Julius C. Michaelson

Who was Julius C. Michaelson?

Julius Cooley Michaelson served as Rhode Island Attorney General from 1975 to 1979 and was the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in 1982 against liberal Republican John Chafee.

Michaelson was born to Carl and Celia Michaelson. He entered the U.S. Army in 1943 as a Private and was released in 1946 as a First Lieutenant. He graduated from Boston University in 1947, having earned his law degree. He received a Masters Degree from Brown University in 1967. His public service career began in 1957 as public counsel in public utility rate cases and as a delegate to the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention. In 1962, Michaelson was elected to the State Senate, and served there until 1974. He was Deputy Majority Leader during the 1969 session.

In 1974, he won election as State Attorney General, and left office after two terms. He challenged incumbent Republican U.S. Senator John Chafee in 1982, garnering 49% to Chafee's 51%.

He died on November 12, 2011. At the order of Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee, son of Michaelson's former political opponent John Chafee, state flags were flown at half-staff in his memory.