Wendell P. Kay
Encyclopedia
Wendell Palmer Kay was an American
Democratic politician
from Alaska
.
Born in Illinois
Wendell Palmer Kay, a lawyer
, was a member of the Alaska Territorial House of Representatives from 1951 to 1956, representing 3rd district, and the Speaker of this body during his last term (1955-1956).
In addition, during the 1956 Democratic National Convention
he served as an alternate delegate from Alaska Territory and a full delegate from the State of Alaska to the successive 1960 Convention
.
After U.S. Senator Bob Bartlett
, a fellow Democrat, died in office in 1968, then-Republican
Governor Walter Joseph Hickel
appointed Ted Stevens
, former U.S. Attorney and a high-level official in the United States Department of Interior during President Dwight D. Eisenhower
's administration, to fill the vacancy.
Because of this, in 1970 Alaska set a special election for remainder of Bartlett's term. Kay run as a Democratic nominee against incumbent Stevens and was defeated by 59.6% won by Stevens versus 40.4% won by him. Stevens served in the Senate until 2008 and was the longest serving Republican Senator and President pro tempore emeritus
of the Senate (he was president pro tem from 2003 to 2007) at the time of his defeat.
Wendell Kay practiced law for many years in Anchorage, Alaska, and he was widely considered within the legal community there as the foremost criminal defense lawyer of his day. Known as the "Silver Fox," Mr. Kay had the rare ability to succeed at a technique known as exploratory cross-examination, where the questioner does not know the answer that the witness will give. In one trial for assault, Mr. Kay was able to use this method to establish a devastating fact of which neither side had been previously aware: that the complaining witness was on anti-psychotic medication for mental illness. Mr. Kay was then able to persuade the judge to direct the witness to show the jury the bottle of pills in question.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.
Born in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Wendell Palmer Kay, a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, was a member of the Alaska Territorial House of Representatives from 1951 to 1956, representing 3rd district, and the Speaker of this body during his last term (1955-1956).
In addition, during the 1956 Democratic National Convention
1956 Democratic National Convention
The 1956 National Convention of the Democratic Party nominated former Governor Adlai Stevenson of Illinois for President and Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee for Vice President. It was held in the International Amphitheatre on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois August 13–17 1956. Unsuccessful...
he served as an alternate delegate from Alaska Territory and a full delegate from the State of Alaska to the successive 1960 Convention
1960 Democratic National Convention
The 1960 Democratic National Convention was held in Los Angeles. In the end, the Kennedy-Johnson ticket was assembled and went on to secure an electoral college victory and a narrow popular vote plurality in the fall over the Republican candidates Richard M...
.
After U.S. Senator Bob Bartlett
Bob Bartlett
Edward Lewis "Bob" Bartlett was an American politician and a member of the Democratic Party.Bartlett was born in Seattle, Washington. After graduating from the University of Alaska in 1925, Bartlett began his career in politics...
, a fellow Democrat, died in office in 1968, then-Republican
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...
Governor Walter Joseph Hickel
Walter Joseph Hickel
Walter Joseph "Wally" Hickel was an industrialist, focused mostly on construction and real estate development, and a politician of the Republican and Alaskan Independence parties from the U.S. state of Alaska. Hickel served as the second and eighth Governor of Alaska...
appointed Ted Stevens
Ted Stevens
Theodore Fulton "Ted" Stevens, Sr. was a United States Senator from Alaska, serving from December 24, 1968, until January 3, 2009, and thus the longest-serving Republican senator in history...
, former U.S. Attorney and a high-level official in the United States Department of Interior during President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
's administration, to fill the vacancy.
Because of this, in 1970 Alaska set a special election for remainder of Bartlett's term. Kay run as a Democratic nominee against incumbent Stevens and was defeated by 59.6% won by Stevens versus 40.4% won by him. Stevens served in the Senate until 2008 and was the longest serving Republican Senator and President pro tempore emeritus
President pro tempore
A President pro tempore is a constitutionally recognized officer of a legislative body who presides over the chamber in the absence of the normal presiding officer...
of the Senate (he was president pro tem from 2003 to 2007) at the time of his defeat.
Wendell Kay practiced law for many years in Anchorage, Alaska, and he was widely considered within the legal community there as the foremost criminal defense lawyer of his day. Known as the "Silver Fox," Mr. Kay had the rare ability to succeed at a technique known as exploratory cross-examination, where the questioner does not know the answer that the witness will give. In one trial for assault, Mr. Kay was able to use this method to establish a devastating fact of which neither side had been previously aware: that the complaining witness was on anti-psychotic medication for mental illness. Mr. Kay was then able to persuade the judge to direct the witness to show the jury the bottle of pills in question.