Jerry Litton

Jerry Lon Litton (May 12, 1937 – August 3, 1976) was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Missouri who died with his wife and two children while en route via a small plane to the victory party after winning Missouri's state Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

Early life

Litton was born near Lock Springs, Daviess County, Missouri in a house without electricity. He was national secretary of the Future Farmers of America (1956-1957). He graduated from the University of Missouri in 1961 with a B.S. in Journalism. Litton was president of the University of Missouri Young Democrats and chair of the National Youth for Symington during Stuart Symington's unsuccessful 1960 run for U.S. President. He served as President of the local Columbia chapter of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. ^[1]

Litton made his fortune raising cattle at the Litton Charolais Cattle Ranch in Chillicothe, Missouri. This ranch was maintained as a beautiful showplace where Litton entertained both the well connected and constituents. Litton made a point to bring school children and low level local leaders to his home. Before he began his political career, he was active in promoting youth involvement in leadership in agriculture and rural communities. His family (including his parents, Mildred and Charlie Litton) was very prominent in the Charolais business.

U.S. Representative

Litton was elected to the U.S. House as a Democrat in 1972. He was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party and his television show "Dialogue with Litton" was broadcast statewide. Among the guests were Jimmy Carter, Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz, Congressman Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill, and House Speaker Carl Albert.^[2]

Green bumper stickers (like those used in his prior Congressional campaigns) circulated in the state saying "Litton for President."^[3] Jimmy Carter was to say that he thought Litton would be President one day.^[4]

1976 U.S. Senate Election

In 1976, after only two terms in the House of Representatives, Litton entered into what amounted to a three-way Democratic Party primary race for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Senator Stuart Symington. The other major contestants were Symington's son James W. Symington and former Missouri Governor Warren Hearnes. Litton won the primary but died with his entire family (wife, Sharon, and their two children, Linda and Scott) along with pilot Paul Rupp Jr. and the pilot's son, Paul Rupp III, en route to a victory party in Kansas City, Missouri; their plane crashed on take-off from the Chillicothe airport shortly after 9 p.m. on election night. The investigation into the crash determined the twin-engine plane broke a chankshaft while under the strain of take off. Final election results showed Congressman Litton winning with 45.39%, former Governor Warren Hearnes second at 26.38%, and Congressman James Symington finishing third with 25.16% of the statewide vote.^[5] Seven other candidates including Kansas City, Missouri Mayor Charles Wheeler split the remaining 4 percent of the vote.^[6] The State Democratic Committee held a vote on a new nominee on August 21st and Hearnes defeated Jim Spainhower garnering 63.3% of the vote. Hearnes lost the general election to John C. Danforth who garnered 56.93% of the vote.^[7]

Several other noted politicians have died in aircraft crashes during U.S. Senate campaigns: Virginia Republican nominee Richard D. Obenshain in 1978, Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan in 2000 (who actually won his election posthumously) and Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone in 2002.

A museum of Litton memorabilia is in the Jerry L. Litton Visitor Center near the dam at Smithville Lake in Smithville, Missouri^[8]

References

1. ^ Mizzouag.com
2. ^ WHMC-Columbia-Jerry L. Litton, Papers, 1960-1976 (C3730)-INVENTORY
3. ^ The World According to Leigh Ann Little
4. ^ History of the Litton Agri-Science Learning Center
5. ^ "1976 Senatorial Democratic Primary Election Results - Missouri". Uselectionatlas.org. 2007-04-20. http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=29&year=1976&f=0&off=3&elect=1. Retrieved 2010-03-16. 
6. ^ "MO US Senate - D Primary Race - Aug 03, 1976". Our Campaigns. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=230003. Retrieved 2010-03-16. 
7. ^ "MO US Senate Race - Nov 02, 1976". Our Campaigns. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=6284. Retrieved 2010-03-16. 
8. ^ Jerry L. Litton Visitor Center

External links

• More on Congressman Litton
• Congressional biography
• Jerry Litton's Gravesite
• Litton Center, Smithville, MO

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by William Raleigh Hull, Jr.	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 6th congressional district 1973–1976	Succeeded by Earl Thomas Coleman

Persondata
Name	Litton, Jerry
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1937-05-12
Place of birth
Date of death	1976-08-03
Place of death