Frank W. Towey Jr. | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey's 12th district |
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In office January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1939 |
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Preceded by | Frederick R. Lehlbach |
Succeeded by | Robert Kean |
Personal details | |
Born |
Jersey City, New Jersey |
November 5, 1895
Died | September 4, 1979 Montclair, New Jersey |
(aged 83)
Political party | Democrat |
Frank William Towey Jr. (November 5, 1895 – September 4, 1979) was an American lawyer and politician. Towey, a Democrat, served as the United States Representative from New Jersey's 12th congressional district from 1937 to 1939.
Towey was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. After attending Manresa Hall Grammar School and St. Peter's Preparatory School, Towey went on to Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, graduating in 1916. Towey then attended the Fordham University School of Law, graduating in 1919. He was commissioned as an infantry second lieutenant in the United States Army in September 1918, and he served until he was honorably discharged in January 1919. He was admitted to the bar in 1920 and started his law practice in Newark, New Jersey.
In 1936, the Democrat Towey decided to run for the House of Representatives seat for New Jersey's 12th congressional district. He was set to face eleven-term incumbent Republican Frederick R. Lehlbach. In a very close election, Towey beat the incumbent Lehlbach, capturing 54,688 votes in comparison to his 54,363, giving Towey a 49.9%-49.6% victory. Towey would only serve one term in the House of Representatives. In the 1938 House elections, Towey faced Republican challenger Robert W. Kean, a member of the New Jersey Kean political family. Towey lost to Kean by a nearly 14% margin.