▁would ▁later ▁become ▁the ▁publish er ▁of ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁S math ers ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁serve ▁two ▁terms ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁representing ▁Florida ' s ▁Four th ▁Cong r essional ▁District ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁He ▁established ▁a ▁reputation ▁for ▁being ▁a ▁moder ate ▁except ▁for ▁his ▁anti - comm un ism . ▁ ▁E lection ▁to ▁Senate ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁Harry ▁Tr uman ▁called ▁S math ers ▁into ▁a ▁meeting ▁at ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁and ▁reported ly ▁said , ▁" I ▁want ▁you ▁to ▁do ▁me ▁a ▁favor . ▁I ▁want ▁you ▁to ▁beat ▁that ▁son - of - a - b itch ▁Claude ▁Pe pper ." ▁Pe pper ▁had ▁been ▁part ▁of ▁an ▁un success ful ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁campaign ▁to ▁" dump ▁Tr uman " ▁as ▁the ▁Democratic ▁president ial ▁nom ine e , ▁and ▁S math ers ▁had ▁been ▁his ▁manager ▁and ▁pup il . ▁S math ers ▁challeng ed ▁the ▁inc umb ent ▁sen ator ▁in ▁the ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁and ▁won ▁by ▁a ▁margin ▁of ▁over ▁ 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁votes . ▁The ▁race ▁was ▁marked ▁by ▁echo es ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Sc are . ▁S math ers ▁repeatedly ▁attacked ▁Pe pper ▁for ▁having ▁Commun ist ▁sympath ies , ▁pointing ▁out ▁his ▁pro - c ivil ▁rights ▁platform ▁and ▁campaign ▁for ▁universal ▁health ▁care