Peter H. Dominick

Peter Dominick
United States Ambassador to Switzerland
In office April 25, 1975 – July 10, 1975
President	Gerald Ford
Preceded by	Shelby Cullom Davis
Succeeded by	Nathaniel Davis
United States Senator from Colorado
In office January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1975
Preceded by	John A. Carroll
Succeeded by	Gary Hart
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Colorado's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1963
Preceded by	Byron L. Johnson
Succeeded by	Donald G. Brotzman
Personal details
Born	Peter Hoyt Dominick (1915-07-07)July 7, 1915 Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	March 18, 1981(1981-03-18) (aged 65) Hobe Sound, Florida, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Education	Yale University (BA, LLB)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1942–1945
Rank	Captain
Unit	United States Army Air Corps
Battles/wars	World War II

Peter Hoyt Dominick (July 7, 1915 – March 18, 1981) was an American diplomat, politician and lawyer from Colorado. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the United States Senate from 1963 to 1975. His uncle, Howard Alexander Smith, was a U.S. Senator from New Jersey from 1944 to 1959.

Life and career

Born in Stamford, Connecticut, Dominick graduated from St. Mark's School in 1933, from Yale University in 1937 as a member of Scroll and Key, and Yale Law School in 1940. He practiced law in New York City from 1940 until 1942, when he entered the United States Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet at the outset of American fighting in World War II. He served until his separation from military service in 1945, as a captain. He briefly recommenced his legal practice in New York City in 1946, before moving that same year to Denver, Colorado, where he continued to practice.

Dominick entered politics when he was elected as a Republican to the Colorado House of Representatives, where he served from 1957 to 1961. In 1960, he made a successful run for the United States House of Representatives, defeating incumbent freshman Democrat Byron L. Johnson, and he abandoned his law career in 1961. After a single term in the House of Representatives, Dominick was elected to the United States Senate, defeating one-term incumbent Democrat John A. Carroll, 53.6% to 45.6%. He was reelected in 1968 over Stephen L. R. McNichols, a former Governor of Colorado, 58.6% to 41.5%.

Senator Dominick served as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee in the 92nd Congress from 1971 to 1973. In a good election year for Democrats, Dominick was defeated for a third term in 1974 by Gary Hart, 57.2% to 39.5%. After leaving the Senate at the end of his term in 1975, he was appointed Ambassador to Switzerland by President Gerald Ford, but served only briefly. He resided in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado until his death at Hobe Sound, Florida, on March 18, 1981. Senator Dominick's body was interred in Fairmount Cemetery, Denver.

See also

• United States Senate elections, 1962
• United States Senate elections, 1968
• United States Senate elections, 1974

References

• United States Congress. "Peter H. Dominick (id: D000409)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved on 2008-01-25

External links

• Peter H. Dominick at Find a Grave
• Guide to the Peter H. Dominick Papers at the University of Denver Retrieved 2014-09-26.