US Senator, US Congressman. After graduation from Salem College, he was employed by a Clarksburg, West Virginia newspaper. The following year he became an editor for the West Virginia “Review” in Charleston. He then served as a public speaking and journalism professor at Davis and Elkins College from 1926 through 1932, and later became a trustee for Salem and Davis and Elkins Colleges. He failed in his 1930 effort to win election to Congress. However, he was successful in getting elected as a Representative from West Virginia in the United States House of Representatives in the 73rd and six subsequent Congresses. In 1946, he was defeated in his re-election to a seat in the 80th Congress. During his early career as a United States Representative, he served as Chairman of the Committee on the District of Columbia and member of the Committee on Civil Service. From 1935 through 1953, he served on the facilty of Southeastern University, Washington, D.C., as a professor of public speaking and later as Dean of the School of Business Administration. He also served as a public relations director for Capital Airlines from 1947 through 1958. In 1958 he was elected as a Democrat Senator from West Virginia to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy created by the death of Senator Matthew Neely. He held that seat until his retirement from public office on January 3, 1985. As a Senator and Chairman of the Committee of Public Works, He guided important legislation which helped form our modern highway system. He also served as a member of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, and is best known as the author of the 26th Amendment to the Constitution which granted 18 year olds the right to vote.