Robert A. Taft

Robert A. Taft was known as "Mr. Republican" for his dominance during the years 1939-1953, when he served as a U.S. senator from Ohio. Taft is most famous for his steady opposition to Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal policies, and for sponsoring the Taft-Hartley Labor Relations Act of 1947. Taft was the son of Helen Herron Taft and William Howard Taft, U.S. president from 1909-1913. Robert Taft stood for the GOP presidential nomination three different times, but never received the nomination; in 1952 he was considered a frontrunner but was defeated by war hero Dwight Eisenhower. Taft became Senate majority leader just before his death in 1953.

Extra credit: Taft's son Robert Jr. also was a U.S. senator from Ohio, from 1971-77. His grandson Bob Taft was elected governor of Ohio in 1998.