97 Facts About Douglas Applegate

Douglas Earl Applegate was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from Ohio's 18th congressional district from 1977 to 1995, as a member of the Democratic Party.

Douglas Applegate was elected to the state house in the 1960 election alongside Michael Blischak in a multi-member district and later became the sole representative from the district after defeating Blischak in 1962.

Douglas Applegate served in the state house until his election to the state senate in the 1968 election.

Douglas Applegate had planned on running to succeed Wayne Hays in the US House of Representatives in the 1978 election, but was selected to replace Hays as the Democratic nominee in the 1976 election after Hays resignation.

Douglas Applegate served until his retirement in the 1994 election during which he served on the Transportation, Public Works, and Veterans' Affairs committees.

Douglas Applegate ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 1988 primary as a favorite son.

Douglas Applegate only sought the six delegates from his districts, of which he won one, and voted for Michael Dukakis at the Democratic National Convention.

Douglas Applegate attempted to have Senator John Glenn, whom he had supported in the 1984 primary, be given the vice-presidential nomination, but was unsuccessful.

Douglas Earl Applegate was born in Steubenville, Ohio, on March 27,1928, to Earl Applegate, who served as mayor of Steubenville and in the Ohio House of Representatives.

Douglas Applegate graduated from Steubenville High School in 1947, and became a licensed real estate broker in 1956.

On January 19,1962, Douglas Applegate announced that he would run for reelection and as the multi-member district was eliminated he ran in the Democratic primary against Blischak.

Douglas Applegate defeated Blischak in the primary and won reelection against Republican nominee Edward V Miller in the general election.

Douglas Applegate announced on January 29,1968, that he would seek the Democratic nomination for a seat in the Ohio Senate from the 30th district.

Douglas Applegate defeated former Senator Danny D Johnson, former Representative Joseph Loha, and former Representative Stuart Henderson in the Democratic primary.

Douglas Applegate defeated incumbent Republican Senator John Longsworth in the general election, being the only person in Ohio to defeat an incumbent state senator in the 1968 election, after spending $2,585.53 during the campaign.

Berry won renomination in the Republican primary against William A Wallace while Applegate faced no opposition.

In 1963, Douglas Applegate was selected to serve on the twelve-member House Democratic Policy committee.

The Energy and Environment committee was created in 1974, and Douglas Applegate was selected to chair the committee.

Douglas Applegate served as the campaign manager of Michael E Entinger's primary campaign for the Democratic nomination for Ohio State Treasurer in 1966.

Douglas Applegate supported Representative Wayne Hays during the 1970 gubernatorial election and wanted to be the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor.

In 1965, Applegate was named as one of America's outstanding young men by the USJunior Chamber of Commerce and was nominated for the Ohio League of Young Democrat Clubs for their John F Kennedy award.

Douglas Applegate announced in 1975, that he would run for a seat in the United States House of Representatives from the 18th congressional district in the 1978 election after Representative Hays announced that he would run for governor in the 1978 election.

Douglas Applegate initially sought reelection to the state senate in the 1976 election, but Kinsey Milleson was later selected to replace him following Douglas Applegate's replacement of Hays.

Representative John Wargo accused Douglas Applegate of having been selected by Hays to succeed himself, but Douglas Applegate stated that Wargo was overreacting and that he had no political debts to Hays.

Douglas Applegate selected former Representative Robert T Secrest to serve as his honorary campaign chair.

Douglas Applegate announced that he would seek reelection on January 13,1978, and won against Republican nominee Bill Ress.

Douglas Applegate defeated Republican nominee Gary L Hammersley in the 1980 election.

Douglas Applegate won reelection in the 1982 election against Joseph Holmes' write-in candidacy.

Douglas Applegate defeated Michael Palmer, a follower of Lyndon LaRouche, in the 1986 Democratic primary and faced no opposition in the general election.

Douglas Applegate defeated Republican nominee William C Abraham in the 1988 election.

Douglas Applegate filed for reelection on February 14,1990, and defeated Republican nominee John Hales in the 1990 election.

Douglas Applegate announced that he would not seek reelection on January 3,1994.

Douglas Applegate's decision made him the twenty-fourth incumbent in the House of Representatives to announce that they would not seek reelection in the 1994 elections.

