Franck R. Havenner

Franck Roberts Havenner (September 20, 1882 – July 24, 1967) was a six-term United States representative from California's 4th congressional district in the mid-20th century.

Biography Havenner was born in Sherwood, Maryland, on September 20, 1882. He attended Columbian College (now George Washington University) and Stanford University, afterwards working as a journalist in San Francisco. He was senator Hiram Johnson's private secretary from 1917 to 1921.

He served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1926 to 1936. In 1935, he ran for president of the Board and won. As a supervisor he fought unsuccessfully to fulfill the Raker Act of 1913 and bring public power to the City and County of San Francisco.

Congress

Originally a Republican, Havenner was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1936 with the nominations of both the Progressive and Democratic parties against Republican incumbent Florence Prag Kahn. Re-elected in 1938 with the same nominations but reversed in their appearance on the ballot, Havenner finally re-registered as a Democrat. In 1939 (in an officially nonpartisan race), he ran unsuccessfully for mayor against incumbent Angelo Rossi.

He was defeated for re-election to Congress in 1940, and was a member of the California Railroad Commission from 1941 to 1944. He won election to Congress again in 1944, served from 1945 to 1953, and became a member of the House Armed Services Committee. In 1947, he again ran unsuccessfully for mayor. In 1952, he was defeated for re-election to Congress by Republican William S. Mailliard. After leaving Congress, he worked for the American Federation of Labor.

Death Havenner died in San Francisco on July 24, 1967, and was buried at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma, California.

Electoral history