Harold J. Powers
{{Short description|American politician (1900–1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Harold J. Powers, 1954.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1900|10|9|mf=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age |1996|10|16|1900|10|8}}
| party = Republican
| office1 = Lieutenant Governor of California
| term_start1 = October 5, 1953
| term_end1 = January 5, 1959
| order1 = 36th
| governor1 = Goodwin Knight
| predecessor1 = Goodwin Knight
| successor1 = Glenn M. Anderson
| birth_place = Eagleville, Modoc County, California, U.S.
| death_place = Cedarville, Modoc County, California, U.S.
| alma_mater = UC Davis
| office2 = 38th President pro tempore of the California State Senate
| termstart2 = 1947
| termend2 = 1953
| predecessor2 = Jerrold L. Seawell
| successor2 = Clarence C. Ward
| office3 = Member of the California State Senate
| term_start3 = 1933
| term_end3 = 1953
}}
Harold Jay "Butch" Powers (October 8, 1900 – October 16, 1996) was the 36th lieutenant governor of California, serving from 1953 to 1959 under Governor Goodwin Knight.{{Cite web|title=The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Powers|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/powers.html|access-date=2021-01-01|website=politicalgraveyard.com}}
Career
Powers was born in Eagleville, Modoc County, California, in 1900. He was a rancher primarily in Modoc County, but owned several ranches in California, Nevada, and Idaho. First elected to the California State Senate in 1932, Powers represented Lassen, Modoc and Plumas counties. He served as President pro tempore of the Senate beginning in 1947.{{Cite book|url=https://archive.senate.ca.gov/sites/archive.senate.ca.gov/files/rep/senators_and_officers_1849_2019.pdf|title=Record of State Senators 1849–2019|publisher=California State Senate|year=2019|location=Sacramento}}
In his capacity as Senate president pro tempore, Powers was to succeed the lieutenant governor in case of a vacancy in that office. This occurred in 1953, when Governor Earl Warren resigned to become chief justice of the United States and Lieutenant Governor Goodwin Knight succeeded to the governorship. Powers was elected to a full term in 1954, and sought re-election in 1958, but in the Democratic landslide that year he lost to Glenn M. Anderson.
In 1962, Powers ran for governor but withdrew at the urging of Republican leaders who supported former Vice President Richard M. Nixon. After giving up his campaign for governor, Powers focused on rallying opposition to Nixon and to gain support for Democratic incumbent Edmund G. Brown, who defeated Nixon in the general election.{{cite news|title=Harold J. Powers; Former Lieutenant Governor|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-10-18-mn-55106-story.html|access-date=13 August 2012|newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}
Education
Powers obtained his degree from the University of California, Davis.
Death
He died of pneumonia in 1996 in Cedarville, California, at the age of 96.
References
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{{succession box | title=Lieutenant Governor of California | before=Goodwin Knight | after=Glenn M. Anderson | years=1953—1959}}
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{{CALtGovernors}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Powers, Harold J.}}
Category:Lieutenant governors of California
Category:University of California, Davis alumni
Category:Republican Party California state senators
Category:Presidents pro tempore of the California State Senate
Category:20th-century members of the California State Legislature
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