Charles I. Dawson

Charles Irving Dawson (February 13, 1881 – April 24, 1969) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. He also served in the state legislature. He was a Democrat until 1909 when he joined the Republican Party.

Education and career

Born on February 13, 1881, in Logan County, Kentucky, Dawson attended the University of Kentucky and read law in 1905. He entered private practice in Russellville, Kentucky from 1905 to 1906. He continued in private practice in Pineville, Kentucky starting in 1906. He was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1906. He was the county attorney of Bell County from 1910 through 1919. and Attorney General of Kentucky from 1920 through 1923. He was the Republican nominee for governor in 1923, losing to Democrat William J. Fields. From 1925 to 1935 he was U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky. He resigned to return to the practice of law and was the Republican nominee for U.S. senator in 1950, losing to Democratic Gov. Earle C. Clements. Dawson was a member of the Democratic Party until 1909, and a member of the Republican Party from 1909.

In 1950 Dawson was the Republican nominee for a seat in the United States Senate. Dawson lost that race to Democrat Earle C. Clements, who won 300,276 votes (53.9%) to Dawson's 256,876 (46.1%). Clements went on to become the assistant majority floor leader under Lyndon B. Johnson, serving as Majority Leader of the United States Senate during Johnson's extended absence for medical reasons.