Byron G. Rogers

Byron Giles Rogers (August 1, 1900 – December 31, 1983) was an American lawyer, politician, and World War I veteran from Colorado. From 1951 to 1971, he served 10 consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives.

Early life Rogers was the son of Peter and Minnie May Rogers. Born in Greenville, Texas, he moved with his parents to Oklahoma in April 1902. He attended the public schools of Checotah, Oklahoma.

World War I During the First World War, he served as a private in the Infantry, United States Army.

Education He attended the University of Arkansas in 1918, the University of Oklahoma from 1919 to 1922, and the University of Colorado in 1923 and 1924. He earned his LL.B. at Sturm College of Law, University of Denver, 1925, and commenced the practice of law in Las Animas, Colorado.

Family He married his secretary, Helen Kepler, in 1933, and they had two children, Shirley Ann and Byron Jr.

Legal career Rogers served as city attorney of Las Animas from 1929 to 1933. He was a member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 1932 to 1935, serving as speaker in 1933. He served as county attorney of Bent County, Colorado, in 1933, and was later on the legal staff of Agricultural Adjustment Administration and National Recovery Administration, Washington, D.C., in 1933 and 1934. He served as assistant United States Attorney for Colorado 1934 to 1936, and Attorney General of Colorado 1936 to 1941. In November 1942, Rogers was defeated in a bid for a seat on the state supreme court by Republican Frank B. Goudy.

He was a public member of the War Labor Board from 1942 to 1945.

Congressional career Rogers was elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-second and to 10 succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1971).

Defeat and election challenge In 1970, Rogers was accused of supporting the Vietnam War by his primary challenger, Craig Barnes and his supporters. Rogers lost by 30 votes (27,218 to 27,188) and he and his supporters alleged that University of Denver students who were non-residents from other states had illegally voted in the Primary. However, a recount overseen by the Federal Election Commission did not change the Primary Election results.

Nonetheless, according to multiple Denver media outlets, following this controversial Primary and prior to the General Election, 30,000 registered Denver County Democrats rescinded their Democratic Party affiliation, and along with other Rogers’ supporters who remained on the rolls of the Denver County Democratic Party, actively campaigned for the Republican candidate, Denver County District Attorney Mike McKevitt, and elected him to his only term in office by more than a 10,000 vote spread. McKevitt was defeated by Democratic candidate Patricia Schroeder in 1972. Schroeder held the First Congressional District seat in Colorado through her retirement in 1996.

Rogers voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

Death and legacy Rogers was a resident of Denver, Colorado until his death there December 31, 1983. He was interred in Mount Lindo Cemetery near Tiny Town, Colorado.

The Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and United States Courthouse was named in his honor in 1984.

Electoral history