winston Churchill, and the Federalist Papers.

In 1966, along with two other Republican senators and five Republican representatives, Case signed a telegram sent to Georgia Governor Carl E. Sanders regarding the Georgia legislature's refusal to seat the recently elected Julian Bond in their state House of Representatives. This refusal, said the telegram, was "a dangerous attack on representative government. None of us agree with Mr. Bond's views on the Vietnam War; in fact we strongly repudiate these views. But unless otherwise determined by a court of law, which the Georgia Legislature is not, he is entitled to express them."

At the 1968 Republican National Convention, Case attempted to hold the New Jersey's delegation's 40 votes as a favorite son candidate to prevent Richard Nixon being selected on the first ballot and thus give Case's preferred candidate, Nelson Rockefeller, a chance of being chosen in later ballots. Case failed to hold the delegation together and 18 delegates deserted Case's favorite son candidacy for Nixon. Nixon was nominated on the first ballot. Case was a co-author of the Case-Zablocki Act of 1972 which required that executive agreements by the president be reported to Congress in 60 days. Originally supportive of the Vietnam War in the 60's, he grew more critical of American involvement in Vietnam, supporting the McGovern-Hatfield Amendment in 1970 and co-sponsored the Case–Church Amendment which prohibited further U.S. military activity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 1973.

Alongside Jacob Javits, John Sherman Cooper and William B. Saxbe, Case was one of four Republican co-sponsors of Ted Kennedy's "Health Security Act" in 1971, which would have provided health coverage to every American through an insurance program run by the federal government. In a speech advocating for universal coverage through the Health Security Act, Case stated:

Case sought a fifth Senate term in 1978, but lost the Republican primary to Jeffrey Bell, an anti-tax conservative. Case criticized Bell's support of a tax cut bill introduced by Congressman Jack Kemp, believing that it would cause tremendous inflation. Bell went on to lose the general election to Democrat Bill Bradley, a former professional basketball player. No Republican has been elected to represent New Jersey in the Senate since Case's last victory in 1972 (though Republicans Nicholas F. Brady and Jeffrey Chiesa have served as appointees).

Later life and death

After leaving the Senate, Case resumed the practice of law with Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle, a New York law firm. Case also lectured at Rutgers University's Eagleton Institute of Politics. He died from lung cancer at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington on March 5, 1982,

His grandson, former Clinton Mayor Matthew Holt, was elected to the Hunterdon County Board of Chosen Freeholders in 2005. He ran for the General Assembly seat in the 23rd legislative district that was vacated by Marcia A. Karrow in January 2009.

References

  • Clifford P. Case in the Rutgers University Hall of Distinguished Alumni
  • Clifford Philip Case at The Political Graveyard
  • Clifford Philip Case at Rutgers University Libraries: This Web site serves as a companion to the permanent exhibition on the senator's life and work which was installed in the Clifford P. Case Seminar Room at Alexander Library in October 2006.

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