Marlow Cook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marlow Cook
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| United States Senator from Kentucky |
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| In office December 17, 1968 – December 27, 1974 |
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| Preceded by | Thruston Ballard Morton |
| Succeeded by | Wendell Ford |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Marlow Webster Cook
July 27, 1926 Akron, New York, U.S. |
| Died | February 4, 2016 (aged 89) Sarasota, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Nancy Remmers |
| Education | University of Louisville (BA, LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Marlow Webster Cook (July 27, 1926 – February 4, 2016) was an American politician. He served the state of Kentucky in the United States Senate. He was a senator from December 1968 to December 1974. Cook was known as a moderate member of the Republican Party.
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Early Life and Military Service
Marlow Cook was born in Akron, in Erie County, New York. When he was 17, he moved to Louisville, Kentucky. At that same age, he joined the U.S. Navy.
He served on submarines during World War II. He was part of operations in both Europe and the Pacific Ocean. After the war, he went to the University of Louisville. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1948 and a law degree in 1950. He then worked as a lawyer in Louisville until 1957.
Political Career in Kentucky
Kentucky House of Representatives
Marlow Cook began his political career in 1957. He was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives. He was re-elected in 1959. During his time there, he worked on committees. These committees looked at education and planning for the state.
Jefferson County Judge
In 1961, Cook was elected as Jefferson County Judge. This job was like being a mayor or a county executive. It meant he was in charge of Jefferson County, which included many suburbs of Louisville. He was a Republican, and his win helped end 28 years of Democratic control in the county.
One famous thing Cook did as county judge was buying a old steamboat. In 1962, the county bought the steamboat Avalon for $34,000. It was in bad shape, but after being fixed up, it was renamed the Belle of Louisville. This boat became a well-known symbol of the city. Cook wanted to bring attention to the city's historic waterfront.
He was re-elected as county judge in 1965. He won by a large number of votes.
In 1967, Cook ran for governor of Kentucky. He was the Republican candidate. However, he was narrowly defeated by Louie B. Nunn. Nunn later became the first Republican governor in Kentucky since 1943.
Serving in the U.S. Senate
In 1968, Marlow Cook ran for the United States Senate. He wanted to fill the seat left by Senator Thruston Ballard Morton, who was retiring. Cook won the election. He became the first Roman Catholic person to hold a statewide office in Kentucky.
As a senator, Cook was one of the first Republicans to ask President Richard Nixon to resign. This happened during the Watergate Scandal, a major political event.
In 1974, Cook ran for re-election but lost to Governor Wendell Ford. After the election, Cook resigned his Senate seat early. This allowed Ford to become senator sooner. It also gave Ford more seniority, which means more influence in the Senate.
Life After the Senate
After leaving the Senate, Cook worked as a lawyer in Washington D.C.. He retired in 1989 and moved to Sarasota, Florida.
In 2004, Cook publicly supported John Kerry for president. Kerry was a Democrat, even though Cook was a Republican. Cook believed it was important to support the right person for the country.
Some of Cook's former assistants later became important politicians. Mitch McConnell, who is now a major leader in the Senate, worked for Cook from 1968 to 1970. John Yarmuth, another aide, later became a Democratic member of Congress.
Marlow Cook passed away in Sarasota, Florida, on February 4, 2016. He was 89 years old.
