Gale William McGee (March 17, 1915April 9, 1992) was an American politician, diplomat and historian who served as a United States senator from Wyoming from 1959 to 1977 and as the U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS) from 1977 to 1981. To date, he remains the last Democrat to have represented Wyoming in the U.S. Senate.
Early life Born on March 17, 1915, in Lincoln, Nebraska, he was raised in Norfolk, Nebraska, in a politically active Republican family. During his early education he identified as a Republican, but his views evolved through his college and graduate studies. By the late 1940s he had moved from Republican affiliation to political independence and ultimately aligned with the Democratic Party.
McGee graduated from Norfolk High School in 1932. A graduation trip to Washington, D.C., and seeing U.S. Senator George W. Norris speak in the Senate chamber, inspired his interest in public service. Because of the economic conditions of the Great Depression, he attended Wayne State Teachers College, graduating in 1936 with degrees in history, political science, and speech. He later earned a master’s degree from the University of Colorado.
McGee pursued doctoral studies at the University of Chicago, where he studied diplomatic and Latin American history under historian J. Fred Rippy and political theorist Hans Morgenthau. His academic work during this period marked a significant shift from earlier isolationist views to support for a more engaged U.S. foreign policy.
Prior to the United States’ entry into World War II, McGee expressed skepticism about American involvement in the European conflict and sought conscientious objector status. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he withdrew his objection and attempted to enlist in the United States Navy, but he was ultimately denied induction because of a diagnosis of diabetes.
During the war, McGee taught in the Navy’s V-12 Navy College Training Program, instructing officer candidates at institutions including University of Notre Dame. His earlier opposition to U.S. engagement in the war drew mild controversy when it became known that he was teaching military cadets, though he was later reinstated and continued his academic career.Oral History Interview with Ambassador Gale McGee, The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, December 9, 1988
University of Wyoming Shortly after receiving his Ph.D., McGee accepted a position as a professor of American history at the University of Wyoming. He became widely recognized for his expertise in American foreign policy and contributed analyses on U.S.-China relations and the post-World War II balance of power. He founded and served as chair of the university's Institute of International Affairs, which brought national dignitaries to the university every summer through a grant from the Carnegie Foundation. Each summer, 21 teachers from Wyoming high schools were selected to participate. Over the next 12 years, the Institute hosted prominent policy thinkers such as Sidney Hook, Eleanor Roosevelt, Hans Morgenthau, and Henry Kissinger.
Textbook controversy In 1947, University of Wyoming trustees, influenced by concerns raised at a Michigan conference, initiated a "Red Scare" textbook review,The University of Wyoming Minutes of the Trustees, October 24–25, 1947 suspecting subversive content in school libraries. UW President George Duke Humphrey assembled a faculty panel. Professor McGee, lacking tenure, openly criticized the board's action as jeopardizing academic freedom and faced attempts by a board member to dismiss him. Ultimately, University trustees, including Milward Simpson, opposed McGee's firing, advocating for free expression. The review found no un-American content, ending the controversy, though McGee endured social backlash and accusations of communism."UW Faculty Committee Maintains Book Probe Hearing Still Needed" The Laramie Republican Boomerang, January 21, 1948, 1"Rough Draft-Textbook Controversy," Box 943, File: "Textbook Investigation" Gale W. McGee Papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming"The Textbook Controversy at the University of Wyoming 1947-1948" Summary of Constitution Day Lecture by UW History Professor Phil Roberts, September 18, 2006
In 1950, McGee had been urged to run for the United States House of Representatives from Wyoming but declined, following the advice of political mentors and observing the challenging electoral climate for Democrats.Democrats urge Prof to Run for Congress (1950, April 26) Casper Star-Tribune, p. 10
Sabbaticals From 1952 to 1953, he held a fellowship at the Council on Foreign Relations, meeting policymakers including John Foster Dulles and J. Robert Oppenheimer, further expanding his understanding of Cold War strategy.McGee granted leave to serve on Carnegie group (April 15, 1962) Casper Star-Tribune, p. 2
In the mid-1950s, McGee joined the Washington staff of Joseph C. O'Mahoney, then a U.S. Senator from Wyoming, serving as a legislative assistant. In this role, he gained exposure to senior policymakers, including Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy, and Mike Mansfield, contributing to investigations on antitrust and agricultural issues and deepening his experience in legislative processes.Community Leaders Conference to be held at UW, Feb. 91-- (January 5, 1956) Newcastle News Letter Journal, p. 7Morrissey, Charles T. "Oral History Interview with Gale W. McGee." Interview by Charles T. Morrissey, June 8, 1979, and September 17, 1979. The Modern Congress in American History, Former Members of Congress, IncStrannigan, Liz. Interview with Gale W. McGee. 16 September 1989. Oral History - Interview Number 2. Senator Gale W. McGee (D-Wyo): Complete.
