Richard Nixon book

In 1949, Nixon began to consider running for the United States Senate against the Democratic incumbent, Sheridan Downey,[65] and entered the race in November.[66] Downey, faced with a bitter primary battle with Representative Helen Gahagan Douglas, announced his retirement in March 1950.[67] Nixon and Douglas won the primary elections[68] and engaged in a contentious campaign in which the ongoing Korean War was a major issue.[69] Nixon tried to focus attention on Douglas's liberal voting record. As part of that effort, a "Pink Sheet" was distributed by the Nixon campaign suggesting that Douglas's voting record was similar to that of New York Congressman Vito Marcantonio, reputed to be a communist, and their political views must be nearly identical.[70] Nixon won the election by almost twenty percentage points.[71] During the campaign, Nixon was first called "Tricky Dick" by his opponents for his campaign tactics.[72] In the Senate, Nixon took a prominent position in opposing global communism, traveling frequently and speaking out against it.[73] He maintained friendly relations with his fellow anti-communist, controversial Wisconsin senator Joseph McCarthy, but was careful to keep some distance between himself and McCarthy's allegations.[74] Nixon also criticized President Harry S. Truman's handling of the Korean War.[73] He supported statehood for Alaska and Hawaii, voted in favor of civil rights for minorities, and supported federal disaster relief for India and Yugoslavia.[75] He voted against price controls and other monetary restrictions, benefits for illegal immigrants, and public power.[75]