Fred Risser (Progressive politician)

Frederic Emanuel Risser (January 15, 1900 – September 1, 1971) was an American lawyer and Progressive politician. He served twelve years as a member of the Wisconsin State Senate from Dane County.[1] He was the father of Wisconsin state senator Fred A. Risser, the longest-serving legislator in American history.[2]

This article is about the Progressive Party politician. For his son, Democrat Fred A. Risser, see Fred Risser.
Fred Risser
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 26th district
In office
January 4, 1937 – January 3, 1949
Preceded byHarold Groves
Succeeded byGaylord Nelson
District Attorney of Dane County, Wisconsin
In office
January 7, 1929 – January 7, 1935
Preceded byGlenn D. Roberts
Succeeded byLyall T. Beggs
Personal details
Born
Frederic Emanuel Risser

(1900-01-15)January 15, 1900
Buffalo, Buffalo County, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedSeptember 1, 1971(1971-09-01) (aged 71)
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeForest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin
Political party
Spouse
Elizabeth Warner
​
​
(m. 1926⁠–⁠1971)​
ChildrenFred A. Risser (b. 1927)
Education
Professionlawyer

Early life and education

Risser was born in the Buffalo, Buffalo County, Wisconsin, on January 15, 1900. After he graduated from Winona High School in Winona, Minnesota, he spent two years on his father's farm before enrolling at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1923 and his LL.B. in 1925.

Career

He taught at Beaver Dam High School for one year, and in 1925 became a practicing attorney in Madison, Wisconsin, entering the law firm of and eventually forming a partnership with former state legislator Ernest Warner.[3] From 1925 to 1930, he lectured on business law at Madison College.

Wisconsin Senate

Before his election to the Senate in 1936, Risser had served as town clerk of the Town of Madison from 1927 to 1928; treasurer of the Highlands Mendota Beach School from 1930 to 1937; was three times elected district attorney of Dane County as a Republican, and in 1933 was president of the Wisconsin District Attorney's Association. From 1925 to 1930 he lectured on business law at Madison Area Technical College.

In 1936, Risser was elected to the 26th Senate District (Dane County) by a wide margin in the general election, after winning a plurality in a three-way Progressive Party primary (Progressive incumbent Harold Groves was not a candidate).[4][5] He was re-elected in 1940 and 1944; but by 1948 the Wisconsin Progressives had merged back into the Republican Party, and (after having to face a challenge in the Republican primary from a non-Progressive), Risser was defeated for re-election in a four-way race by Gaylord Nelson.[6]

After leaving the Senate, Risser continued to practice law. He died on September 1, 1971.[1]

Personal life

Fred Risser married Elizabeth Warner, the daughter of his senior law partner Ernest Warner.

Their son, Fred A. Risser, went on to serve six years in the Wisconsin State Assembly (1957–1962) and 58 years in the Wisconsin State Senate (1962–2021), making him the longest-serving state legislator in American history.[2]

Electoral history

Wisconsin Senate (1936–1948)
Year Election Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality
1936 Primary[4] September 15 Fred Risser Progressive 4,820 45.66% Gena Thompson Prog. 3,149 29.83% 10,557 1,671
H. Paul Harris Prog. 2,588 24.51%
General[5] November 3 Fred Risser Progressive 32,591 69.86% Robert Caldwell Rep. 14,058 30.14% 46,649 18,533
1940 Primary[7] September 17 Fred Risser (inc.) Progressive 11,704 72.23% Darrell MacIntyre Prog. 4,499 27.77% 16,203 7,205
General[8] November 5 Fred Risser (inc.) Progressive 35,952 60.80% Arthur May Rep. 18,338 31.01% 59,130 17,614
George P. Gaffney Dem. 4,840 8.19%
1944 General[9] November 7 Fred Risser (inc.) Progressive 25,488 45.88% Anthony J. Fiore Rep. 20,018 36.04% 55,549 5,470
George Schlotthauer Dem. 9,813 17.67%
John Sikkema Soc. 230 0.41%
1948 Primary[10] September 21 Fred Risser (inc.) Republican 17,672 70.33% Anthony J. Fiore Rep. 7,456 29.67% 25,128 10,216
General[11] November 2 Gaylord Nelson Democratic 30,398 50.85% Fred Risser (inc.) Rep. 28,729 48.06% 59,777 1,669
Nathan Sadowsky Soc. 360 0.60%
Lawrence G. Grab Prog. 290 0.49%

References
  1. "State Sen. Risser's Father Dead at 71". La Crosse Tribune. September 2, 1971. p. 1. Retrieved December 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  2. Johnson, Shawn (March 26, 2020). "Fred Risser, Nation's Longest-Serving State Legislator, To Retire". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  3. "Risser Seeks State Senate Nomination". Wisconsin State Journal. July 29, 1936. p. 10. Retrieved October 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., eds. (1937). "Parties and Elections: The Primary Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1937 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 356. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  5. Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., eds. (1937). "Parties and Elections: The General Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1937 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 429. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  6. Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., ed. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1950 Madison: State of Wisconsin, 1950; pp. 655, 757
  7. Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., eds. (1942). "Parties and Elections: The Primary Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1942 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 588. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  8. Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., eds. (1942). "Parties and Elections: The GeneralElection" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1942 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 666. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  9. Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1946). "Parties and Elections: The General Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1946 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 674. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  10. Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1950). "Parties and Elections: The Primary Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1950 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 655. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  11. Ohm, Howard F.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1950). "Parties and Elections: The General Election" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1950 (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 757. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
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