Claire Holmquist

Claire Holmquist
Chair of the Executive Board of the Nebraska Legislature
In office
January 7, 1969 – January 5, 1971
Preceded byJerome Warner
Succeeded byWilliam F. Swanson
Member of the Nebraska Legislature
In office
January 5, 1965 – April 26, 1972
Preceded byJules Burbach (redistricted)
Succeeded byBlair Richendifer
Constituency14th district (1965–1967)
16th district (1967–1972)
Personal details
Born(1906-10-04)October 4, 1906
Oakland, Nebraska
DiedApril 26, 1972(1972-04-26) (aged 65)
Omaha, Nebraska
PartyRepublican
Spouse
Mildred Ruth Romberg
​
​
(m. 1935)​
Children3 (Cynthia, Nancy, Jean)
EducationUniversity of Nebraska
OccupationGrain and lumber sales

Claire Holmquist (October 4, 1906 – April 26, 1972) was a Republican politician from Nebraska who served as a member of the Nebraska Legislature from 1965 until his death in 1972.

Early life

Holmquist was born in Oakland, Nebraska, in 1906, and graduated from Oakland High School.[1] He attended the University of Nebraska, graduating in 1928.[1] Holmquist returned to Oakland, where he worked for his family's lumber and grain business.[1] He was elected the president of the Nebraska Lumber Merchants Association in 1956.[2]

In 1958, Holmquist was appointed to the Oakland City Council from the 1st ward by Mayor C. A. Russell, and was confirmed by the council.[3] He was elected to a full term in 1959[4] and re-elected in 1961.[5] Holmquist was defeated for re-election in 1963,[6] and unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 1964.[7]

Nebraska Legislature

In 1964, following redistricting, Holmquist ran for the legislature from the newly created 14th district, which included Burt and Washington counties.[8] In the nonpartisan primary, he ran against former Lyons Mayor Paul Christensen, former Washington County Attorney B. F. Lundy, and farmer Otto Bromm. [9][10][11] Holmquist narrowly placed first in the primary, winning 27 percent of the vote to Christensen's 26 percent, Lundt's 24 percent, and Bromm's 23 percent.[12] He and Christensen proceeded to the general election,[13] which Holmquist won by a thin margin, defeating Christensen with 52 percent of the vote.[12][14]

Holmquist ran for re-election in 1966 in the 16th district, which consisted of Burt, Thurston, and Washington counties.[15] He was challenged by Francis Hanson, a U.S. Army veteran and former justice of the peace.[16][17] Holmquist placed first in the primary by a wide margin, winning 68 percent of the vote to Hanson's 32 percent.[18] In the general election, Holmquist won re-election in a landslide, defeating Hanson by the same 68–32 percent margin.[18][19] At the start of the 1969 legislative session, Holmquist was unanimously elected as the Chair of the Executive Board of the Legislative Council.[20]

In 1970, Holmquist ran for re-election to a third term.[21] He was challenged by Leonard Brummer, a restaurant and lounge owner.[22] In the primary election, Holmquist placed first, winning 58 percent of the vote to Brummer's 42 percent, and they proceeded to the general election.[23] Holmquist ultimately defeated Brummer, winning re-election with 57 percent of the vote.[23]

Death

On April 26, 1972, Holmquist died after undergoing surgery for a throat tumor.[24]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nebraska Blue Book 1970 (PDF). Nebraska Legislative Council. 1971. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Holmquist Elected State Lumberman's Association Prexy". Oakland Independent. March 1, 1956. p. 1. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "C. W. Holmquist Gets South Ward City Council Seat". Oakland Independent. June 5, 1958. p. 1. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "New City Council Seated Tuesday; Heads Appointed". Oakland Independent. April 30, 1959. p. 1. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "3 Reelected At Oakland". Fremont Tribune. April 5, 1961. p. 2. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "2 Voted Out At Oakland". Fremont Tribune. April 3, 1963. p. 24. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Canarsky Is Re-Elected At Oakland". Fremont Tribune. April 8, 1964. p. 13. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Holmquist, First Oakland Candidate For State Senate Since Art Neumann". Oakland Independent. March 19, 1964. p. 1. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Paul Christensen, Senate Candidate From Lyons, Active in Civic Work". Oakland Independent. April 23, 1964. p. 2. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Otto Bromm, Candidate for Senate, Is Active in Farm Organizations". Oakland Independent. April 30, 1964. p. 2. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "B. F. Lundt of Blair Is Only Candidate from Washington". Oakland Independent. April 30, 1964. p. 2. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. 1 2 Marsh, Frank (1964). Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, Primary Election, May 12, 1964, General Election, November 3, 1964 (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  13. ↑ "C. Holmquist and P. Christensen Win Legislature Race". Burt County Plaindealer. Tekamah, Nebraska. May 14, 1964. p. 1. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Washington County Vote Turns Up No Surprises". Fremont Tribune. November 4, 1964. p. 7. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "C. Holmquist Seeks Return As Senator". Fremont Tribune. February 16, 1966. p. 2. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Francis Hanson, Decatur, Seeks Senate Seat". Omaha World-Herald. February 16, 1966. p. 14M. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Who's Who in the Election". Sunday World-Herald. Omaha, Nebraska. October 23, 1966. p. 5B. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. 1 2 Marsh, Frank (1966). Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, Primary Election, May 10, 1966, General Election, November 8, 1966 (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  19. ↑ "Holmquist Win Decisive For Unicameral Return". Fremont Tribune. November 9, 1966. p. 2. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Herman, Dick (January 7, 1969). "Warner, Wylie Win Leadership Posts in Unicam". Lincoln Evening Journal. p. 1. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ "Holmquist Files For Re-Election". Lincoln Star. February 13, 1970. p. 21. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ "Who's Who in the Nebraska Primary". Omaha World-Herald. May 7, 1970. p. 10. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. 1 2 Marsh, Frank (1970). Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, Primary Election, May 12, 1970, General Election, November 3, 1970 (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Sen. Holmquist Dies After Tumor Removed". Lincoln Evening Journal. April 26, 1972. p. 21. Retrieved May 2, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
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