William Dodd Hathaway (February 21, 1924 – June 24, 2013) was an American Democratic Party politician from Maine.
Early life
Hathaway was born on February 21, 1924 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He studied at Harvard University and at Harvard Law School.
Career
A Maine Democratic Party, in 1964 he was elected to the U.S. House, and he served from 1965 until 1973. This was a time of resurgence for Democrats in Maine, at that time a traditionally Maine Republican Party state. This same period saw the growth of the political careers of Edmund S. Muskie and Kenneth M. Curtis.
In 1972 Hathaway was the successful Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat held by Margaret Chase Smith. In 1973, Hathaway was one of the three senators who opposed the nomination of Gerald Ford to be Vice President. (The other two were Thomas Eagleton and Gaylord Nelson.) Hathaway served from 1973 to 1979. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1978, losing to William Cohen.
Personal life
Hathaway resided in the Washington, D.C. area after leaving the Senate. In 1990 he was appointed by President George H. W. Bush to the Federal Maritime Commission, and he served as chairman from 1993 to 1996.
Death
Hathaway died on June 24, 2013 in Washington, D.C. from natural causes, aged 89.