Harry Haines represented York County when congressional races were, in fact, races
Red Lion cigarmaker Harry L. Haines represented York County in U.S. Congress for most of the 1930s. Background posts: 34 years ago, Congressman Goodling replaced Congressman Goodling, Who were these congressional visitors to York Town, anyway? and Sixty years ago, Dem upset GOP incumbent for York County congressional seat.
Hinkey Haines’ athletic successes sometimes overshadowed his accomplished father Harry Haines.
Harry was a cigarmaker – owner of three factories – and a successful amateur athlete around the region. He was mayor of Red Lion in the 1920s.
And he was York County’s Democratic congressman in most of the Depression era.
In fact, those were the days when congressional races were, indeed, races… .
Since 1964 when Dem Neiman Craley beat Republican George Goodling and Goodling reclaimed his congressional seat two years later, most races for U.S. representative have been landslides for the Republicans.
Haines lost to Chester Gross in 1938 and 1942.
Here’s Harry Haines bio from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
HAINES, Harry Luther, a Representative from Pennsylvania; born in Red Lion, York County, Pa., February 1, 1880; attended the public schools, the State normal school at Lock Haven, Pa., and Patrick’s Business College at York, Pa.; engaged in the manufacture and brokerage of cigars 1906-1934; burgess of Red Lion 1921-1930; delegate to the Democratic State convention in 1918; elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-second and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1931-January 3, 1939); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1938 to the Seventy-sixth Congress; served in the office of the State treasurer in 1939 and 1940; elected to the Seventy-seventh Congress (January 3, 1941-January 3, 1943); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1942 to the Seventy-eighth Congress; editor of the plant magazine of the York Safe & Lock Co. from 1943 to 1944, when he retired; died at Red Lion, Pa., March 29, 1947; interment in Red Lion Cemetery.
Photograph courtesy of Red Lion’s centennial history, 1980.
