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Douglas Earl Applegate (March 27, 1928 – August 7, 2021) was an American politician who served in the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...
from
Ohio's 18th congressional district The 18th congressional district of Ohio is an obsolete congressional district last represented by Republican Bob Gibbs. The district voted for the majority party in the House of Representatives in every election since 1954. After the 2010 c ...
from 1977 to 1995, as a member of the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
. Prior to his tenure in the United States House of Representatives he served in the
Ohio House of Representatives The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate. The House of Representatives first met in C ...
from 1961 to 1968, and in the
Ohio Senate The Ohio Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly. The State Senate, which meets in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, first convened in 1803. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the se ...
from 1969 to 1974. Applegate was born in
Steubenville, Ohio Steubenville is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Ohio River 33 miles west of Pittsburgh, it had a population of 18,161 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The city's name is deri ...
, the son of mayor and state representative Earl Applegate, and was educated at Steubenville High School. He was elected to the state house in the 1960 election alongside Michael Blischak in a multi-member district and later became the sole representative from the district after defeating Blischak in 1962. He served in the state house until his election to the state senate in the 1968 election. During his tenure in the state senate he defeated incumbent Republican senators John Longsworth and Kenneth F. Berry. Applegate had planned on running to succeed
Wayne Hays Wayne Levere Hays (May 13, 1911 – February 10, 1989) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative of Ohio, in the Democratic Party, from 1949 to 1976. He resigned from Congress after a much-publicized sex scandal. Early year ...
in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1978 election, but was selected to replace Hays as the Democratic nominee in the 1976 election after Hays resignation. He served until his retirement in the 1994 election during which he served on the
Transportation Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipel ...
,
Public Works Public works are a broad category of infrastructure projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community. They include public buildings ( municipal buildings, ...
, and
Veterans' Affairs Veterans' affairs is an area of public policy concerned with relations between a government and its communities of military veterans. Some jurisdictions have a designated government agency or department, a Department of Veterans' Affairs, Minist ...
committees. His ideological belief and ratings were mixed and ranged from liberal to conservative with the
Americans for Democratic Action Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) is a liberal American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA views itself as supporting social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research, and supporting pr ...
giving him scores between 5% and 80% while the
American Conservative Union The American Conservative Union (ACU) is an American political organization that advocates for conservative policies, ranks politicians based on their level of conservatism, and organizes the Conservative Political Action Conference. Founded o ...
gave him scores ranging from 12.50% to 64.86%. Applegate ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 1988 primary as a
favorite son Favorite son (or favorite daughter) is a political term. * At the quadrennial American national political party conventions, a state delegation sometimes nominates a candidate from the state, or less often from the state's region, who is not a ...
. He only sought the six delegates from his districts, of which he won one, and voted for
Michael Dukakis Michael Stanley Dukakis (; born November 3, 1933) is an American retired lawyer and politician who served as governor of Massachusetts from 1975 to 1979 and again from 1983 to 1991. He is the longest-serving governor in Massachusetts history a ...
at the
Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...
. He attempted to have Senator John Glenn, whom he had supported in the 1984 primary, be given the vice-presidential nomination, but was unsuccessful. Applegate died in 2021.


Early life and education

Douglas Earl Applegate was born in
Steubenville, Ohio Steubenville is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Ohio River 33 miles west of Pittsburgh, it had a population of 18,161 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The city's name is deri ...
, on March 27, 1928, to Earl Applegate, who served as mayor of Steubenville and in the
Ohio House of Representatives The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate. The House of Representatives first met in C ...
. He graduated from Steubenville High School in 1947, and became a licensed real estate broker in 1956. Applegate had two children with his wife Betty. He was a
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their na ...
.


Career


Ohio legislature


Elections

Applegate and Michael Blischak were given the Democratic nomination to run for seats in the Ohio House of Representatives in the 1960 election and defeated Republican nominees Ed Griffith and William G. Powell. On January 19, 1962, Applegate announced that he would run for reelection and as the multi-member district was eliminated he ran in the Democratic primary against Blischak. He defeated Blischak in the primary and won reelection against Republican nominee Edward V. Miller in the general election. He won reelection in 1964 and 1966. Applegate announced on January 29, 1968, that he would seek the Democratic nomination for a seat in the Ohio Senate from the 30th district. He defeated former Senator Danny D. Johnson, former Representative Joseph Loha, and former Representative Stuart Henderson in the Democratic primary. He defeated incumbent Republican Senator John Longsworth in the general election, being the only person in Ohio to defeat an incumbent state senator in the 1968 election, after spending $2,585.53 during the campaign. Following the 1972 reapportionment of districts Applegate's 30th district was redrawn to include Republican Senator Kenneth F. Berry, who was originally from the 19th district. Berry won renomination in the Republican primary against William A. Wallace while Applegate faced no opposition. Applegate defeated Berry in the general election.


