Roger Branigin
| Roger D. Branigin | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 42nd Governor of Indiana | |
|
In office January 11, 1965 – January 13, 1969 |
|
| Lieutenant | Robert L. Rock |
| Preceded by | Matthew E. Welsh |
| Succeeded by | Edgar Whitcomb |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Roger Douglas Branigin July 26, 1902 Franklin, Indiana |
| Died | November 19, 1975 (aged 73) Lafayette, Indiana |
| Resting place | Greenlawn Cemetery, Franklin, Indiana |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Josephine Mardis |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Franklin College, Harvard University Law School |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1941–1945 |
| Battles/wars | |
Roger Douglas Branigin (July 26, 1902 – November 19, 1975) was the 42nd governor of Indiana, serving from January 11, 1965, to January 13, 1969. A World War II veteran and well-known public speaker, Branigin took office with a Democratic general assembly, the first time since the Great Depression that Democrats controlled both the executive and legislative branches of the Indiana state government. Branigin was a conservative Democrat who oversaw repeal of the state's personal property taxes on household goods, increased access to higher education, and began construction of Indiana's deep-water port at Burns Harbor on Lake Michigan. During his one term as governor, Branigin exercised his veto power one hundred times, a record number for a single term. Branigin was the last Democrat to serve as governor of Indiana until Evan Bayh took office in 1989.
In 1968 Branigin received national attention when he ran as a stand-in for Lyndon B. Johnson in Indiana's Democratic presidential primary. Johnson dropped out of the race on March 31, 1968, but Branigin continued to run as a favorite son candidate against Robert Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy. Branigin hoped his efforts would gain a stronger role for Indiana at the 1968 Democratic convention in Chicago. Branigin finished second in the primary to Kennedy.
After his term as governor ended, Branigin returned to Lafayette, where he resumed a private law practice and remained active in civic life, serving as president of the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and the Harrison Trails Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Branigin also served as a trustee for Franklin College, Purdue University, and the Indiana Historical Society.
Branigin was born on July 26, 1902, in Franklin, Indiana. Branigin's father was a lawyer, teacher, and amateur historian. Branigin attended local public schools, graduating from high school in 1919, and went to nearby Franklin College, where he majored in Spanish, French, and history. Branigin was involved in the school's drama club as well. After graduating from Franklin in 1923, he enrolled at Harvard University Law School, where he earned a law degree in 1926. Branigin returned to Indiana and took a job with the Franklin County prosecutor's office, and remained there for three years. On November 2, 1929, Branigin married fellow Franklin College graduate Josephine Mardis. The couple had two sons, Roger Jr. and Robert.
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