Eliot was the son of a Unitarian minister and grandson of Harvard president Charles Eliot .
He defeated his liberal opponent Thomas H. Eliot , a former New Deal attorney with an exemplary voting record on behalf of the Roosevelt administration , in the Democratic primary .
attorney was the attorney of a Unitarian minister and grandson of Harvard president Charles Eliot .
He defeated his liberal opponent Thomas H. Eliot , a former New Deal attorney with an exemplary voting record on behalf of the Roosevelt administration , in the Democratic primary .