Tenure

In 1963, Applegate was selected to serve on the twelve-member House Democratic Policy committee. During his tenure in the state house he served on the Elections and Federal Relations, Health, and Reference committees. During his tenure in the state senate he served on the Commerce, Finance, Finance and Elections, Labor, and Ways and Means committees. The Energy and Environment committee was created in 1974, and Applegate was selected to chair the committee. Minority Leader
Anthony O. Calabrese Anthony Orlando Calabrese, Sr. (July 20, 1907 – July 8, 1991) was an American politician of the Democratic party who served as a member of the Ohio Senate. He was the first Italian American to serve as Minority Leader of the Ohio Senate. Cala ...
appointed Applegate to a five-member Democratic advisory committee to determine which Democratic senators would be placed onto committees for the 110th General Assembly. During his tenure he served on the Ohio Controlling Board, Ohio Constitutional Revision Commission, Legislative Service Commission, and the Agriculture and Conservation committees. In 1970, he was selected by Calabrese to serve as Assistant Minority Leader. Applegate served as an at-large delegate from the
Ohio's 18th congressional district The 18th congressional district of Ohio is an obsolete congressional district last represented by Republican Bob Gibbs. The district voted for the majority party in the House of Representatives in every election since 1954. After the 2010 c ...
to the
1964 Democratic National Convention The 1964 Democratic National Convention of the Democratic Party, took place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey from August 24 to 27, 1964. President Lyndon B. Johnson was nominated for a full term. Senator Hubert H. Humphrey of Min ...
and served as a member of the sixteen-member delegation, nine from the
Ohio Senate The Ohio Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly. The State Senate, which meets in the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, first convened in 1803. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the se ...
and seven from the Ohio House of Representatives, to the
second inauguration of Lyndon B. Johnson The second United States presidential inauguration, inauguration of Lyndon B. Johnson as president of the United States was held on Wednesday, January 20, 1965, at the East Portico of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. This was the 45th ...
. He served as the campaign manager of Michael E. Entinger's primary campaign for the Democratic nomination for
Ohio State Treasurer The treasurer of the U.S. state of Ohio is responsible for collecting and safeguarding taxes and fees, as well as managing state investments. The Treasury was located in the Ohio Statehouse from 1861 to 1974, when it was moved to the Rhodes State ...
in 1966. Applegate supported Representative
Wayne Hays Wayne Levere Hays (May 13, 1911 – February 10, 1989) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative of Ohio, in the Democratic Party, from 1949 to 1976. He resigned from Congress after a much-publicized sex scandal. Early year ...
during the 1970 gubernatorial election and wanted to be the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor. Applegate was one of the candidates included in a straw poll conducted by the Democratic Party in Clark County which was won by Robert E. Cecile. Anthony O. Calabrese Jr. won the lieutenant gubernatorial nomination, but lost in the general election to Republican nominee John William Brown. In 1965, Applegate was named as one of America's outstanding young men by the U.S Junior Chamber of Commerce and was also nominated for the Ohio League of Young Democrat Clubs for their John F. Kennedy award.


U.S. House of Representatives


Elections

Applegate announced in 1975, that he would run for a seat in the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together the ...
from the 18th congressional district in the 1978 election after Representative Hays announced that he would run for governor in the 1978 election. Hays withdrew from the 1976 election following a sex scandal and later resigned from the house. Fourteen of the eighteen Democratic leaders in the 18th congressional district voted in favor of Applegate, who was running against Alan Sherry and Joseph Loha, to replace Hays on the first ballot and then voted unanimously on the second ballot to give the nomination to Applegate on August 16. Applegate initially sought reelection to the state senate in the 1976 election, but Kinsey Milleson was later selected to replace him following Applegate's replacement of Hays. Representative John Wargo accused Applegate of having been selected by Hays to succeed himself, but Applegate stated that Wargo was overreacting and that he had no political debts to Hays. He selected former Representative
Robert T. Secrest Robert Thompson Secrest (January 22, 1904 near Senecaville, Ohio – May 15, 1994, in Cambridge, Ohio)(18 May 1994)Robert T. Secret Dies ''The Washington Post'' was an American Democratic representative to the United States Congress from the st ...
to serve as his honorary campaign chair. Applegate defeated Republican nominee Ralph R. McCoy and
independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...
candidate William Crabbe, who was the mayor of Steubenville, in the 1976 election. Applegate announced that he would seek reelection on January 13, 1978, and won against Republican nominee
Bill Ress Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Pla ...
. Hays, who had been elected to the state house, considered running against Applegate in the 1980 Democratic primary, but chose not to citing his health and pleas from Applegate's supporters. He defeated Republican nominee Gary L. Hammersley in the 1980 election. Applegate won reelection in the 1982 election against Joseph Holmes' write-in candidacy. He defeated Republican nominee Kenneth Burt Jr. in the 1984 election. Applegate defeated Michael Palmer, a follower of
Lyndon LaRouche Lyndon Hermyle LaRouche Jr. (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2019) was an American political activist who founded the LaRouche movement and its main organization the National Caucus of Labor Committees (NCLC). He was a prominent conspira ...
, in the 1986 Democratic primary and faced no opposition in the general election. He defeated Republican nominee William C. Abraham in the 1988 election. He filed for reelection on February 14, 1990, and defeated Republican nominee John Hales in the 1990 election. He defeated Ress in the 1992 election. Applegate announced that he would not seek reelection on January 3, 1994. His decision made him the twenty-fourth incumbent in the House of Representatives to announce that they would not seek reelection in the
1994 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1994. Africa * 1994 Botswana general election * 1994 Guinea-Bissau general election * 1994 Malawian general election * 1994 Mozambican general election * 1994 Namibian general election * 1994 South Afr ...
. He formed a political action committee to use the remaining $150,186 in his campaign funds. He served as the honorary chair of Jim Hart's, who was his chief of staff, campaign to succeed him in the house. His district was targeted by the
National Republican Congressional Committee The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives. The NRCC was formed in 1866, when the Republican caucuses of the House an ...
and Republican nominee
Bob Ney Robert William Ney (born July 5, 1954) is an American politician from Ohio. A Republican, Ney represented Ohio's 18th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 until November 3, 2006, when he resigned. Ney's resignat ...
defeated Democratic nominee Greg DiDonato in the
election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...
.


