The Ida Grove truck driver who overcame alcoholism to become a beloved Iowa governor and U.S. senator.
Harold Everett Hughes was born in 1922 near Ida Grove, in western Iowa. A truck driver who publicly overcame alcoholism, he entered politics and was elected Governor of Iowa in 1962, serving three terms.
He then won a U.S. Senate seat, where he became a leading advocate for the humane treatment of addiction and for a moral voice in public life. His personal story made him one of Iowa's most admired modern leaders.
Hughes helped transform how the country treats alcoholism and addiction, and his blunt authenticity made him beloved in Iowa. His name endures on public buildings across the state.
He is remembered as one of Iowa's most compelling political figures.
The Ida Grove truck driver who overcame alcoholism to become a beloved Iowa governor and U.S. senator.
Harold Hughes was from Ida Grove, Iowa.
1922–1996.
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Portrait: Wikimedia Commons (public domain or freely licensed).