Rainey, Henry Thomas, 1860-1934

Henry Thomas Rainey (August 20, 1860 – August 19, 1934) was a prominent American politician during the first third of the 20th century. A member of the Democratic Party from Illinois, he served in the United States House of Representatives from 1903 to 1921 and from 1923 to his death. He rose to Speaker of the House, during the famous Hundred days of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933.

Rainey attended the public schools and Knox Academy and Knox College, Galesburg, Ill. He transferred to, and graduated from Amherst College in 1883 and then the Union College of Law, in Chicago which he graduated in 1885. He was admitted to the bar in 1885 and commenced practice in Carrollton, Ill.

Rainey was appointed master in chancery for Greene County, Ill., from 1887 until 1895, when he resigned, and returned to private practice. He then decided to return to politics in 1902 getting elected to Congress and serving for nine terms before losing to Guy L. Shaw in 1920. Two years later, he won back his seat and served until his death.

Due to the Great Depression, the Republican party lost its majority in a landslide, and, with John Nance Garner elevated to the Speakership, Rainey ran for, and defeated John McDuffie for the Majority leadership. McDuffie remained as Whip.

With Speaker Garner having been inaugurated Vice President on March 4, 1933, Rainey, being next in line, was elected Speaker of the House when President Roosevelt called a special session of Congress two days later. Rainey gave the Roosevelt administration carte blanche to do whatever it wanted, allowing almost the entire New Deal to be passed with little or no changes.

More reforms were passed during the regular session starting December. Rainey died of a heart attack the following summer, before the new Congress could meet.