Robert B. Duncan
Encyclopedia
Robert Blackford Duncan (December 4, 1920 April 29, 2011) was an American politician from the state of Oregon
. A Democrat
, he served multiple terms in the Oregon Legislative Assembly
and as a U.S. congressman
from Oregon. In the Oregon House of Representatives
he served as speaker for four years, and in the U.S. House he represented two different districts. The Illinois
native and World War II veteran twice ran unsuccessful campaigns to be elected to the U.S. Senate.
, on December 4, 1920, and attended public schools in Bloomington
. In 1939, he began college at the University of Alaska, staying through 1940 when he transferred to Illinois Wesleyan University
where he graduated in 1942 with a bachelors degree. In college he met fellow student Marijane Beverly Dill (born June 30, 1920) and the two were married on December 19, 1942. The couple would have seven children together: Nancy, Angus, David, James, Laurie, Bonnie and Jeanne. While in Alaska he had worked in the gold fields, and while in Illinois he had worked for a bank and seed company.
During World War II, he served in the United States Merchant Marine
and United States Naval Air Force
from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, Duncan received his LL.B
from the University of Michigan Law School
and passed the bar in October of that year. After graduation Duncan and his family moved from Michigan
to Portland and then to Medford in Southern Oregon
, where he moved to join the law practice of William M. McAllister
.
for the Oregon House of Representatives
. Although he declined for economic reasons, in 1956, he was elected to the Oregon House, serving three terms and was elected Speaker of the Oregon House by his colleagues. In 1962, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives
representing Oregon's 4th congressional district
based in Medford
.
In the 1966 U.S. Senate election
, Duncan was the Democratic candidate for the Senate
seat vacated by retiring Senator Maurine B. Neuberger. While Duncan strongly supported President Johnson's Vietnam war
policies, his Republican
opponent, Mark O. Hatfield, was an outspoken critic. The differences between Duncan and Hatfield on the war would produce one of the great splits in the modern Oregon Democratic Party. The state's senior U.S. Senator, Wayne Morse
—a staunch Democratic opponent of the Vietnam war—endorsed Hatfield over fellow Democrat, Duncan, an act that infuriated Democratic Party regulars. This factor, along with Hatfield's statewide popularity as Governor of Oregon
, gave Hatfield a narrow victory. In 1967, Duncan moved to Portland
where he lived until 1974, returning to the practice of law.
In 1968
, Duncan came back to challenge Senator Morse in the Democratic Senate primary. Again, Duncan's war views played a role. Though Duncan was initially far ahead of the anti-war maverick Morse, Morse closed the gap at the end and won a narrow victory, aided by the beginning of the Paris Peace Accords
, which brought the possibility of the end of the war. Morse went on to lose in the general election to Republican Bob Packwood
, who favored continued funding of the war.
Duncan returned to his Portland law practice, but after Edith Green
retired from Congress, Duncan was elected to her seat in 1974 and returned to the House, this time representing the 3rd district
in Portland
. He served another three terms, and was upset in the 1980 Democratic primary by eventual winner Ron Wyden
.
. He served on the Northwest Power Planning Council from 1984 to 1988, and as its chairperson in 1987. Duncan’s first wife, Marijane, died November 9, 1990. Duncan remarried Katherine Boe and lived in Portland until his death on April 29, 2011 at the age of 90.
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. A Democrat
Democratic 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...
, he served multiple terms in the Oregon Legislative Assembly
Oregon Legislative Assembly
The Oregon Legislative Assembly is the state legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. The Legislative Assembly is bicameral, consisting of an upper and lower house: the Senate, whose 30 members are elected to serve four-year terms; and the House of Representatives, with 60 members elected to...
and as a U.S. congressman
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from Oregon. In the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
he served as speaker for four years, and in the U.S. House he represented two different districts. The 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,...
native and World War II veteran twice ran unsuccessful campaigns to be elected to the U.S. Senate.
Early life
Duncan was born in Normal, IllinoisNormal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, on December 4, 1920, and attended public schools in Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
. In 1939, he began college at the University of Alaska, staying through 1940 when he transferred to Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University is an independent undergraduate university located in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1850, the central portion of the present campus was acquired in 1854 with the first building erected in 1856...
where he graduated in 1942 with a bachelors degree. In college he met fellow student Marijane Beverly Dill (born June 30, 1920) and the two were married on December 19, 1942. The couple would have seven children together: Nancy, Angus, David, James, Laurie, Bonnie and Jeanne. While in Alaska he had worked in the gold fields, and while in Illinois he had worked for a bank and seed company.
During World War II, he served in the United States Merchant Marine
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
and United States Naval Air Force
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, Duncan received his LL.B
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
from the University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan Law School
The University of Michigan Law School is the law school of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. Founded in 1859, the school has an enrollment of about 1,200 students, most of whom are seeking Juris Doctor or Master of Laws degrees, although the school also offers a Doctor of Juridical...
and passed the bar in October of that year. After graduation Duncan and his family moved from Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
to Portland and then to Medford in Southern Oregon
Southern Oregon
Southern Oregon is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon south of Lane County and generally west of the Cascade Range, excluding the southern Oregon Coast. Counties include Douglas, Jackson, Klamath, and Josephine. It includes the Southern Oregon American Viticultural Area, which consists of the...