Tenure

During Applegate's tenure in the house he served on the
Transportation Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipel ...
,
Public Works Public works are a broad category of infrastructure projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community. They include public buildings ( municipal buildings, ...
and
Veterans' Affairs Veterans' affairs is an area of public policy concerned with relations between a government and its communities of military veterans. Some jurisdictions have a designated government agency or department, a Department of Veterans' Affairs, Minist ...
committees. He sought a position on the Veterans' Affairs committee at the urging of
Robert T. Secrest Robert Thompson Secrest (January 22, 1904 near Senecaville, Ohio – May 15, 1994, in Cambridge, Ohio)(18 May 1994)Robert T. Secret Dies ''The Washington Post'' was an American Democratic representative to the United States Congress from the st ...
, who served as his campaign manager and on the committee during his tenure in the house. When he was appointed to the Veterans' Affairs committee in 1977, he replaced James V. Stanton, who had left to unsuccessfully run for the Democratic senatorial nomination. He served as the chair of the Transportation Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. Applegate and Representatives Charles Vanik, Don Pease,
Mary Rose Oakar Mary Rose Oakar (born March 5, 1940) is an American Democratic politician and former member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio, serving from 1977 to 1993. She was the first Democratic woman elected to the United States Congre ...
, and
Tom Luken Thomas Andrew Luken (July 9, 1925 – January 10, 2018) was an American politician of the Democratic Party from Ohio, serving in the United States House of Representatives during the 1970s and 1980s. Early life and education Luken received hi ...
lobbied for Thomas L. Ashley to be given the position of chair of the
Budget A budget is a calculation play, usually but not always financial, for a defined period, often one year or a month. A budget may include anticipated sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities including time, costs and expenses, environme ...
committee for the
95th United States Congress The 95th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1977, ...
. In 1978, the Lorain Journal and
Mansfield News Journal The ''Mansfield News Journal'' is a daily newspaper based in Mansfield, Ohio, that serves Richland, Ashland and Crawford counties, as well as parts of Morrow, Knox Knox may refer to: Places United States * Fort Knox, a United States Army p ...
ranked Applegate as one of the five least effective members of Ohio's house delegation alongside
Charles J. Carney Charles Joseph Carney (April 17, 1913 – October 7, 1987) was a United States House of Representatives, U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1970 to 1979. Early life and career Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Carney attended schools in Youngstown an ...
, Samuel L. Devine, Tennyson Guyer, and
Del Latta Delbert Leroy Latta (March 5, 1920 – May 12, 2016) was an American lawyer and politician who served 15 terms as a United States Representative from Ohio's 5th district from 1959 to 1989. A Republican, he is one of the state's longest-serv ...
. He served as the chair of the Ohio Democratic congressional delegation during the
96th United States Congress The 96th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 197 ...
until he asked for
Louis Stokes Louis Stokes (February 23, 1925 – August 18, 2015) was an American attorney, civil rights pioneer and politician. He served 15 terms in the United States House of Representatives – representing the east side of Cleveland – and was the firs ...
to take over for him. Applegate chose to stay neutral during the 1980 Democratic presidential primary between President
Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 19 ...
and
Ted Kennedy Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Massachusetts for almost 47 years, from 1962 until his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic ...
and hoped to attend the
Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 ...
as an uncommitted delegate. He proposed a plank to the Democratic platform calling for the increased use of coal to reduce the United States' dependence on oil from other countries. He supported Senator John Glenn during the 1984 Democratic presidential primary.


