TVA and Public Power

  • Minority Report: Kefauver’s Advice to Dems in the Ike Era
    In 1953, Democrats found themselves completely out of power for the first time in a generation. Kefauver had some ideas on how his party should navigate life in the minority.
  • A Senator Who Sweats the Small Stuff
    During his 1960 campaign, Kefauver issued a pamphlet reminding voters of some of his smaller accomplishments. Why? They may not have made headlines, but they improved the lives of his constituents.
  • Kefauver and TVA, Part 2: Ike and Dixon-Yates
    Estes Kefauver successfully rescued the TVA from Kenneth McKellar’s whims. But could he save it from Ike and the threat of privatization?
  • Kefauver and TVA, Part 1: Power to the People
    From the very beginning of his political career, Estes Kefauver was a strong supporter of public power and the Tennessee Valley Authority. He wasn’t afraid to stand up to anyone who threatened it… even a powerful Senator from his own state.