Sam Rayburn, a Democrat from the State of Texas, was the longest-serving Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in the House for 48 years, stating late in his career: “I am one man in public life who is satisfied, who has achieved every ambition of his youth.”
Early Life
Samuel Rayburn was born in Kingston, Tennessee on January 6, 1882. In 1887, he moved with his parents to Windom, Texas, where he attended the rural schools. After graduating from the East Texas Normal College, he studied law at the University of Texas at Austin. He earned his law degree and was admitted to the bar in 1908. He subsequently opened a law practice in Bonham, Texas.
Political Career
Rayburn entered politics with his election to the Texas House of Representatives in 1906. At the age of 29, he was elected Speaker of the Texas House and served in the position during the last two years of his six-year tenure.
Rayburn was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1912. On Sept. 16, 1940, Rayburn was elected by the House to succeed William B. Bankhead of Alabama, who died in office. He went on to serve as Speaker in every Congress except the Republican-controlled Eightieth (1947 to 1949) and the Eighty-third (1953 to 1955), when he instead served as the minority leader of the House. Rayburn’s 17-year tenure as Speaker spanned a period from the eve of U.S. entry into World War II until the first year of John F. Kennedy’s presidency.
While Rayburn wielded significant political power, he was known as a parliamentary leader who relied mainly on persuading his colleagues through personal connections rather than fiery speeches or political strong-arming. “You cannot lead people by trying to drive them. Persuasion and reason are the only ways to lead them. In that way the Speaker has influence and power in the House,” he said. Rayburn was also known for hosting after-hours meetings in a remote area of the House, where invited guests would drink bourbon and debate the issues of the day.
Rayburn was also a loyal Democrat, although he refused to be characterized as liberal or conservative. During the Presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Rayburn was the House sponsor of FDR’s New Deal programs and played a pivotal role in their passage. He later helped President Harry S. Truman secure passage of the Marshall Plan.
Sam Rayburn died on November 16, 1961, in Bonham, Texas. At the time of his death, Rayburn was the longest-serving member of the House. In his obituary, the New York Times characterized Rayburn as a man “regarded almost with awe in the House.” The newspaper summarized the impact of his loss, stating: “It is as though a part of the Capitol had fallen down.”
