John M. Ashbrook
Encyclopedia
John Milan Ashbrook was an American
politician
of the Republican Party
who served in the United States House of Representatives
from Ohio
from 1961 until his death. His father was William A. Ashbrook
, a newspaper
editor
, businessman, and U.S. representative.
After graduating from Harvard University
in 1952 and from Ohio State University
's law school
in 1955, Ashbrook became publisher of his late father's newspaper, the Johnstown
Independent. He was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives
in 1956 and served two terms. In 1960 his father's old seat in the U.S. House of Representatives was vacated; Ashbrook ran for and won it.
, associates from the Young Republicans
in the 1950s, Ashbrook was involved in the start-up of the Draft Goldwater
movement in 1961.
, Ashbrook ran against incumbent Richard Nixon
in some state primaries
as an alternative conservative candidate. His slogan "No Left Turns" was illustrated by a mock traffic symbol of a left-turn arrow with a superimposed No symbol
. It was meant to symbolize the frustration of some conservatives with Nixon, whom they saw as having abandoned conservative principles and "turned left" on issues such as budget deficits, affirmative action
, the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency
, wage and price controls, the gold standard
, and most of all, improving relations with the Soviet Union
and the People's Republic of China
with his policy of détente
.
Ashbrook competed in the New Hampshire (9.8% of the vote), Florida (9%), and California (10%) primaries. He withdrew from the race after the California
primary and "with great reluctance" supported Nixon. To this day, his campaign, although of minimal immediate impact, is remembered fondly by conservatives who admire Ashbrook for having stood for their principles.
When Nixon became mired in the Watergate scandal
, Ashbrook became the first House Republican to call for the President's resignation.
U.S. Senator
Howard Metzenbaum
, Ashbrook died suddenly and unexpectedly of a massive gastric hemorrhage.
His wife, Jean Spencer Ashbrook
, was chosen in a special election to serve the remainder of his Congressional term.
The Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs
at Ashland University
is named for Ashbrook. A periodic John M. Ashbrook Memorial Dinner at the center features leading conservative speakers from President Ronald Reagan
(first dinner; dedication of the Center, in 1983) and Margaret Thatcher
(1993) to Mitt Romney
(April, 2010) and John Boehner
(June, 2011).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
who served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
from 1961 until his death. His father was William A. Ashbrook
William A. Ashbrook
William Albert Ashbrook was an American businessman, newspaper publisher, and Democratic politician from Ohio....
, a newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
editor
Editor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
, businessman, and U.S. representative.
After graduating from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1952 and from Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
's law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
in 1955, Ashbrook became publisher of his late father's newspaper, the Johnstown
Johnstown, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,440 people, 1,396 households, and 932 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,643.0 people per square mile . There were 1,453 housing units at an average density of 694.0 per square mile...
Independent. He was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
in 1956 and served two terms. In 1960 his father's old seat in the U.S. House of Representatives was vacated; Ashbrook ran for and won it.
1964 presidential election
With William Rusher and F. Clifton WhiteF. Clifton White
Frederick Clifton White was a U.S. political consultant and campaign manager for candidates of the Republican Party and the New York Conservative Party, as well as foreign clients...
, associates from the Young Republicans
Young Republicans
The Young Republicans is an organization for members of the Republican Party of the United States between the ages of 18 and 40. It has both a national organization and chapters in individual states....
in the 1950s, Ashbrook was involved in the start-up of the Draft Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
movement in 1961.
1972 presidential election
In the 1972 presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 1972
The United States presidential election of 1972 was the 47th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 7, 1972. The Democratic Party's nomination was eventually won by Senator George McGovern, who ran an anti-war campaign against incumbent Republican President Richard...
, Ashbrook ran against incumbent Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
in some state primaries
United States presidential primary
The series of presidential primary elections and caucuses is one of the first steps in the process of electing the President of the United States of America. The primary elections are run by state and local governments, while caucuses are private events run by the political parties...
as an alternative conservative candidate. His slogan "No Left Turns" was illustrated by a mock traffic symbol of a left-turn arrow with a superimposed No symbol
No symbol
The no symbol is a circle with a diagonal line through it , surrounding a pictogram used to indicate something is not permitted...
. It was meant to symbolize the frustration of some conservatives with Nixon, whom they saw as having abandoned conservative principles and "turned left" on issues such as budget deficits, affirmative action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
, the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
, wage and price controls, the gold standard
Gold standard
The gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is a fixed mass of gold. There are distinct kinds of gold standard...
, and most of all, improving relations with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
with his policy of détente
Détente
Détente is the easing of strained relations, especially in a political situation. The term is often used in reference to the general easing of relations between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1970s, a thawing at a period roughly in the middle of the Cold War...
.
Ashbrook competed in the New Hampshire (9.8% of the vote), Florida (9%), and California (10%) primaries. He withdrew from the race after the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
primary and "with great reluctance" supported Nixon. To this day, his campaign, although of minimal immediate impact, is remembered fondly by conservatives who admire Ashbrook for having stood for their principles.
When Nixon became mired in the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
, Ashbrook became the first House Republican to call for the President's resignation.
Sudden death and legacy
In 1982, after announcing his intention to seek the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Howard Metzenbaum
Howard Metzenbaum
Howard Morton Metzenbaum was an American politician who served for almost 20 years as a Democratic member of the U.S. Senate from Ohio . He also served in the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate from 1943 to 1951.-Early life:Metzenbaum was born in Cleveland, to a poor Jewish family, the son...
, Ashbrook died suddenly and unexpectedly of a massive gastric hemorrhage.
His wife, Jean Spencer Ashbrook
Jean Spencer Ashbrook
Jean Spencer Ashbrook is the widow of Congressman John M. Ashbrook, Republican of Ohio. She is also a former Member of Congress herself, having completed her late husband's final term of office, also as a Republican.She attended Central School, Newark, Ohio, and graduated from Newark High School...
, was chosen in a special election to serve the remainder of his Congressional term.
The Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs
Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs
The Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs is a conservative academic center at Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio, dedicated by Ronald Reagan on May 9, 1983.It is named for the late Congressman John M...
at Ashland University
Ashland University
Ashland University is a mid-sized, private, non-profit university that is located in Ashland, Ohio.The University offers 73 undergraduate majors and nine pre-professional programs. The majors include toxicology/environmental science and entrepreneurship, which are unusual for an institution of its...
is named for Ashbrook. A periodic John M. Ashbrook Memorial Dinner at the center features leading conservative speakers from President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
(first dinner; dedication of the Center, in 1983) and Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
(1993) to Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
(April, 2010) and John Boehner
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
(June, 2011).
Reagan tribute
Ronald Reagan was president at the time of Ashbrook's death. He honored him with these words: "John Ashbrook was a man of courage and principle. He served his constituents and his country with dedication and devotion, always working towards the betterment of his fellow man. His patriotism and deep belief in the greatness of America never wavered and his articulate and passionate calls for a return to old-fashioned American values earned him the respect of all who knew him."See also
- Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 17th District
- List of United States Representatives from Ohio