Kerr was among 12 nominated at the 1944 Democratic National Convention to serve as Roosevelt 's running mate in the presidential election that year . He used his success as governor to catapult himself into the U.S. Senate in 1948 . Although Kerr had national ambitions , he always put what he considered to be the interests of his state first . Unlike many of his peers he generally neglected headline-grabbing issues , including anticommunism , foreign affairs , and civil rights , in favor of more mundane topics such as oil policies and public works . He believed Oklahomans would benefit most , and support him strongly , if he concentrated on concrete economic matters . In a closely contested race , Kerr became the first Oklahoma governor elected to the Senate . He had Presidential aspirations briefly in 1952 , but he failed to win the Democratic nomination . Instead he devoted his energies to building his Senate career . Kerr 's activism on natural gas regulation quickly won him a reputation among his colleagues for being a staunch defender of his region and its special interests , including his own petroleum company . His personality reinforced these first impressions . Kerr 's colleagues widely considered him a brilliant debater who overwhelmed his opponents with his passion and his mastery of policy detail
1944 Democratic National Convention
1944 Democratic National Convention
Robert S. Kerr