, where he moved to join the law practice of William M. McAllister
William M. McAllister
William Menzies McAllister was an American politician and jurist in the state of Oregon. He served as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives in the 1940s, served on the Oregon Supreme Court, and was Chief Justice of the court for eight years beginning in 1959.-Early years:William...
.
Political career
In 1954, Duncan was nominated as a write-in candidateWrite-in candidate
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but for whom voters may vote nonetheless by writing in the person's name. Some states and local jurisdictions allow a voter to affix a sticker with a write-in candidate's name on it to the ballot in lieu...
for the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
. Although he declined for economic reasons, in 1956, he was elected to the Oregon House, serving three terms and was elected Speaker of the Oregon House by his colleagues. In 1962, he was elected to 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...
representing Oregon's 4th congressional district
Oregon's 4th congressional district
Oregon's 4th congressional district represents the southern half of Oregon's coastal counties, including Coos, Curry, Douglas, Lane, and Linn counties and most of Benton and Josephine counties...
based in Medford
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
.
In the 1966 U.S. Senate election
United States Senate election in Oregon, 1966
The 1966 Oregon United States Senate election was held on November 6, 1966 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of Oregon. Incumbent Senator Maurine Brown Neuberger did not seek re-election...
, Duncan was the Democratic candidate for the Senate
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...
seat vacated by retiring Senator Maurine B. Neuberger. While Duncan strongly supported President Johnson's Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
policies, his 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...
opponent, Mark O. Hatfield, was an outspoken critic. The differences between Duncan and Hatfield on the war would produce one of the great splits in the modern Oregon Democratic Party. The state's senior U.S. Senator, Wayne Morse
Wayne Morse
Wayne Lyman Morse was a politician and attorney from Oregon, United States, known for his proclivity for opposing his parties' leadership, and specifically for his opposition to the Vietnam War on constitutional grounds....
—a staunch Democratic opponent of the Vietnam war—endorsed Hatfield over fellow Democrat, Duncan, an act that infuriated Democratic Party regulars. This factor, along with Hatfield's statewide popularity as Governor of Oregon
Governor of Oregon
The Governor of Oregon is the top executive of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. The title of governor was also applied to the office of Oregon's chief executive during the provisional and U.S. territorial governments....
, gave Hatfield a narrow victory. In 1967, Duncan moved to Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
where he lived until 1974, returning to the practice of law.
In 1968
United States Senate election in Oregon, 1968
The 1968 United States Senate election in Oregon was held on November 5, 1968. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Wayne Morse was narrowly defeated by Republican Bob Packwood.-Democratic primary:...
, Duncan came back to challenge Senator Morse in the Democratic Senate primary. Again, Duncan's war views played a role. Though Duncan was initially far ahead of the anti-war maverick Morse, Morse closed the gap at the end and won a narrow victory, aided by the beginning of the Paris Peace Accords
Paris Peace Accords
The Paris Peace Accords of 1973 intended to establish peace in Vietnam and an end to the Vietnam War, ended direct U.S. military involvement, and temporarily stopped the fighting between North and South Vietnam...
, which brought the possibility of the end of the war. Morse went on to lose in the general election to Republican Bob Packwood
Bob Packwood
Robert William "Bob" Packwood is a U.S. politician from Oregon and a member of the Republican Party. He resigned from the United States Senate, under threat of expulsion, in 1995 after allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and assault of women emerged.-Early life and career:Packwood was born in...
, who favored continued funding of the war.
Duncan returned to his Portland law practice, but after Edith Green
Edith Green
Edith Louise Starrett Green was an American politician and educator in the state of Oregon. A native of South Dakota, she was raised in Oregon and completed her education at the University of Oregon and Stanford University...
retired from Congress, Duncan was elected to her seat in 1974 and returned to the House, this time representing the 3rd district
Oregon's 3rd congressional district
Oregon's 3rd congressional district covers most of Multnomah County, including Portland east of the Willamette River, Gresham, and Troutdale. It also includes the northern part of Clackamas County, including Milwaukie. Parts of northwest Portland also lie within the district...
in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. He served another three terms, and was upset in the 1980 Democratic primary by eventual winner Ron Wyden
Ron Wyden
Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden is the senior U.S. Senator for Oregon, serving since 1996, and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1996....
.
Later years and family
In 1985, he returned to live in Oregon, settling in the coastal community of YachatsYachats, Oregon
Yachats is a small coastal city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. According to Oregon Geographic Names, the name comes from the Siletz language, and means "dark water at the foot of the mountain". There is a range of differing etymologies, however. William Bright says the name comes from...
. He served on the Northwest Power Planning Council from 1984 to 1988, and as its chairperson in 1987. Duncan’s first wife, Marijane, died November 9, 1990. Duncan remarried Katherine Boe and lived in Portland until his death on April 29, 2011 at the age of 90.