United States Senator
In 1958, McGee took a leave of absence from the university to run for the U.S. Senate, challenging the incumbent Frank A. Barrett. He campaigned on a platform of youth and new ideas. The race between McGee and Barrett drew national attention, with prominent leaders from both political parties involved. Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson of Texas, Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts, Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon, Senator-elect Edmund Muskie of Maine, Congressman Joseph M. Montoya of New Mexico, and former President Harry S. Truman came to the state to support McGee, whose campaign slogan was "McGee for Me!"."The 1958 Election in Wyoming", Herman H. Trachsel, The Western Political Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 1, Part 2 (March 1959), pp. 363–366 Lyndon Johnson pledged that, if Wyoming elected McGee, he would secure him a seat on the prestigious Appropriations Committee.Sen. Johnson headlines Dem rally here tonight (1958, October 31) Casper Star Tribune, p. 1 Eleanor Roosevelt even led a national fundraising drive for him.Time Barrett also received support from prominent leaders, including then-Vice President Richard Nixon.
McGee defeated Barrett by 1,913 votes out of 116,230 cast. He won a majority in seven of Wyoming's 23 counties: the southern "Union Pacific" counties (Albany, Carbon, Laramie, Sweetwater, Uinta) Platte, just north of Cheyenne, and Sheridan in the north. McGee earned the endorsement of the Wyoming AFL-CIO Committee on Political Education (COPE), and the labor vote played a significant role in his victory.
Domestic issues Advocate for Wyoming interests During his tenure in the Senate, McGee prioritized both national policy and the specific needs of his Wyoming constituents. While generally supportive of free trade, he drew the line on imports affecting Wyoming’s key industries, such as meat and oil, recognizing their economic and political significance locally. Early in his Senate career, he focused on water policy, livestock, and energy issues, believing that defending the daily concerns of ranchers, gas station owners, and small business operators created a foundation to pursue broader domestic and foreign policy goals.Oral History Interview with Gale W. McGee, Former Senator from Wyoming (1959-1977). Interviewed by Charles T. Morrissey on June 8, 1979, June 11, 1979, and September 17, 1979, for the Former Members of Congress, Inc. project, "The Modern Congress in American History." Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Appropriations Committee McGee was appointed to the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations following a promise from Lyndon B. Johnson after his first term. From 1971 to 1976, he chaired the Agriculture-Environmental and Consumer Protection Subcommittee, directing federal funds to Wyoming-based projects. Significant appropriations included $499 million (2024 dollars) for Yellowtail Dam, $350 million for Flaming Gorge Dam and its National Recreation Area, $225 million for the Seedskadee Project, $50 million for the U.S. Post Office and Federal Building in Casper, and $48 million for Cheyenne’s federal building. McGee’s influence helped shape infrastructure development and environmental management in the state.McGee named to Senate Appropriations (1959, January 15) Casper Star Tribune, p. 4McGee Chairman's Senate Ag group (1971, February 4) Casper Star Tribune, p. 1
Energy and Mineral Policy A strong advocate for Wyoming’s oil, gas, and mineral industries, McGee worked closely with colleagues Teno Roncalio and Cliff Hansen to ensure that federal mineral royalties returned 50% to resource-rich states under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.107 Cong. Rec. 1848 (1961)108 Cong. Rec. 3372-75 (1962)Public land fund study advocated (1962, July 8) Casper Star Tribune, p. 588 Cong. Rec. 19148 (1963)McGee offers mine royalty bill (1963, January 17) Jackson Hole Guide, p. 1Wyoming senators claim success on mineral royalty (1975, July 18) Billings Gazette, p. 22Royalty increase attached to bill (1976, April 14) Casper Star-Tribune, p. 15"Leasing Federal Minerals in Wyoming and the West" by Samuel WesternCongressional Record pp 3771-72 (1959)Congressional Record pp 15198-99 (1962)Congressional Record pp 3668-69 (1963) McGee staunchly defended the oil depletion allowance, arguing it incentivized exploration in high-risk regions like Wyoming and safeguarded the industry's competitiveness.Congressional Record pp 16946-47 (1962)Congressional Record pp 11566-67 (1963)Congressional Record pp 2337 (1967)McGee goes to bat for oil credits (1964, February 6) Casper Star Tribune, p.22New approach to shale oil is being planned (1962, June 15) Casper Star Tribune, p. 2Congressional Record pp 11373-74 (1962)
Ranchers and Livestock McGee actively supported Wyoming ranchers, voicing concerns over monopolistic practices by national grocery chains that suppressed cattle prices in the early 1960s. He advocated for FTC investigations into antitrust violations and promoted legislation to empower agricultural producers. McGee also championed the American wool and lamb industries, backing import quotas, tariffs, and the National Wool Act. He even secured a commemorative U.S. stamp in 1970 marking 450 years of sheep in North America.The Congressional Record, May 18, 1965 p. A2472The Congressional Record April 26, 1963 p. 7172United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce. (1964). Study of food marketing: Hearings, Eighty-eighth Congress, second session, on S. J. Res. 71, a joint resolution to authorize and direct the conduct by the Federal Trade Commission of a comprehensive investigation of chainstore practices which may be in violation of the antitrust laws. and for other purposes ... Washington: U. S. Govt. Print. Off..Johnson asks Congress for body to study retail price increases (1964, April 2) Great Falls Tribune, p. 23Congressmen protest sheep imports (1960, March 23) Casper Star Tribune, p. 15Solon concerned with plight of lamb market (1959, August 28) Helena Independent Record, p. 2Stamp honors Wool Industry (1970, October 20) Casper Star Tribune, p. 1
Cabinet and Judicial Nominations