After graduation from Weiser High School in 1924, Welker went north to Moscow to attend the University of Idaho, where he started off in a general studies program and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

[6] In April 1929, Welker was appointed prosecuting attorney for Washington County; he graduated from law school in May, and was admitted to the bar later that year.

In 1937, Welker moved to Los Angeles, where he had a private practice until 1943, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces for World War II.

He won August's Republican primary over Congressman John Sanborn and Governor C. A. Robins,[8] then defeated former Democratic Senator D. Worth Clark in the general election.

[2] In the early 1950s, Welker told Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith about Harmon Killebrew, a young baseball player from Payette who was batting .847 for a semi-professional team at the time.

Welker also threatened Inspector Roy Blick of the Morals Division of the Washington Police Department with the loss of his job if he failed to prosecute the younger Hunt.

"[28] The defeat increased Democratic control of the Senate and led to much anger within the Republican Party, with Joseph McCarthy even accusing President Dwight Eisenhower of not supporting Welker's reelection campaign enough.

[2] Attribution This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress