David Tews

{{Short description|American politician (1930–2007)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = David Tews
| office = Member of the [[Nebraska Legislature]] from the 15th district
| term_start = January 1, 1957
| term_end = January 3, 1961
| predecessor = [[William Purdy (Nebraska politician)|William Purdy]]
| successor = [[H. L. Gerhart]]
| birth_date = {{birth date|1930|1|24}}
| birth_place = [[Norfolk, Nebraska]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|10|31|1930|1|24}}
| death_place = [[Knoxville, Tennessee]]
| education = [[Northeast Community College|Norfolk Junior College]]
[[University of Nebraska College of Law]]
| party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse = Helen McAllister Tews
| children = 7
| occupation = Real estate developer, lobbyist, consultant, attorney
| allegiance = {{flag|United States}}
| branch = [[Nebraska Air National Guard]]
| service_years = 1951–1952
}}

'''David Dean Tews''' (January 24, 1930{{spaced ndash}}October 31, 2007) was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politician and lobbyist who served as a member of the [[Nebraska Legislature]] from the 15th district from 1957 to 1961.

==Early life==
Tews was born in [[Norfolk, Nebraska]], in 1930.{{cite book|title=Nebraska Blue Book 1958|publisher=Nebraska Legislative Council|date=1959|url=https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/l3000/D001-1958.pdf|access-date=April 23, 2026}} He graduated from [[Norfolk Senior High School|Norfolk High School]], and attended [[Northeast Community College|Norfolk Junior College]] and the [[University of Nebraska College of Law]].{{cite news|title=David Tews Is Candidate for State Senator|newspaper=[[Norfolk Daily News]]|date=March 21, 1956|location=|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/norfolk-daily-news-david-tews-is-candida/79844024/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}} After graduation, he began his practice in Norfolk, and formed the law firm of Reeker and Tews with his step-father, former [[Madison County, Nebraska|Madison County]] Judge Ernest Reeker.{{cite news|title=New Law Firm Announced Here|newspaper=[[Norfolk Daily News]]|date=March 5, 1956|location=|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/norfolk-daily-news/196168109/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}}

==Nebraska Legislature==
In 1956, State Senator [[William Purdy (Nebraska politician)|William Purdy]] ran for re-election in the 15th district, which included [[Madison County, Nebraska|Madison]] and [[Pierce County, Nebraska|Pierce]] counties.{{cite news|title=William Purdy Seeks Reelection As State Senator|newspaper=[[Norfolk Daily News]]|date=February 8, 1956|location=|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/norfolk-daily-news/196168407/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}} Tews, along with George Charlton, the former superintendent of the Norfolk State Hospital, ran against Purdy in the nonpartisan primary.Tews ran for the state legislature from the {{cite news|title=Dr. Charlton files for legislature|newspaper=[[Columbus Telegram]]|date=January 24, 1956|location=|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbus-telegram/196168359/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}} In the primary election, Tews placed first, winning 42 percent of the vote to Charlton's 33 percent and Purdy's 25 percent.{{cite book|title=Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, Primary Election, May 15, 1956, General Election, November 6, 1956|last=Marsh|first=Frank|publisher=Nebraska Secretary of State|year=1956|url=https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/S1200/S001-1956prim_gen.pdf|access-date=April 23, 2026}} Purdy was the only incumbent senator to lose renomination that year, and Tews and Charlton advanced to the general election.{{cite news|title=Sen. Purdy Defeated In Primary|newspaper=[[Grand Island Independent]]|date=May 17, 1956|location=|page=23|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-grand-island-independent/196168501/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}} Tews defeated Charlton in a landslide, winning 68–32 percent.

Tews ran for re-election in 1958, and was challenged by Purdy.{{cite news|title=29 in Races For Madison County Jobs|newspaper=[[Norfolk Daily News]]|date=April 4, 1958|location=|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/norfolk-daily-news/196168736/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}} He placed first over Purdy in the primary by a wide margin, receiving 73 percent of the vote.{{cite book|title=Official Report of the Board of State Canvassers of the State of Nebraska, Primary Election, May 13, 1958, General Election, November 4, 1958|last=Marsh|first=Frank|publisher=Nebraska Secretary of State|year=1958|url=https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/S1200/S001-1958prim_gen.pdf|access-date=April 23, 2026}}{{cite news|title=Easy Primary Wins By Senators May Mean Little in Fall Bids|newspaper=[[Star-Herald]]|date=May 15, 1958|location=[[Scottsbluff, Nebraska]]|page=3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-herald/196168805/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}} In the general election, he defeated Purdy by a wide margin, winning re-election 69–31 percent.

==Post-legislative career==
In 1960, Tews announced that he would run for the Ninth Judicial District rather than seek re-election, and simultaneously ran as a delegate to the [[1960 Republican National Convention]] from the [[Nebraska's 3rd congressional district|3rd congressional district]].{{cite news|title=Tews Files for District Judge, GOP Delegate|newspaper=[[Norfolk Daily News]]|date=January 22, 1960|location=|page=1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/norfolk-daily-news/196134240/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}} However, he ultimately dropped out of the race, citing his ongoing studies at the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln|University of Nebraska]].{{cite news|title=Tews Will Hit Books|newspaper=[[Lincoln Journal Star|Lincoln Evening Journal]]|date=February 24, 1960|location=|page=31|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/196169078/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}}

After leaving the legislature, he worked as a lobbyist and in real estate development.{{cite news|title=Former senator, lobbyist Tews dies|newspaper=[[Lincoln Journal Star]]|date=November 3, 2007|location=|page=1B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincoln-journal-star/125715728/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}} Tews was active in [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] politics and was a friend and ally of [[George Bush]]. In the 1980s, he moved to [[Washington, D.C.]], in the 1980s, and started D&H Consulting, an international business consulting firm.

==Death==
Tews died on October 31, 2007.{{cite news|title=Tews, 77, served in Legislature|newspaper=[[Omaha World-Herald]]|date=November 4, 2007|location=|page=4B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald/196143600/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=April 23, 2026}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tews, David}}

[[Category:1930 births]]
[[Category:2007 deaths]]
[[Category:Nebraska state senators]]
[[Category:People from Norfolk, Nebraska]]
[[Category:University of Nebraska College of Law alumni]]
[[Category:Nebraska Republicans]]
[[Category:American lobbyists]]
[[Category:American consultants]]
[[Category:20th-century Nebraska politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Nebraska politicians]]