John Bayard Anderson

John Bayard Anderson (born February 15, 1922) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois and presidential candidate in the 1980 election.

Related Topics:
February 15 - 1922 - U.S. Representative - Illinois - 1980 election

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Anderson was born in Rockford, Illinois, where he grew up. He then attended University of Illinois at Urbana, but his education was interrupted by World War II, when he enlisted in the Army in 1943. He served as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Field Artillery until the end of the war. After the war, returned to complete his degree, receiving a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1946. He was admitted to the Illinois bar the same year, and commenced the practice of law in Rockford.

Related Topics:
Rockford, Illinois - University of Illinois at Urbana - World War II - Army - 1943 - Juris Doctor - J.D. - University of Illinois College of Law - 1946 - Illinois - Bar

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Soon after, he moved east to attend Harvard, obtaining an LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School in 1949. While at Harvard, he served on the faculty of Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts. Between 1952 and 1955, he served as the Economic Reporting Officer in the Eastern Affairs Division, as an adviser on the staff of the United States High Commissioner for Germany. In 1956, he was elected State's Attorney in Winnebago County, Illinois.

Related Topics:
Harvard - Harvard Law School - 1949 - Northeastern University School of Law - Boston, Massachusetts - 1952 - 1955 - 1956 - Winnebago County, Illinois

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Anderson remained State's Attorney until 1960, when he ran for the House of Representatives in the 16th District of Illinois. He won the election, serving in U.S. Congress from 1961-1981. In 1969, he became Chairman of the House Republican Conference.

Related Topics:
1960 - U.S. Congress - 1961 - 1981 - 1969 - House Republican Conference

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In 1980, Anderson entered the Republican primary for the U.S. presidential election, in a crowded field that included Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. That spring, he dropped out of the primary race to run as an independent candidate for the fall general election. Much of Anderson's support came from political liberals disaffected by the centrist ideology espoused by President Jimmy Carter, who had disappointed many progressives with his signing of a law banning Medicaid-funded abortions for poor women and whose perceived weakness as a national and global leader greatly reduced his popularity across the political spectrum. Anderson's poll numbers surged early, but waned before the election, and Anderson received only 7% of the vote in the election. His inability to overcome the spoiler effect in that election would later lead him to become an advocate for Instant Runoff Voting.

Related Topics:
1980 - Republican - Primary - Ronald Reagan - George H. W. Bush - General election - Liberals - Centrist - Jimmy Carter - Progressives - Medicaid - Abortions - Poll - Spoiler effect - Instant Runoff Voting

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He then became a visiting professor at series of universities: Stanford University, University of Illinois College of Law, Brandeis University, Bryn Mawr College, Oregon State University, University of Massachusetts, and Nova Southeastern University (his most recent post). He has also served as Chair of the Center for Voting and Democracy from 1996 to the present (as of 2005), as President of the World Federalist Association and is of counsel to the Law Offices of Greenberg & Lieberman, LLC.

Related Topics:
Stanford University - University of Illinois - Brandeis University - Bryn Mawr College - Oregon State University - University of Massachusetts - Nova Southeastern University - Center for Voting and Democracy - 1996 - 2005 - World Federalist Association

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