Robert D. Blue

This article is about the politician. For the artist, see Robert Blue.

Robert Donald Blue (September 24, 1898 – December 14, 1989) was an American politician, the 30th Governor of Iowa from 1945 to 1949.

Robert Donald Blue
30th Governor of Iowa
In office January 11, 1945 – January 13, 1949
Lieutenant	Kenneth A. Evans
Preceded by	Bourke B. Hickenlooper
Succeeded by	William S. Beardsley
Lieutenant Governor of Iowa
In office January 14, 1943 – January 11, 1945
Governor	Bourke Hickenlooper
Preceded by	Bourke Hickenlooper
Succeeded by	Kenneth Evans
47th Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives
Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
In office January 13, 1941 – January 14, 1943
Preceded by	John R. Irwin
Succeeded by	Henry W. Burma
Member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 75th district
In office January 14, 1935 – January 10, 1943
Preceded by	R.E. Lee Aldrich
Succeeded by	William Tyrrell
Personal details
Born	September 24, 1898 Eagle Grove, Iowa
Died	December 14, 1989(1989-12-14) (aged 91) Fort Dodge, Iowa
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Iowa State University Drake University
Profession	Attorney

Biography

Blue attended Capital City Commercial College and Iowa State University. He served in the United States Army during World War I. After the war, he earned a law degree from Drake University Law School in 1922. He practiced law in Eagle Grove and was County Attorney of Wright County, Iowa from 1924 to 1931 and City Attorney of Eagle Grove from 1932 to 1934.

In 1934, Blue was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives. He was reelected in 1936, 1938, 1940, and 1942, and was Speaker of the Iowa House from 1939 to 1943. He was elected the Lieutenant Governor of Iowa in 1942 and then Governor in 1944, winning reelection in 1946.

Blue's policies were unpopular among labor groups (opposed to his bill outlawing the closed shop), farmers (opposed to his tax policies), and teachers (opposed to his cuts in education funding). One of his principal opponents in the legislature, William S. Beardsley, took advantage of Blue's unpopularity and successfully challenged him in the Republican primary in 1948. Blue left public life and returned to his hometown of Eagle Grove. He died of a stroke in Fort Dodge, Iowa on December 14, 1989.

Legacy

Before his death, the middle school in Eagle Grove, Iowa changed its name to Robert Blue Middle School (RBMS). Mr. Blue was in attendance at the ceremony.

References

• National Governors Association biography
• "Popularity in Reverse", TIME, June 21, 1948
• "Robert D. Blue Dies, Former Iowa Governor", The New York Times, December 18, 1989
• The Robert Donald Blue Papers are housed at the University of Iowa Special Collections & University Archives.