Charles C. Gossett

Charles Clinton Gossett (September 2, 1888 – September 20, 1974) was an American politician who served as the 20th governor of Idaho and a United States Senator from Idaho, but was in both offices less than a year in the 1940s. He was a member of the Democratic Party.

Early life Born in Pricetown, Ohio, Gossett attended public schools in Ohio. He moved west to Cunningham, Washington, in 1907, to Ontario, Oregon, in 1910, and finally to Nampa, Idaho, in 1922. He engaged in the agriculture, livestock, feed and shipping businesses.

Career In 1932, Gossett was elected to Idaho House of Representatives. In 1936, he was elected the 22nd Idaho lieutenant governor, serving for two years alongside Governor Barzilla Clark. Gossett returned as the 24th Idaho lieutenant governor under Governor Chase Clark, Barzilla Clark's younger brother, both elected in 1940.

Gossett was elected to the governorship in his own right in 1944, winning the June primary over Idaho State Auditor Calvin Wright and Idaho Secretary of State George Curtis, as well as the November general election over William Detweiler, the Republican nominee from Hazelton. This was the last election for a two-year term, but Gossett served less than a year; he resigned in November 1945 to let his successor, Lieutenant Governor Arnold Williams, appoint him to the United States Senate to succeed the late John Thomas.

In the special election for the seat in 1946, Gossett was defeated in the Democratic primary in June by State Senator George Donart, who in turn was defeated by Republican U.S. Representative Henry Dworshak in the general election in November. After the loss, Gossett returned to his former business pursuits.

Gossett attempted a political comeback in 1954 in a run for the governorship. At the time, self-succession (reelection) was not allowed; Len Jordan's term was ending. Gossett was defeated in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in August by State Senator Clark Hamilton, who in turn lost to Republican attorney general Robert Smylie in the general election. Gossett was appointed to the Idaho Tax Commission by Smylie in 1956 and served until 1967.

Personal life Gossett married Clara Louise Fleming on November 28, 1916, and is interred at Kohlerlawn Cemetery in Nampa.