Douglas Applegate formed a political action committee to use the remaining $150,186 in his campaign funds.

Douglas Applegate served as the honorary chair of Jim Hart's, who was his chief of staff, campaign to succeed him in the house.

Douglas Applegate's district was targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee and Republican nominee Bob Ney defeated Democratic nominee Greg DiDonato in the election.

Douglas Applegate sought a position on the Veterans' Affairs committee at the urging of Robert T Secrest, who served as his campaign manager and on the committee during his tenure in the house.

Douglas Applegate served as the chair of the Transportation Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Douglas Applegate served as the chair of the Ohio Democratic congressional delegation during the 96th United States Congress until he asked for Louis Stokes to take over for him.

Douglas Applegate chose to stay neutral during the 1980 Democratic presidential primary between President Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy and hoped to attend the Democratic National Convention as an uncommitted delegate.

Douglas Applegate proposed a plank to the Democratic platform calling for the increased use of coal to reduce the United States' dependence on oil from other countries.

Douglas Applegate supported Senator John Glenn during the 1984 Democratic presidential primary.

Douglas Applegate proposed a favorite son coalition with Representative James Traficant to bring a focus on regional issues during the 1988 Democratic presidential primary stating that "our districts are contiguous and our problems are parallel".

Douglas Applegate ruled that despite laws preventing a candidate's name from appearing on the ballot twice the presidential ballot line did not count as the voters were voting for delegates and not the candidate themselves.

Douglas Applegate announced on November 23,1987, that he would run for president although he stated that "I don't have any great illusions of being sworn in as president of the United States" and would instead focus on winning the six delegates from his district.

Douglas Applegate received 25,068 votes in the Ohio primary where he won one county and delegate.

Douglas Applegate placed second in the 18th congressional district behind Michael Dukakis.

Douglas Applegate stated that he had succeeded in his goal in putting the issues facing the 18th congressional district before multiple presidential delegates and that he and his one delegate would lobby Dukakis at the national convention.

Douglas Applegate was later unsatisfied with Dukakis' stance and plan for acid rain and stated that he might vote for himself, as he was an unpledged delegate, with Jane Eberts, the delegate he won in Ohio, as a protest vote.

Douglas Applegate gave his support to Dukakis after an aide told him that Dukakis would work with him on acid rain legislation.

Douglas Applegate received zero delegate votes for the presidential nomination.

Douglas Applegate was in favor of Glenn being given the vice-presidential nomination and created 10,000 bumper stickers for a Dukakis-Glenn ticket.

Douglas Applegate moved to Spring Hill, Florida later in his life and his wife died on June 5,2020, before his death on August 7,2021.

Douglas Applegate wrote a letter to Governor Michael DiSalle in 1961, asking him to halt all executions, but DiSalle stated that the "law of Ohio is such that I do not feel I could legally create a freeze on executions".

Douglas Applegate proposed legislation while serving in the Ohio House of Representatives that would make it illegal to huff glue or nail polish to become high and instituted a $25 fine for first-time offenders and a $50 fine for further violations.

Douglas Applegate proposed legislation to the state senate in 1971, that would have the state subsidize the salaries of full-time police, deputy sheriffs, and firemen at the county, municipal, or town level.

Douglas Applegate stated that "I'm against any gun control", but voted in favor of a seven-day waiting period for handgun purchases in 1988.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and Federal Assault Weapons Ban and stated that "I hated to have to sway the vote" on the assault weapons ban due to the House of Representatives voting 216 to 214 on the legislation.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act.

Douglas Applegate proposed a resolution to the Ohio Senate which called for President Richard Nixon to commute William Calley's sentence.

Douglas Applegate was one of fifteen Democrats who voted in favor of Governor Jim Rhodes' $1.3 billion budget in 1963.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of a balanced budget amendment in 1982.

In 1979, Douglas Applegate voted in favor of a ten percent budget cut for the United States Department of State which would have reduced its budget by over $200 million.

Douglas Applegate opposed abolishing the United States Department of Veterans Affairs after an advisory panel appointed by President Ronald Reagan made a report suggesting that the department's responsibilities could be divided into other departments.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of legislation to give a $1.5 billion bailout to Chrysler.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of raising the minimum wage from $3.35 to $4.55 in 1989.

