Henry Kosman

Kosman was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1913.^[1] He graduated from Benson High School,^[1] and then attended the University of Nebraska, graduating in 1935.^[2] Kosman served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, eventually becoming a lieutenant colonel.^[3] Upon returning to Nebraska, he worked for the Western Insurance Company for six years and then opened his own firm, the H. D. Kosman Company, which provided insurance and surety bonds.^[4]

In 1946, Kosman ran to succeed retiring State Senator Clifford Ogden from the Omaha-based 10th district.^[5] He faced former State Senator Charles Crowley; Anton Munch, a railroad employee; advertising consultant Edward Skogman; and bar owner George Cornwell in the primary election.^[6][7] Kosman placed first, winning 33 percent of the vote to Cornwell's 23 percent, and they advanced to the general election.^[8] In the general election, Kosman defeated Cornwell in a landslide, winning 61 percent of the vote to his 39 percent.^[8]

Kosman ran for re-election to a second term in 1948,^[9] and was challenged by Mildred Woods, a member of the Omaha School Board.^[10] Kosman placed first in the primary by a wide margin, winning 67 percent of the vote to Woods's 33 percent.^[11] On September 27, 1948, Woods withdrew from the race following her relocation to Wisconsin, and Kosman was unopposed for re-election.^[12][11]

Several days into Kosman's second term in the legislature, he announced that he had accepted a position at the Scottsbluff National Bank,^[13] and would resign from the legislature, effective January 10, 1949.^[14] Governor Val Peterson appointed Ogden as his successor.^[15]