Presidential campaign

Applegate proposed a
favorite son Favorite son (or favorite daughter) is a political term. * At the quadrennial American national political party conventions, a state delegation sometimes nominates a candidate from the state, or less often from the state's region, who is not a ...
coalition with Representative
James Traficant James Anthony Traficant Jr. (May 8, 1941 – September 27, 2014) was an American politician who served as a Democratic, and later independent, member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio. He represented the 17th Congressional ...
to bring a focus on regional issues during the 1988 Democratic presidential primary stating that "our districts are contiguous and our problems are parallel". Both men would run to gain the delegates from their congressional districts. Ohio Secretary of State
Sherrod Brown Sherrod Campbell Brown (; born November 9, 1952) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Ohio, a seat which he has held since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the U.S. representative for Ohio's ...
stated that candidates would be allowed to appear on the presidential and other ballot lines. He ruled that despite laws preventing a candidate's name from appearing on the ballot twice the presidential ballot line did not count as the voters were voting for delegates and not the candidate themselves. Applegate announced on November 23, 1987, that he would run for president although he stated that "I don't have any great illusions of being sworn in as president of the United States" and would instead focus on winning the six delegates from his district. Norma Agostini, the chair of the Harrison County Democratic Party, supported Applegate's campaign. During his campaign Applegate raised $18,297 and spent $18,290. Applegate received 25,068 votes in the Ohio primary where he won one county and delegate. He placed second in the 18th congressional district behind
Michael Dukakis Michael Stanley Dukakis (; born November 3, 1933) is an American retired lawyer and politician who served as governor of Massachusetts from 1975 to 1979 and again from 1983 to 1991. He is the longest-serving governor in Massachusetts history a ...
. He stated that he had succeeded in his goal in putting the issues facing the 18th congressional district before multiple presidential delegates and that he and his one delegate would lobby Dukakis at the
national convention The National Convention (french: link=no, Convention nationale) was the parliament of the Kingdom of France for one day and the French First Republic for the rest of its existence during the French Revolution, following the two-year National ...
. He was later unsatisfied with Dukakis' stance and plan for acid rain and stated that he might vote for himself, as he was an unpledged delegate, with Jane Eberts, the delegate he won in Ohio, as a protest vote. Penny Federspill served as an alternate delegate for Applegate. Applegate gave his support to Dukakis after an aide told him that Dukakis would work with him on acid rain legislation. He received zero delegate votes for the presidential nomination. Applegatef was in favor of Glenn being given the vice-presidential nomination and created 10,000 bumper stickers for a Dukakis-Glenn ticket. Applegate and
Marcy Kaptur Marcia Carolyn Kaptur (; born June 17, 1946) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1983. A member of the Democratic Party, Kaptur is the longest-serving woman in either chamber of Congress, and the second-longes ...
worked together in support of Glenn and wrote letters to 210 Democratic members of Congress, who attended the convention as
superdelegate In American politics, a superdelegate is an unpledged delegate to the Democratic National Convention who is seated automatically and chooses for themselves for whom they vote. These Democratic Party superdelegates (who make up slightly under 15 ...
s, stating that Glenn would help Dukakis in gaining the votes of blue-collar voters who had supported Reagan in the 1984 presidential election. He was critical of Dukakis' selection of
Lloyd Bentsen Lloyd Millard Bentsen Jr. (February 11, 1921 – May 23, 2006) was an American politician who was a four-term United States Senator (1971–1993) from Texas and the Democratic Party nominee for vice president in 1988 on the Michael Dukakis ti ...
stating that it would hurt the campaign as "Bentsen doesn't have the national image and there's very little that he can do for the midwest, at least as far as I can see. John Glenn can do more for the south than Bentsen can in the midwest, and the polls showed that."


Later life

During the
2006 election The following elections occurred in the year 2006. * Elections in 2006 * Electoral calendar 2006 * 2006 Acehnese regional election * 2006 American Samoan legislative election * 2006 Bahraini parliamentary election * 2006 Costa Rican presidential ...
Applegate endorsed Zack Space for the Democratic nomination in the 18th congressional district against Ralph Applegate, who he had to state that he did not support nor was related to. Jason Wilson, who worked as a congressional intern for Applegate in 1990, was elected to the state senate in the 2006 election. He moved to
Spring Hill, Florida Spring Hill is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hernando County, Florida, United States. The population was 113,568 at the 2020 census, up from 98,621 at the 2010 census. Spring Hill belongs to Florida's Nature Coast region and is in the Ta ...
later in his life and his wife died on June 5, 2020, before his death on August 7, 2021.


