Short was born in Rochester, Indiana[1] in 1883. He grew up in Concordia, Kansas, where, as a youth, he became known for his public speaking skill.[2] Upon graduation, he read law in the offices of Pulsiver and Alexander, passed the bar in 1916,[3] and was eventually elected Concordia City Attorney.[4] He was a Democratic candidate for the U. S. House of Representatives for Kansas, in 1930, against incumbent James G. Strong,[5] who narrowly defeated Short in a close race.[6] He ran again in 1932, and was defeated in the Democratic primary by Kathryn O'Loughlin McCarthy, who would go on to become the first female U. S. Representative from Kansas.[7] Despite these setbacks, he remained active in the Democratic party, and was elected Party Chairman in 1934,[8][9] directing the effort to unseat incumbent Governor Alf Landon.[10] Although Landon won re-election, Short presided over two first-time Democratic victories in Kansas, the offices of State Auditor and State Superintendent of Public Instruction.[7]
Short died in 1936, of pneumonia.[7] His brother was American baseball player Harry Short.[3]
References
^staff (February 28, 1936). "Clyde Short, Democratic Leader in Kansas, Dead". The Chicago Tribune. p. 18.