Mark Andrews
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Mark Andrews (born May 19, 1926) is an American politician from the state of North Dakota. He is a member of the United States Republican Party.
Andrews was born in Cass County, North Dakota. He attended the public schools there. In 1944 at the age of 18, Andrews was admitted to the United States Military Academy. He quit in 1946 after receiving a disability discharge. He then attended the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks, North Dakota and graduated in 1949.
Andrews then became a farmer. During the 1950s he began to enter politics, serving on farmers' organizations and Republican committees. In 1963 Andrews became the Republican candidate for a seat in the United States House of Representatives from North Dakota when a special election was required after the death of congressman Hjalmar Nygaard. Andrews won the election. He was reelected to a full term in 1964 and served in the House until 1981, being reelected every two years.
In 1980 Andrews decided not to run for reelection to the House. Instead, he ran for one of North Dakota's seats in the United States Senate which was being vacated by the long-serving Republican Milton Young who announced that he would not run for reelection and retire after the election. Andrews won the election with 70% of the vote and served in the Senate for one term, from 1981 to 1987. He was chairman of the select committee on Indian affairs from 1983 to 1987. He had a moderate voting record for most of his career.
Andrews was defeated for reelection in 1986 by Democratic-NPL Tax Commissioner Kent Conrad in what is still considered an upset. Andrews retired from elective politics. He started a consultancy firm in Washington, D.C. but currently lives in Mapleton, North Dakota. Grand Forks International Airport in Grand Forks, North Dakota has sometimes been called Mark Andrews International Airport after him, but usage of the name has dropped out of popularity.
As of 2007 he is the last Republican to serve in the Senate from North Dakota.
| Preceded by Hjalmar Carl Nygaard |
United States Representative for North Dakota 1965–1981 |
Succeeded by Byron Dorgan |
| Preceded by Milton R. Young |
United States Senator (Class 3) from North Dakota 1981–1987 |
Succeeded by Kent Conrad |
