John M. Ashbrook
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOhio's17th district
In office January 3, 1961 – April 24, 1982
Preceded by	Robert W. Levering
Succeeded by	Jean Spencer Ashbrook
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
In office 1957–1961
Personal details
Born	John Milan Ashbrook (1928-09-21)September 21, 1928 Johnstown, Ohio, U.S.
Died	April 24, 1982(1982-04-24) (aged 53) Newark, Ohio, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Joan Needels ​ ​ (m. 1948; div. 1971)​ Jean Spencer ​ (m. 1974)​
Children	3
Parents	William A. Ashbrook (father) Marie Swank (mother)
Education	Harvard University Ohio State University

John Milan Ashbrook (September 21, 1928 – April 24, 1982) was an American politician and newspaper publisher. A member of theRepublican Party, he served in theUnited States House of Representatives fromOhio from 1961 until his death.^[1] Ashbrook was associated with theNew Right. He ran against PresidentRichard Nixon in the1972 Republican Party presidential primaries, attempting to appeal to voters who believed Nixon was insufficiently conservative, but he failed to win any statewide contests. At the time of his death, he was running for U.S. Senate in Ohio in the1982 election.

John Milan Ashbrook was born on September 21,1928, inJohnstown, Ohio to U.S.CongressmanWilliam A. Ashbrook, a newspaper editor and Johnstown businessman, and his mother Marie Swank. Ashbrook graduated fromHarvard University in 1952 and later fromOhio State University's law school in 1955. In 1953, Ashbrook became the publisher of his father's newspaper, theJohnstown Independent.^[2] On July 3, 1948, he married Joan Needels and later had three children with her before they divorced in 1971. In 1974, he remarried toJean Spencer.^[3]

He was elected to theOhio House of Representatives in 1956, and served two terms. In 1960, the seat that his father had once held in the House of Representatives was vacated and Ashbrook ran for and won it. Ashbrook voted against theCivil Rights Acts of 1964,^[4] but in favor of theCivil Rights Act of 1968,^[5] as well as the24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and theVoting Rights Act of 1965.^[6][7]

WithWilliam Rusher andF. Clifton White, associates from theYoung Republicans in the 1950s, Ashbrook was involved in the start-up of theDraft Goldwater Committee in 1961.^[8]

In 1966, journalistDrew Pearson reported that Ashbrook was one of a group of four Congressmen who had received the "Statesman of the Republic" award fromLiberty Lobby for their "right-wing activities".^[9]

Despite having supported Richard Nixon during the1968 presidential election Ashbrook turned against him during his presidency. On December 29, 1971 he announced that he would oppose Nixon in theRepublican primaries as an alternativeconservative candidate and received support from conservative figures likeWilliam F. Buckley Jr.^{[10][11][12][13]} His slogan "No Left Turns" was illustrated by a mock traffic symbol of a left-turn arrow with a superimposedNo symbol. It was meant to symbolize the frustration of some conservatives with Nixon, whom they saw as having abandoned conservative principles and "turned left" on issues such asbudget deficits,affirmative action, the creation of theEnvironmental Protection Agency,wage and price controls, and most of all, improving relations with theSoviet Union and the People's Republic of China with his policy ofdétente.

Ashbrook competed in the New Hampshire (9.8% of the vote), Florida (9%), and California (10%) primaries. He withdrew from the race after the California primary and "with great reluctance" supported Nixon. His campaign, although of minimal immediate impact, is remembered fondly by conservatives who admire Ashbrook for having stood for their principles. Ashbrook said in criticism of the Nixon administration, "I still believe it in the best American tradition to speak out even when it is in criticism of your party's actions."^[14]

When Nixon became mired in theWatergate scandal, Ashbrook became the first House Republican to call for the President's resignation.^[15]

In1982, Ashbrook ran for U.S. Senate, seeking to challengeDemocratic incumbentHoward Metzenbaum. Polling showed that he was the frontrunner in the Republican primary.^[16] However, on April 24, 1982, he suffered agastric hemorrhage at the offices ofThe Johnstown Independent, and died at Licking Memorial Hospital inNewark, Ohio, aged 53.^[17][18] PresidentRonald Reagan memorialized him, saying: "John Ashbrook was a man of courage and principle. He served his constituents and his country with dedication and devotion, always working towards the betterment of his fellow man. His patriotism and deep belief in the greatness of America never wavered and his articulate and passionate calls for a return to old-fashioned American values earned him the respect of all who knew him."^[1]

Ashbrook's widow,Jean Spencer Ashbrook, was chosen ina special election to serve the remaining seven months of his congressional term.^[19]

The Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs atAshland University was named for Ashbrook in 1983.^[20] A periodic John M. Ashbrook Memorial Dinner at the center features leading conservative speakers from PresidentRonald Reagan (first dinner; dedication of the Center, in 1983)^[21] andMargaret Thatcher (1993) toMitt Romney (April 2010) andJohn Boehner (June 2011).^[22]

• List of Harvard University politicians
• List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1950–1999)
• List of United States representatives from Ohio
• List of members of the House Un-American Activities Committee

Wikimedia Commons has media related toJohn M. Ashbrook.

• Biography at theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Biography at the Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at Ashland University
• John M. Ashbrook's 1972 Announcement for the Presidency
• John M. Ashbrook atFind a Grave

• 1928 births
• 1982 deaths
• 20th-century American newspaper publishers (people)
• Candidates in the 1972 United States presidential election
• Candidates in the 1982 United States elections
• Deaths from ulcers
• Harvard College alumni
• Republican Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives
• New Right (United States)
• Ohio State University Moritz College of Law alumni
• People from Licking County, Ohio
• Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio
• 20th-century United States representatives
• 20th-century members of the Ohio General Assembly
• Members of the House Un-American Activities Committee

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