Background
Mayfield, Earle Bradford was born on April 12, 1881 in Overton, Texas, United States. Son of John Blythe and Mary (DeGeurin) Mayfield.
Mayfield, Earle Bradford was born on April 12, 1881 in Overton, Texas, United States. Son of John Blythe and Mary (DeGeurin) Mayfield.
Bachelor of Science, Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas, 1900. Student law department University Texas, 1900-1901.
He was admitted to the bar in 1907 and practiced in Meridian in Bosque County for a number of years. In addition, he pursued business ventures in agriculture and the wholesale grocery industry. Between 1907 and 1913, he held a seat in the Texas State Senate, after which he served on the Texas Railroad Commission for ten years.
In 1922, Mayfield was one of six candidates who challenged five-term United States Senator Charles A. Culberson for the Democratic senatorial nomination.
In the ensuing primary runoff between Mayfield and former Governor James East. Ferguson, Mayfield was labelled the "Ku Klux Klan candidate" in part because he and the KKK supported prohibition, while Ferguson emphasized an anti-prohibition stance. At the time the sale of alcoholic beverage was illegal throughout the United States under the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
In the general election held on November 7, 1922, Mayfield faced the Independent candidate George Peddy, who also had the backing of the Republican Party organization. Because Peddy"s name was not on the ballot, the insurgents waged a write-in campaign against Mayfield.
Peddy"s write-in netted a third of the vote.
Peddy also challenged Mayfield"s election before the Senate on grounds of disputes over filing deadlines and other technical issues. A Senate committee finally ruled in Mayfield"s favor, but his seating was delayed until December 1923. Mayfield once again faced a large field of candidates in the Democratic primary in 1928, but this time was defeated in a runoff election by United States. Representative Tom Connally of McLennan County.
In 1930, Mayfield sought the Democratic nomination for governor, but finished seventh among eleven candidates.
The election went to Ross Sterling. After losing his Senate seat, Mayfield moved to Tyler, where he retired in 1952.
Member Kappa Sigma.; Mason (32°).
Married Ora Lumpkin, June 10, 1902.