Tom Dooley (Nebraska politician)

Dooley was born in Salem, New York, in 1880, and moved to Nebraska in 1886.^[1] He grew up in Fremont, and attended the Fremont Normal College.^[1] He was appointed the deputy county clerk in Sarpy County in 1911 after W. E. Patterson was elected.^[2]

In 1916, Dooley ran for County Clerk, and won the Democratic nomination unopposed.^[3] Following the primary election, Patterson resigned as County Clerk, and Dooley was appointed by the board of county commissioners as his replacement.^[4] In the general election, he narrowly defeated Republican nominee Ernest Ruff.^[5] Dooley was re-elected in 1918,^[6] and defeated in 1922 by Republican J. E. Strawn.^[7]

Dooley ran for Sarpy County Judge in 1928, challenging incumbent Judge J. M. Wheat for re-election, but was narrowly defeated in the general election.^[8] He unsuccessfully challenged Wheat again in 1932,^[9] When Wheat died in 1934, H. A. Collins was appointed as his replacement,^[10] and Dooley challenged him, but lost.^[11]

In 1942, incumbent State Senator William A. Metzger, who was serving in the U.S. Army, declined to seek re-election to a second term.^[12] Dooley ran to succeed him in the 3rd district, which included Cass and Sarpy counties.^[13] Dooley ran in a crowded primary, and narrowly placed second, receiving 16 percent of the vote to former State Representative Mabel Gillespie's 19 percent,^[14] and they advanced to the general election.^[15] Dooley narrowly defeated Gillespie, winning 51 percent of the vote to her 49 percent.^[14]

Dooley ran for re-election in 1944,^[16] and was challenged by Mrs. John Harold Brunson, a former teacher;^[17] Henry Wendt, a farmer;^[18] Charles Long, a businessman;^[19] and John B. Peterson and W. B. Banning, former state senators.^[20] Dooley placed first in the primary, winning 45 percent of the vote to Banning's 36 percent.^[21] They advanced to the general election, which Dooley won by a wide margin, defeating Banning, 58–42 percent.^[21]

In 1946, Dooley ran for a third term, and was opposed by former State Senator William A. Metzger and W. O. Schewe.^[22][23] In the nonpartisan primary, Metzger won 45 percent of the vote, and Dooley placed second with 33 percent.^[24] Metzger narrowly defeated Dooley in the general election, winning 53 percent of the vote to Dooley's 47 percent.^[24][25]

Dooley ran for Lieutenant Governor in 1950.^[26] In the Democratic primary, Dooley faced businessman Edward Dosek, who was endorsed by the state party convention; former Oklahoma State Senator C. S. Wortman; and businessman Woodrow Bryan Shurtleff.^[27] Dooley lost the primary, receiving 24 percent of the vote to Dosek's 47 percent.^[28]

In 1952, Dooley ran for the state legislature.^[29] Incumbent State Senator Christian Metzger, the father of William A. Metzger, declined to run for re-election to a second term.^[30] He ran against Edwin McHugh, an attorney and banker,^[31] and narrowly placed second in the primary, receiving 49 percent of the vote to McHugh's 51 percent.^[32] In the general election, Dooley defeated McHugh by a thin margin, winning 51–49 percent.^[32]

Dooley ran for re-election in 1954,^[33] and was challenged by former State Senator William A. Metzger.^[34] Metzger placed first in the primary, winning 56 percent of the vote to Dooley's 44 percent.^[35] They advanced to the general election,^[36] which Metzger won, defeating Dooley with 54 percent of the vote.^[35]

Metzger declined to seek re-election in 1956,^[37] and Dooley ran to succeed him.^[38] In the nonpartisan primary, Dooley was opposed by businessman Jerry Strawn,^[39] banker Emil Fricke, and Bellevue City Attorney John Rice.^[40] Dooley placed first in the primary, receiving 34 percent of the vote to Fricke's 30 percent,^[41] and proceeded to the general election. Dooley defeated Fricke by a thin margin, winning by 269 votes, and receiving 51 percent of the vote to Fricke's 49 percent.^[41]

Dooley ran for re-election in 1958.^[42] He faced a crowded field of opponents, and was challenged by real estate broker H. L. Gayer and attorney Gerald Kiltz, as well as two former opponents: banker and attorney Edwin McHugh and businessman Jerry Strawn.^[43] Dooley placed first in the primary with 35 percent of the vote, and advanced to the general election with Gayer, who placed second with 29 percent.^[44]

On October 12, 1958, three weeks prior to the general election, Dooley died.^[45]