Political positions


Crime

Applegate wrote a letter to Governor
Michael DiSalle Michael Vincent DiSalle (January 6, 1908September 16, 1981) was an American attorney and politician from Ohio. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as mayor of Toledo from 1948 to 1950, and as the 60th governor of Ohio from 1959 to 1963. ...
in 1961, asking him to halt all executions, but DiSalle stated that the "law of Ohio is such that I do not feel I could legally create a freeze on executions". He and Representative Sam Landes introduced legislation in the Ohio House of Representatives that would have made Ohio's laws against obscene movies more strict. Applegate proposed legislation while serving in the Ohio House of Representatives that would make it illegal to huff glue or nail polish to become high and instituted a $25 fine for first-time offenders and a $50 fine for further violations. Applegate proposed legislation to the state senate in 1971, that would have the state subsidize the salaries of full-time police, deputy sheriffs, and firemen at the county, municipal, or town level. Applegate stated that "I'm against any gun control", but voted in favor of a seven-day waiting period for handgun purchases in 1988. He voted in favor of the
Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act ( Pub.L. 103–159, 107 Stat. 1536, enacted November 30, 1993), often referred to as the Brady Act or the Brady Bill, is an Act of the United States Congress that mandated federal background checks on f ...
and Federal Assault Weapons Ban and stated that "I hated to have to sway the vote" on the assault weapons ban due to the House of Representatives voting 216 to 214 on the legislation. He voted in favor of the
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, commonly referred to as the 1994 Crime Bill, the Clinton Crime Bill, or the Biden Crime Law, is an Act of Congress dealing with crime and law enforcement; it became law in 1994. It is ...
. Applegate proposed a resolution to the Ohio Senate which called for President
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was t ...
to commute
William Calley William Laws Calley Jr. (born June 8, 1943) is a former American army officer and war criminal convicted by court-martial for the premeditated killings of 200 to 400 unarmed South Vietnamese civilians in the Mỹ Lai massacre on March 16, 1968, ...
's sentence. Applegate, Senator Robin Turner, and Senator Robert Secrest sponsored a resolution, which was passed by a unanimous vote in the state senate, to honor
J. Edgar Hoover John Edgar Hoover (January 1, 1895 – May 2, 1972) was an American law enforcement administrator who served as the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation  ...
for his forty-seven years in law enforcement. In 1984, he voted against legislation which would have granted
amnesty Amnesty (from the Ancient Greek ἀμνηστία, ''amnestia'', "forgetfulness, passing over") is defined as "A pardon extended by the government to a group or class of people, usually for a political offense; the act of a sovereign power offic ...
to illegal immigrants.


Economics

Applegate was one of fifteen Democrats who voted in favor of Governor
Jim Rhodes James Allen Rhodes (September 13, 1909 – March 4, 2001) was an American Republican politician who served as Governor of Ohio from 1963 to 1971 and again from 1975 to 1983. , Rhodes was one of only seven U.S. governors to serve four four-year ...
' $1.3 billion budget in 1963. In 1973, the state senate voted nineteen to fourteen, with Applegate voting in favor, in favor of a $9.9 billion budget proposed by Governor John J. Gilligan. He was given a score of 21% by the
United States Chamber of Commerce The United States Chamber of Commerce (USCC) is the largest lobbying group in the United States, representing over three million businesses and organizations. The group was founded in April 1912 out of local chambers of commerce at the urging ...
in 1982. He voted in favor of a
balanced budget amendment A balanced budget amendment is a constitutional rule requiring that a state cannot spend more than its income. It requires a balance between the projected receipts and expenditures of the government. Balanced-budget provisions have been added ...
in 1982. In 1979, Applegate voted in favor of a ten percent budget cut for the
United States Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
which would have reduced its budget by over $200 million. Applegate opposed abolishing the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers ...
after an advisory panel appointed by President Ronald Reagan made a report suggesting that the department's responsibilities could be divided into other departments. The House of Representatives voted 282 to 131, with Applegate in favor, in favor of the Tax Reduction and Simplification Act of 1977 although the house and Applegate voted against a permanent tax cut proposed by the Republicans. He voted in favor of legislation to give a $1.5 billion bailout to
Chrysler Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automot ...
. He opposed an 10¢ fee on gasoline proposed by Carter. He voted in favor of raising the
minimum wage A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees—the price floor below which employees may not sell their labor. Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation by the end of the 20th century. B ...
from $3.35 to $4.55 in 1989. A fifty-page report listed Applegate as one of the Democratic members of the state senate controlled as a block by the Ohio
AFL–CIO The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 12 million ac ...
which was denied by
Frank W. King Frank W. King (April 24, 1912 – April 28, 1988) was a Democratic Leader and member of the Ohio Senate. He represented the 11th District, consisting of the majority of Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas Coun ...
, the head of the Ohio AFL-CIO. The House of Representatives voted 217 to 205, with Applegate in favor, against legislation to increase the power of construction workers to picket. The AFL-CIO gave him a score of 69% in 1982. He opposed the North American Free Trade Agreement.


Environment

In 1971, Applegate introduced legislation on Earth Day that would amend Ohio's Constitution to give the right to clean air, pure water, and a healthful environment to present and future generations. He requested an investigation by the Ohio Pollution Control Board into pollution in Yellow Creek after two people gave him samples of the creek showing that the water was highly acidic. He proposed legislation that would increase the power of the Ohio Air Pollution Control Board, give local governments the ability to adopt air pollution standards if they were less strict than the standards of the board, and increase the penalty for violations of the legislation. Applegate co-sponsored legislation to reorganize Ohio's state cabinet to establish a state Department of Environmental Protection which would combine the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Health, Water Pollution Control Board, and the Air Pollution Control Board. He opposed sulphur dioxide emissions controls imposed by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...
on the use of Ohio coal in 1977, stating that "If adopted, this plan would cause economic disaster in the Ohio Valley." He voted in favor of reducing the EPA's budget by $133 million in 1978. Applegate was given a score of 35% by the
League of Conservation Voters The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is an American environmental advocacy group. LCV says that it "advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environme ...
in his first year in office in 1977, and his last year in 1994, with a lifetime score of 46%. His lowest score from the organization was 25% in 1988, and his highest score was 75% in 1990. The
Sierra Club The Sierra Club is an environmental organization with chapters in all 50 United States, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by Scottish-American preservationist John Muir, w ...
gave him a score of 44% in 1984.


