TLS signed “Jack Kennedy,” one page, 8 x 10.5, United States Senate letterhead, March 6, 1959. Letter of thanks to Robert Gallagher of Newton, Massachusetts. In full: “Now that the press of business of the early days of Congress is over, I wanted to take a moment to let you know how deeply appreciative I am for your generous support during my re-election campaign last fall. Certainly the gratifying results which we enjoyed last November could not have been attained without the help of real friends like yourself. I only hope in the days ahead that I can continue to merit your valuable assistance, and I look forward to having the opportunity soon to thank you personally.” In fine condition, with a few scattered light creases.
In 1958, Massachusetts voters returned JFK to the US Senate for a second term. Considering the wealth of the Kennedy clan, he often encountered rumors that it was not the “generous support” of “real friends” like Gallagher that won him a return to the Senate but the influence of family members. Kennedy once joked that his father, Joseph Kennedy, Sr., had explicitly told him not to buy a single vote more than needed to win the election. A moot point, of course, as Kennedy had defeated his challenger by a considerable margin. In January 1960, Kennedy began what was to be his last political bid—for the White House. Gallagher, a former aide to Governor James Michael Curley and the personnel director of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority from 1964 to 1980, passed away in 1999. A piece of Camelot written at a time when the Senator had already set his sights on the presidency. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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