Clyde Cretsinger

Cretsinger was born in Coon Rapids, Iowa, and graduated from Coon Rapids High School, and later attended the Capital City Commercial College in Des Moines.^[1] He mserved in the U.S. Air Service during World War I, and moved to Nebraska in 1919,^[1] settling in Keith County, where he maintained a farm and raised livestock.^[2]

In 1946, Cretsinger ran for the state legislature from the 39th district, which included Arthur, Blaine, Deuel, Garden, Grant, Hooker, Keith, Logan, McPherson, and Thomas counties in western Nebraska.^[2] He ran against incumbent State Senator Carl Jeffords, who was seeking his third term.^[2] In the primary election, Cretsinger placed second, receiving 40 percent of the vote to Jeffords's 60 percent,^[3] They advanced to the general election,^[4] where Cretsinger defeated Jeffords by a wide margin, winning 59–41 percent.^[3][5]

Cretsinger ran for re-election in 1948, and was challenged by Jeffords in a rematch of their 1946 campaign.^[6] Cretsinger placed first in the primary by a wide margin, winning 61 percent of the vote to Jeffords's 39 percent, and ultimately defeated Jeffords in the general election with 58 percent of the vote.^[7][8]

In 1950, Cretsinger ran for a third term, and was challenged by Keith County Supervisor Joshua Brown and rancher D. E. Bauer.^[9][10] Cretsinger placed first in the primary election, receiving 52 percent of the vote to Brown's 35 percent and Bauder's 12 percent,^[11] and advanced to the general election with Brown.^[12] Cretsinger narrowly lost to Brown, receiving 48 percent of the vote to his 52 percent.^[11][13]

Brown was re-elected to the legislature in 1952, and in 1954, resigned, citing ill health.^[14] Governor Robert B. Crosby appointed Cretsinger to serve out the remainder of Brown's term,^[14] and he was sworn in on April 13, 1954.^[15] Cretsinger declined to run for a full term in the election.^[16] He was elected as an alternate delegate to the Nebraska Republican Party convention in 1954 from Keith County.^[17]