He was an unsuccessful candidate in the primary for the U.S. Senate in 1962, but won a seat in the House two years later in the 2nd district, ousting Democratic incumbent Ralph Harding.

He defeated his successor in Congress, three-term incumbent Orval Hansen in the August primary and won the general election to return to the U.S. House.

[3] In October 1976, it was revealed by the Lewiston Morning Tribune that Hansen had failed to file his income tax returns for several years.

The first instance was in the spring of 1969 when Hansen had a pending USDA appointment and a routine background check by the FBI had found the omission.

[4] A month later Hansen still managed to win reelection, although by the smallest margin in November 1976 among his many elections to Congress, until his defeat in 1984.

In 1983, Hansen was indicted by a federal grand jury on four charges of filing false financial disclosure statements.

[9] Source:[10] This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress