James Miller Tunnell (August 2, 1879 – November 14, 1957) was an American lawyer and politician from Georgetown, in Sussex County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, and served as U.S. Senator from Delaware.

Early life and family

Tunnell was born in Clarksville, near Millville, Delaware. He attended the public schools and graduated in 1900 from Franklin College, now combined with Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. Tunnell was an early supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Death and legacy

James M. Tunnell died age 78 on November 14, 1957, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is buried in the Blackwater Church Cemetery, near Clarksville, Sussex County, Delaware. His son James M. Tunnell Jr. was the Democratic nominee for the class 2 senate seat in 1966, but lost to incumbent J. Caleb Boggs.

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. U.S. Senators are popularly elected and take office January 3 for a six-year term.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"

|-bgcolor=#cccccc

!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public offices

|-

! Office

! Type

! Location

! Began office

! Ended office

! Notes

|-

|U.S. Senator

|Legislature

|Washington

|January 3, 1941

|January 3, 1947

|

|}

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"

|-bgcolor=#cccccc

!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |United States Congress service

|-

! Dates

! Congress

! Chamber

! Majority

! President

! Committees

! Class/District

|-

|1941–1943

|77th

|U.S. Senate

|Democratic

|Franklin D. Roosevelt

|

|class 1

|-

|1943–1945

|78th

|U.S. Senate

|Democratic

|Franklin D. Roosevelt

|

|class 1

|-

|1945–1947

|79th

|U.S. Senate

|Democratic

|Franklin D. Roosevelt<br/>Harry S. Truman

|

|class 1

|}

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"

|-bgcolor=#cccccc

!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results

|-

!Year

!Office

!

!Subject

!Party

!Votes

!%

!

!Opponent

!Party

!Votes

!%

|-

|1924

|U.S. Senator

|

| |James M. Tunnell

| |Democratic

| |36,085

| |41%

|

| |T. Coleman du Pont

| |Republican

| |52,731

| |59%

|-

|1940

|U.S. Senator

|

| |James M. Tunnell

| |Democratic

| |68,294

| |51%

|

| |John G. Townsend Jr.

| |Republican

| |63,799

| |47%

|-

|1946

|U.S. Senator

|

| |James M. Tunnell

| |Democratic

| |50,910

| |45%

|

| |John J. Williams

| |Republican

| |62,603

| |55%

|}

References

  • Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
  • Delaware's Members of Congress
  • The Political Graveyard