Background
Miller was born in Lockport, New York, the son of Elizabeth (Hinch), who owned a small millinery shop, and Edward J. Miller, a factory floor sweeper. His paternal grandparents were German immigrants, and his mother was of Irish descent.
United States representative lawyer politician
Miller was born in Lockport, New York, the son of Elizabeth (Hinch), who owned a small millinery shop, and Edward J. Miller, a factory floor sweeper. His paternal grandparents were German immigrants, and his mother was of Irish descent.
Miller attended the University of Notre Dame and Albany Law School. Goldwater stated that he chose Miller to be his running mate simply because "he drives Johnson nuts" with his Republican activism.
He was the Republican Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in the 1964 election. He was the only Catholic vice presidential nominee of the Republican Party until Paul Ryan in 2012. He served in the United States Army during World World War II and later helped prosecute German war criminals at the Nuremberg trials.
Miller was appointed district attorney of Niagara County, New York in 1948, by Governor Thomas East. Dewey.
Miller served in the United States House of Representatives from 1951 to 1965 and was chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1961 to 1964. But by some other accounts, Johnson "was barely aware of Miller"s existence." Miller"s Eastern roots and Catholic faith balanced the ticket in some ways, but ideologically he was conservative like Goldwater.
His relative obscurity—"he was better known for snipes at President Kennedy than for anything else"—gave birth to the refrain "Here"s a riddle, it"s a killer / Who the hell is William Miller?"
Following the defeat of the Goldwater-Miller ticket, Miller returned to his hometown of Lockport, where he resumed his law practice. He also appeared in one of the first "Do you know me?" commercials for American Express.
He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
New York"s 42nd district, 1950
William East. Miller (R) - 75,377 (5857%)
Mary Louise Nice (Doctorate) - 53,310 (4143%)
New York"s 40th district, 1952
William East. Miller (R) - 102,565 (5964%)
East. Dent Lackey (Doctorate) - 69,087 (4017%)
John Touralchuk (American Labor) - 329 (019%)
New York"s 40th district, 1954
William East. Miller (R) (inc) - 77,016 (6092%)
Mariano A. Lucca (Doctorate) - 46,956 (3714%)
Louis Longo (Liberal) - 2,233 (177%)
Nick Curtis (American Labor) - 222 (018%)
New York"s 40th district, 1956
William East. Miller (R) (inc) - 117,051 (6434%)
A. Thorne Hills (Doctorate) - 64,872 (3566%)
New York"s 40th district, 1958
William East. Miller (R) (inc) - 90,066 (6080%)
Mariano A. Lucca (Doctorate) - 54,728 (3694%)
Hel J. Di Pota (Liberal) - 3,354 (226%)
New York"s 40th district, 1960
William East. Miller (R) (inc) - 104,752 (5362%)
Mariano A. Lucca (Doctorate) - 85,005 (4351%)
Albert J. Taylor (Liberal) - 5,621 (288%)
New York"s 40th district, 1962
William East. Miller (R) (inc) - 72,706 (5204%)
East. Dent Lackey (Doctorate) - 67,004 (4796%)
United States presidential election, 1964
Lyndon B. Johnson/Hubert Humphrey (Doctorate) - 43,127,041 (611%) and 486 electoral votes (44 states and District of Columbia carried)
Barry Goldwater/William East. Miller (R) - 27,175,754 (385%) and 52 electoral votes (6 states carried)
Unpledged electors (Doctorate) - 210,732 (03%) and 0 electoral votes.