Ralph Julian Rivers

Ralph Julian Rivers (* May 23, 1903 in Seattle, Washington; † August 14, 1976 in Chehalis, Washington ) was an American politician. Between 1959 and 1966 he represented the state of Alaska in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Early years and political rise

After primary school, Ralph Rivers attended until 1929 the University of Washington, where he studied law. Even before he had tried on the goldfields of Alaska in the years 1921 to 1923 his luck. After his admission to the bar he practiced this profession in Alaska. Between 1933 and 1944 he was Federal District Attorney in the Alaska Territory. Politically, he was a member of the Democratic Party. Between 1945 and 1949 he was Attorney General of the territory. He then spent two years as chairman of a commission that dealt with the protection of jobs ( Employment Security Commission). From 1952 to 1954 Rivers served as mayor of the city of Fairbanks. In 1955 he was a member of the Territorial Senate and in the years 1955 to 1956 he was Executive Vice President of the Constituent Assembly of Alaska. In the years 1960, 1964 and 1968 he attended as a delegate the respective Democratic National Conventions.

Congressman and other CV

In 1957 and 1958, Rivers was elected as an MP in the U.S. Congress. The mandate but was effective only with the official accession of the new state of Alaska to the United States. After several re- elections Rivers could implement his mandate in the House of Representatives between January 1959 and December 30, 1966 3. In 1966, he failed with 48.4 % against 51.6 % of the votes at the attempt of a renewed bid to Howard Wallace Pollock, the candidate of the Republicans. After he retired from politics.