John A. Durkin
He won one of the closest and most contentious Senate elections in American history, a victory that defined his brief but notable political career.
1936–2012 (age 76)·American politician·Birthday: March 29·The Silent Generation
Biography
John Durkin's political legacy is forever tied to a single, marathon election. In 1974, the New Hampshire Senate race ended in a virtual tie, triggering a recount, a disputed outcome, and a historic eight-month legal and political battle. Durkin, a Democrat and former state insurance commissioner, eventually prevailed after a second election was ordered. His victory was a shock in a traditionally Republican state. In the Senate, he was a passionate advocate for consumer rights, railroad safety, and government accountability. His tenure, however, was cut short after one term by a narrow loss in the 1980 Reagan wave. Durkin's story is less about legislative landmarks and more about the raw, grinding mechanics of American democracy, proving every vote truly can count.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
John was born in 1936, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When John Was Born
The biggest hits of 1936
#1 Movie
San Francisco
Best Picture
The Great Ziegfeld
John's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1936Born
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1941Started school
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1949Became a teenager
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Could drive
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1954Could vote
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Turned 21
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1966Turned 30
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 40
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 50
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 60
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 70
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2012Died at 76
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Won the 1974 U.S. Senate election in New Hampshire after an eight-month dispute and a second special election, the longest Senate election contest in U.S. history.
- Served on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, focusing on consumer protection and railroad issues.
- Successfully advocated for increased federal oversight and safety standards in the railroad industry.
- Was a key figure in the Senate's investigation into the financial collapse of the Penn Central Railroad.
Did You Know?
The initial 1974 vote count showed his Republican opponent winning by just 355 votes, leading to the protracted dispute.
He was the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from New Hampshire in over two decades.
Before his Senate career, he served as New Hampshire's Insurance Commissioner.
After leaving the Senate, he practiced law and later became a lobbyist in Washington, D.C.
“The people of New Hampshire deserve a senator, not a placeholder.”