In 1971, Douglas Applegate introduced legislation on Earth Day that would amend Ohio's Constitution to give the right to clean air, pure water, and a healthful environment to present and future generations.

Douglas Applegate requested an investigation by the Ohio Pollution Control Board into pollution in Yellow Creek after two people gave him samples of the creek showing that the water was highly acidic.

Douglas Applegate proposed legislation that would increase the power of the Ohio Air Pollution Control Board, give local governments the ability to adopt air pollution standards if they were less strict than the standards of the board, and increase the penalty for violations of the legislation.

Douglas Applegate co-sponsored legislation to reorganize Ohio's state cabinet to establish a state Department of Environmental Protection which would combine the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Health, Water Pollution Control Board, and the Air Pollution Control Board.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of an amendment to a defense appropriations bill which prohibited the usage of the money on abortions except for when the life of the mother is at risk.

Noel Vaughn, the chair of the Freedom of Choice Coalition, stated that Douglas Applegate was one of Ohio's congressmen who had introduced and supported anti-abortion legislation.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of an amendment to legislation in 1981, to prohibit the usage of federal employee medical insurance to pay for abortions unless the life of the mother was at risk.

Douglas Applegate voted against extending the deadline for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in 1978.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of legislation to remove the government of Zaire as the distributor of rice from the United States in the country and instead have the rice distributed by private relief organizations.

Douglas Applegate supported the creation of a Liaison Office with Taiwan and opposed permanent normal trade relations with China.

Douglas Applegate supported legislation to create a radio station to broadcast programs that opposed Fidel Castro.

Douglas Applegate voted against prohibiting the United States from manufacturing nerve gas for chemical warfare.

Douglas Applegate supported a nuclear freeze and a reduction of nuclear weapons.

Douglas Applegate voted against sending $14 million in military aid to the Contras during the Nicaraguan Revolution and stated that the money should instead be spent on humanitarian aid and later voted against giving $100 million and $48 million in military aid.

Douglas Applegate co-sponsored legislation by James Traficant which would have the United States end its protection of Kuwait's oil tankers unless Kuwait allowed the United States' minesweeping helicopters to operate from their country.

Douglas Applegate cosponsored legislation by John Kasich to end the production of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit due to its cost and lack of use following the end of the Soviet Union.

Douglas Applegate called for another investigation into the turret explosion of the USS Iowa.

Douglas Applegate voted against withdrawing American soldiers from Somalia in 1993.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of withholding $90 million in aid to Syria after Syrian soldiers killed Lebanese Christians and later supported giving $50 million in aid to victims of the Lebanese Civil War.

Douglas Applegate voted against a resolution allowing the United States Marine Corps to stay in Lebanon for an additional eighteen months and he later supported withdrawing the United States' soldiers from Lebanon after the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings.

Douglas Applegate voted against a resolution urging for the national rugby team of South Africa to not be allowed to play in the United States due to the country's apartheid policies.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of the Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act and voted to override Reagan's veto of the legislation.

Douglas Applegate voted in favor of prohibiting aid or trade to Cuba and Vietnam.

In 1967, Douglas Applegate proposed legislation in the Ohio House of Representatives which would increase the penalties for the desecration of the American and Ohio flags by increasing the maximum fine from $100 to $1,000 and increasing the prison sentence from thirty days to one year.

Douglas Applegate stated that the point of the legislation was to crack down on anti-Vietnam War protesters who desecrated the flag.

Douglas Applegate proposed legislation in 1979, which would deport any alien "who in any way desecrates or defiles the American flag".

Douglas Applegate proposed legislation to expand the definition of what abuse towards the United States flag is in response to an art piece by Dread Scott entitled What Is the Proper Way to Display a US Flag in which the flag was on the floor.

Douglas Applegate supported the passage of a Flag Desecration Amendment.

Douglas Applegate stated that the Supreme Court had humiliated the American flag with its decision.

Douglas Applegate was one of the sixty-six member of the house targeted by the National Committee for an Effective Congress for the 1982 election.

Douglas Applegate proposed legislation in 1970 and 1971, which would lower the voting age to eighteen while the minimum age for holding office would be twenty-one.