Equality

Applegate voted in favor of an amendment to a defense appropriations bill which prohibited the usage of the money on abortions except for when the life of the mother is at risk. Noel Vaughn, the chair of the Freedom of Choice Coalition, stated that Applegate was one of Ohio's congressmen who had introduced and supported anti-abortion legislation. He voted in favor of an amendment to legislation in 1981, to prohibit the usage of federal employee medical insurance to pay for abortions unless the life of the mother was at risk. He and six other anti-abortion member of the house filed an amicus curiae in
Webster v. Reproductive Health Services ''Webster v. Reproductive Health Services'', 492 U.S. 490 (1989), was a United States Supreme Court decision on upholding a Missouri law that imposed restrictions on the use of state funds, facilities, and employees in performing, assisting with, o ...
. In the 1980s he considered changing his anti-abortion views and voted against the
Hyde Amendment In Politics of the United States, U.S. politics, the Hyde Amendment is a legislative provision barring the use of federal funds to pay for abortion, except to save the life of the woman, or if the pregnancy arises from incest or rape. Before th ...
in 1989. Applegate voted against extending the deadline for the ratification of the
Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men an ...
in 1978. The
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (The Leadership Conference), formerly called the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, is an umbrella group of American civil rights interest groups. Organizational history The Leadership Co ...
gave him a rating of 80% in 1984.


