Smith W. Brookhart

Who was Smith W. Brookhart?

Smith Wildman Brookhart, was twice elected as a Republican to represent Iowa in the United States Senate. He was considered an "insurgent" within the Republican Party; his criticisms of the Harding and Coolidge Administrations and of business interests alienated others within the Republican caucus, leading to his ouster from the Senate over an election challenge. Brookhart's absence from the Senate was brief, as he took the first opportunity to return by challenging and defeating the state's senior Republican senator. He was also a strong supporter of Prohibition and its enforcement, so as public support for prohibition waned, so too did his political career.