Joseph Gurney Cannon

Who was Joseph Gurney Cannon?

Joseph Gurney Cannon was a United States politician from Illinois and leader of the Republican Party. Cannon served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1903 to 1911, and many consider him to be the most dominant Speaker in United States history, with such control over the House that he could often control debate. Cannon is the second-longest continuously serving Republican Speaker in history, having been surpassed by fellow Illinoisan Dennis Hastert, who passed him on June 1, 2006. Cannon is also the longest serving Republican Representative ever, as well as first member of congress, of either party, ever to surpass 40 years of service. His congressional career spanned 46 years of cumulative service—a record that went unchallenged until 1959. Although technically the second-longest serving Republican member of Congress ever, he was the longest-serving Republican to never change his party affiliation, as Thurmond switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in 1964. He was the subject of the first Time cover ever published, appearing in March 3, 1923.