Foreign policy

Applegate voted in favor of legislation to remove the government of
Zaire Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (french: République du Zaïre, link=no, ), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, ...
as the distributor of rice from the United States in the country and instead have the rice distributed by private relief organizations. He supported the creation of a Liaison Office with
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...
and opposed
permanent normal trade relations The status of permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) is a legal designation in the United States for free trade with a foreign nation. The designation was changed from '' most favored nation'' (MFN) to ''normal trade relations'' by Section 5003 of ...
with China. In 1980, he voted against an amendment to move the United States'
embassy A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually deno ...
in
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
from
Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
to
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
. He supported legislation to create a
radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radi ...
to broadcast programs that opposed
Fidel Castro Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (; ; 13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 2 ...
. The House of Representatives voted 208 to 2015, with Applegate against, in favor of repealing the military aid embargo against
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
. He voted against prohibiting the United States from manufacturing
nerve gas Nerve agents, sometimes also called nerve gases, are a class of organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs. The disruption is caused by the blocking of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme tha ...
for chemical warfare. He supported a
nuclear freeze The Nuclear Freeze campaign was a mass movement in the United States during the 1980s to secure an agreement between the U.S. and Soviet governments to halt the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons. Background The idea of simply ...
and a reduction of nuclear weapons. He voted against sending $14 million in military aid to the
Contras The Contras were the various U.S.-backed and funded right-wing rebel groups that were active from 1979 to 1990 in opposition to the Marxist Sandinista Junta of National Reconstruction Government in Nicaragua, which came to power in 1979 ...
during the
Nicaraguan Revolution The Nicaraguan Revolution ( es, Revolución Nicaragüense or Revolución Popular Sandinista, link=no) encompassed the rising opposition to the Somoza dictatorship in the 1960s and 1970s, the campaign led by the Sandinista National Liberation F ...
and stated that the money should instead be spent on humanitarian aid and later voted against giving $100 million and $48 million in military aid. Applegate co-sponsored legislation by
James Traficant James Anthony Traficant Jr. (May 8, 1941 – September 27, 2014) was an American politician who served as a Democratic, and later independent, member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio. He represented the 17th Congressional ...
which would have the United States end its protection of
Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the no ...
's oil tankers unless Kuwait allowed the United States' minesweeping helicopters to operate from their country. He cosponsored legislation by
John Kasich John Richard Kasich Jr. ( ; born May 13, 1952) is an American politician, author, and television news host who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 2001 and as the 69th governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019. A Republican, Kasic ...
to end the production of the
Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit The Northrop (later Northrop Grumman) B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is an American heavy strategic bomber, featuring low-observable stealth technology designed to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses. A subsonic flying wi ...
due to its cost and lack of use following the end of the
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
. He called for another investigation into the turret explosion of the
USS Iowa USS ''Iowa'' may refer to several vessels: U.S. military vessels Vessels named USS ''Iowa'' * , a battleship that saw action during the Spanish–American War * , a battleship already under construction when she was canceled by the Washington Nav ...
. He opposed sending American soldiers to
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries by area, fifth-largest country in Asia ...
, criticized President
George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; p ...
's
plans A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal. ...
in the Persian Gulf, and voted against the
Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 1991 The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution (short title) () or Joint Resolution to authorize the use of United States Armed Forces pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 678 (official title), was the Un ...
. Applegate voted against withdrawing American soldiers from
Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constitut ...
in 1993. Applegate voted in favor of withholding $90 million in aid to Syria after Syrian soldiers killed
Lebanese Christians Christianity in Lebanon has a long and continuous history. Biblical Scriptures purport that Peter and Paul evangelized the Phoenicians, whom they affiliated to the ancient patriarchate of Antioch. The spread of Christianity in Lebanon was ...
and later supported giving $50 million in aid to victims of the
Lebanese Civil War The Lebanese Civil War ( ar, الحرب الأهلية اللبنانية, translit=Al-Ḥarb al-Ahliyyah al-Libnāniyyah) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 120,000 fatalities a ...
. He voted against a resolution allowing the
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through ...
to stay in Lebanon for an additional eighteen months and he later supported withdrawing the United States' soldiers from Lebanon after the
1983 Beirut barracks bombings Early on a Sunday morning, October 23, 1983, two truck bombs struck buildings in Beirut, Lebanon, housing American and French service members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF), a military peacekeeping operation during the Lebane ...
. Applegate voted against a resolution urging for the national rugby team of
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...
to not be allowed to play in the United States due to the country's
apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
policies. He voted in favor of the
Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act The Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 was a law enacted by the United States Congress. The law imposed sanctions against South Africa and stated five preconditions for lifting the sanctions that would essentially end the system of aparth ...
and voted to override Reagan's veto of the legislation. Applegate voted in favor of prohibiting aid or trade to
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
and
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...
. Applegate,
Tony P. Hall Tony Patrick Hall (born January 16, 1942) is an American politician, businessman, and diplomat who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 3rd congressional district fro ...
,
Bob McEwen Robert D. McEwen (born January 12, 1950) is an American lobbyist and former Republican Party politician. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives from southern Ohio's Sixth District, from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 199 ...
,
Tom Kindness Thomas Norman Kindness (August 26, 1929January 8, 2004) was a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Ohio from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1987. Life and career Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Kindness graduated from ...
,
Ralph Regula Ralph Straus Regula (December 3, 1924 – July 19, 2017) was an American politician from Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Ohio House of Representatives, the Ohio State Senate and the United States House of Representatives. ...
, and
Mike DeWine Richard Michael DeWine (; born January 5, 1947) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 70th and current governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, DeWine began his career as a prosecutor before being elected to the Oh ...
helped present petitions by the Veterans Vigil Society requesting for the full accounting of the 2,490 Americans that were missing in action in Indochina to Speaker
Tip O'Neill Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill Jr. (December 9, 1912 – January 5, 1994) was an American politician who served as the 47th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987, representing northern Boston, Massachusetts, as ...
in 1984. Applegate was given a score of 100% by the
American Security Council Foundation The American Security Council Foundation (ASCF) is a non-profit organization founded by John M. Fisher that seeks to influence United States foreign policy by "Promoting Peace Through Strength". ASCF's current president is Dr. Henry A. Fischer ...
in 1980, and was the only Democratic member of Congress from Ohio to receive a 100%. Applegate received score of 71% by the
Nuclear Control Institute The Nuclear Control Institute is a research and advocacy center for preventing nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism. The non-profit organization was founded by Paul Leventhal in 1981. It went under a reorganization in 2003 to make it a web ...
which was above the overall 47% they gave the house.


Flag desecration

In 1967, Applegate proposed legislation in the Ohio House of Representatives which would increase the penalties for the
desecration Desecration is the act of depriving something of its sacred character, or the disrespectful, contemptuous, or destructive treatment of that which is held to be sacred or holy by a group or individual. Detail Many consider acts of desecration to ...
of the American and
Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...
flags by increasing the maximum fine from $100 to $1,000 and increasing the prison sentence from thirty days to one year. He stated that the point of the legislation was to crack down on
anti-Vietnam War Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War (before) or anti-Vietnam War movement (present) began with demonstrations in 1965 against the escalating role of the United States in the Vietnam War and grew into a broad social move ...
protesters who desecrated the flag. The legislation was passed in the state house with ninety votes in favor and no opposition. Applegate proposed legislation in 1979, which would deport any
alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrate ...
"who in any way desecrates or defiles the American flag". Applegate proposed legislation to expand the definition of what abuse towards the United States flag is in response to an art piece by
Dread Scott Scott Tyler (born 1965), known professionally as Dread Scott, is an American artist whose works, often participatory in nature, focus on the experience of African Americans in the contemporary United States. His first major work, ''What Is the P ...
entitled ''What Is the Proper Way to Display a U.S. Flag'' in which the flag was on the floor. He supported the passage of a Flag Desecration Amendment. Applegate stated that "I am mad as hell" and that "What in God's name is going on? This is an outrage. What will they allow next? Allow fornication in Times Square at high noon?" after the
Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
ruled five to four that flag desecration was protected by the
First Amendment First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
in ''
Texas v. Johnson ''Texas v. Johnson'', 491 U.S. 397 (1989), was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Court held, 5–4, that burning the American flag was protected speech under the First Amendment to the Constitution, as d ...
''. He also stated that the Supreme Court had humiliated the American flag with its decision.


