Ernest Gruening

Ernest Gruening
Gruening in 1935
United States Senator from Alaska
In office January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1969
Preceded by	Himself (Shadow Senator)
Succeeded by	Mike Gravel
United States Shadow Senator from the Alaska Territory
In office October 6, 1956 – January 3, 1959
Preceded by	Seat established
Succeeded by	Himself (U.S. Senator)
7th Governor of Alaska Territory
In office December 6, 1939 – April 10, 1953
Lieutenant	Bob Bartlett
Preceded by	John Troy
Succeeded by	Frank Heintzleman
Personal details
Born	Ernest Henry Gruening (1887-02-06)February 6, 1887 New York City, New York, U.S.
Died	June 26, 1974(1974-06-26) (aged 87) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Dorothy Smith
Children	3
Education	Harvard University (BS, MD)
Military service
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1917–1918
Unit	Field Artillery Corps
Battles/wars	World War I

Ernest Henry Gruening (/ˈɡriːnɪŋ/ GREEN-ing; February 6, 1887 – June 26, 1974) was an American journalist and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, Gruening was the governor of the Alaska Territory from 1939 until 1953, and a United States Senator from Alaska from 1959 until 1969.

Born in New York City, Gruening pursued a career in journalism after graduating from Harvard Medical School. After working for various newspapers in New York and Boston, he served in various roles during the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was appointed as Governor of Alaska in 1939 and became a prominent advocate of Alaska statehood.

Gruening became one of Alaska's inaugural pair of senators, along with Bob Bartlett, after Alaska gained statehood in 1959. Gruening was a prominent opponent of the Vietnam War, and with Oregon's Wayne Morse, was one of just two senators to vote against the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which allowed the bombing of North Vietnam. In 1968, Mike Gravel defeated Gruening in the Democratic Senate primary, and Gruening's attempt to win re-election as an independent was unsuccessful.