Charles C. Gossett  Charles Clinton Gossett (September 2, 1888 – September 20, 1974) was an American politician from Idaho. He served as the 20th Governor of Idaho and a United States Senator, but was in both offices less than a year. Born in Pricetown, Ohio, Gossett attended public schools in Ohio. He moved west to Cunningham, Washington, in 1907, to Ontario, Oregon, in 1910, and finally to Nampa, Idaho, in 1922. He engaged in the agriculture, livestock, feed and shipping businesses. In 1932, Gossett was elected to the Idaho Legislature in the house. In 1936, he was elected the 22nd lieutenant governor, serving for two years alongside Governor Barzilla Clark. Gossett returned as the 24th lieutenant governor under Governor Chase Clark, Barzilla Clark's younger brother, both elected in 1940. Gossett was elected governor in his own right in 1944, winning the June primary over state auditor Calvin Wright and secretary of state George Curtis, and the November general election over William Detweiler, the Republican nominee from Hazelton. This was the last election for a two-year term, but Gossett served less than a year; he resigned in November 1945 to let his successor, Lieutenant Governor Arnold Williams, appoint him to the United States Senate to succeed the late John W. Thomas. In the special election for the seat in 1946, Gossett was defeated in the Democratic primary in June by state senator George Donart, who in turn was defeated by Republican congressman Henry Dworshak in the general election in November. After the loss, Gossett returned to his former business pursuits. Gossett attempted a political comeback in 1954 in a run for governor. At the time, self-succession (re-election) was not allowed, and Len Jordan's term was ending. Gossett was defeated in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in August by state senator Clark Hamilton, who in turn lost to Republican attorney general Robert Smylie in the general election. Gossett was appointed to the Idaho Tax Commission by Smylie in 1956 and served until 1967. Gossett married Clara Louise Fleming on November 28, 1916, and they had three children. Following an extended illness, Gossett died at age 86 in Boise on September 20, 1974, and is interred at Kohlerlawn Cemetery in Nampa.