United States Senator. He served as a United States Senator from Texas from 1957 to 1971, and considered to be a liberal Democrat. He was elected in a special election on April 2, 1957 filling the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Price Daniel, who had become Texas' governor-elect. He was a candidate for the office of Governor of Texas three times, 1952, 1954, and 1958, and defeated each time. He was often at odds with fellow Democrats. In 1952 and 1956 he supported Republican United States Presidential candidate Dwight Eisenhower's ticket. On November 22, 1963, he shared the limousine with Vice President Lyndon Johnson in the Dallas motorcade when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. In 1964 he defeated the future United States President George H. W. Bush in the Texas senator election. He was the only Southern Senator to vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In 1967 Senator Yarborough was the first to introduce the bilingual education act. Born the seventh of nine children, he attended local schools before attending the United States Military Academy in 1919 for two years. In 1921 he entered Sam Houston State Teacher College and then taught school for three years. In 1927 he graduated from the University of Texas Law School; admitted to the bar; and commenced to practice in El Paso until he was ninety years old. In 1931 his political career began when he was hired to be an assistant attorney general by Texas Attorney General James Allred. This followed with Governor Allred appointing him to be the judge of the 53rd Judicial District, which included Austin. He entered the United States Army in 1943 during World War II, and was discharged in 1946 at the rank of lieutenant colonel. As a lawyer, he was awarded Texas' second highest judgment of millions of dollars after going against major oil companies, who failed to pay royalties to public schools or over produced oil. After losing the 1972 nomination for Senator, he never ran again for public office returning to his law practice.