Ratings

Ralph Nader Ralph Nader (; born February 27, 1934) is an American political activist, author, lecturer, and attorney noted for his involvement in consumer protection, environmentalism, and government reform causes. The son of Lebanese immigrants to the U ...
's Congress Watch gave Applegate a score of 40% on consumer protection, government reform, taxation, energy, and waste-subsidy in 1978. The
Consumer Federation of America The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1968 to advance consumer interests through research, education and advocacy. According to CFA's website, its members are nearly 300 consumer-oriented non-profits, w ...
gave him a score of 79% in 1982, and 67% in 1984.
Congressional Quarterly Congressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is part of a privately owned publishing company called CQ Roll Call that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress. CQ was acquired by the Economist Group and combined ...
reported that by 1980, he had voted in favor of legislation supported by Carter thirty percent of the time and that by 1984, he had voted with Reagan twenty-seven percent of the time. In 1991, he voted with the Democrats 68%, tied with
Charlie Luken Charles John Luken (born July 18, 1951, in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American politician of the Democratic party who was mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, and served in the Ohio's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. Lu ...
, meaning that he and Luken voted the most in favor of Bush Sr. out of the Democratic house delegation from Ohio. He voted in favor of legislation supported by President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (Birth name, né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 ...
66% of the time in 1993. Applegate was given a score of 30% by the
Americans for Democratic Action Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) is a liberal American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA views itself as supporting social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research, and supporting pr ...
in his first year in office in 1977, while the
American Conservative Union The American Conservative Union (ACU) is an American political organization that advocates for conservative policies, ranks politicians based on their level of conservatism, and organizes the Conservative Political Action Conference. Founded o ...
gave him a score of 35.14%. He received his highest score from the American Conservative Union in 1979, when they gave him 64.85% while his lowest score from the organization was 12.5% in 1992. He received his lowest score from the Americans for Democratic Action in 1991, when he was given 5%, and his highest score from the organization was 80% in 1993. He was given a rating of 40% by the American Conservative Union, with a lifetime score of 34.20%, and 50% from the Americans for Democratic Action when he left office in 1994. Conservatives Against Liberal Legislation gave Applegate a score of 55% in 1980. He was one of the sixty-six member of the house targeted by the
National Committee for an Effective Congress The National Committee for an Effective Congress (NCEC) is a political action committee founded by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1948. It is one of the America's most politically active independent liberal groups, pooling contributions from across the coun ...
for the 1982 election. Congressional Quarterly stated that he voted with the conservative coalition 72% of the time by 1982. In 1982, the Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress, led by
Paul Weyrich Paul Michael Weyrich (; October 7, 1942 – December 18, 2008) was an American religious conservative political activist and commentator associated with the New Right. He co-founded the conservative think tanks The Heritage Foundation, the Fre ...
, gave him a score of 58%


Voting and elections

Applegate and Representative Anthony Calabrese Jr. introduced legislation which would have placed a ballot proposition to decrease the voting age to nineteen onto the 1966 ballot. However, the legislation failed after the Ohio House of Representatives voted seventy-one to sixty-two in favor which was twelve votes short of a three-fifths majority. He proposed legislation in 1970 and 1971, which would lower the voting age to eighteen while the minimum age for holding office would be twenty-one. In 1969, Applegate and Senator William B. Nye co-sponsored legislation by Senator Oliver Ocasek to change the
Constitution of Ohio The Constitution of the State of Ohio is the basic governing document of the State of Ohio, which in 1803 became the 17th state to join the United States of America. Ohio has had three constitutions since statehood was granted. Ohio was created ...
to allow people aged nineteen to vote, but the legislation stated that nobody under the age of twenty-one could be elected or appointed to office. The Ohio Senate voted thirty to three in favor of the legislation. However, the referendum failed with 1,274,334 people voting against while 1,226,592 voted in favor. He stated that it was "paradoxical that 60 percent of the young men who are Vietnam battle casualties do not have the right to vote – a right they are fighting to defend". Applegate supported and introduced legislation to have all presidential primaries held at the same time on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May. He opposed the special election held to fill the
Ohio's 17th congressional district The 17th congressional district of Ohio is an obsolete congressional district last represented by Representative Representative may refer to: Politics * Representative democracy, type of democracy in which elected officials represent a group o ...
following
John M. Ashbrook John Milan Ashbrook (September 21, 1928 – April 24, 1982) was an American politician and newspaper publisher. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the United States House of Representatives from Ohio from 1961 until his death.
's death stating that it was "a waste of the taxpayers' money" due to its $175,000 cost and that its sole purpose was "to get someone in who will do nothing, but vote the way the White House wants." He also criticized the special election as the 17th congressional district wouldn't exist after 1982.


Electoral history


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Applegate, Douglas 1928 births 2021 deaths 20th-century American politicians Candidates in the 1988 United States presidential election Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives Democratic Party Ohio state senators Politicians from Steubenville, Ohio