The State Assembly
first met on Monday, June 5, 1848 and was called to order with 66 assemblymen.
A diverse group of individuals have served in the State Assembly since its first
meeting more than 150 years ago. The following information provides some interesting
facts and other trivia on the Wisconsin Assembly and its members.
The Ninety-Eighth Regular Session of the Wisconsin State
Legislature convened its biennial session on January 3, 2007. The
political party split of the Assembly stood at 52 Republicans and 47 Democrats.
There are 77 men and 22 women Representatives.
Assembly Record Holders
Representative Marlin Schneider is the longest serving current
representative and longest serving Democrat. He was first elected in 1971
and is serving his 17th term.
Representative Steven Foti is the longest serving
Republican. He was first elected in 1983 and is
serving his 10th term.
Representative Cletus
Vanderperren from the Green Bay area served 34 years, 1959-1993.
Representative Michael
Elconin of Milwaukee was the youngest member elected to the Assembly. He was
elected in 1972 at age 19.
The youngest speaker was Cornelius
T. Young of Milwaukee who was 25 years old when elected to the speakership in
1933.
The youngest chairperson of a
standing committee (since 1943) was Kevin Soucie of Milwaukee, who became
chairperson of the Internal Management Committee in August of 1977, at age 23.
Mark S. Catlin Sr.,
from Appleton, won the low hurdles in the 1904 Olympics in St Louis. His running time was
15.4 seconds. He only served one term in the Assembly in 1921. His son, Mark S. Catlin
Jr., also served in the Assembly from 1937-1945 and 1949-55.
The shortest tenure of Assembly
service was that of Assemblyman James M. McGuire of Dodge County. He was
inaugurated on January 11, 1865 and died on January 19, 1865, a service of eight days.
At least four people elected to the
Legislature in November died before the Legislature met in January - Simeon D.
Powers of Monroe County (1862); Cyrus Woodman of Iowa County
(1862); Andrew Eble of Milwaukee (1860); and S.K. Barnes
of Fond du Lac (1859). A fifth man, John M. Read of Kewaunee was
elected in November of 1880 and "resigned" on December 17, 1880, two weeks
before his inauguration.
Since 1971, only two Representatives
to the Assembly have served for periods of less than a year. Both represented the 6th
Assembly District and served consecutively. James R. Charneski was
elected in a special election and inaugurated on June 16, 1987. He resigned on
September 2, 1987, a service of about ten weeks. He was succeeded by Otto C.
Junkermann, who was inaugurated on January 26, 1988, but was not reelected in the
fall.
There and Back Again
Three members of the Assembly were
elected to Congress and then returned to serve in the Assembly again: 1) Alvin I.
Baldus, Assembly 1967-1973 sessions; U.S. House, 1975-1981; Assembly 1989-1995
sessions; 2) Bernard J. Gehrman, Assembly 1927 and 1931 sessions; U.S.
House 1935-1943; Assembly 1949-1955 sessions; 3) John Winans, Assembly
1874 and 1882 sessions; U.S. House 1883-1885; Assembly 1887 and 1891 sessions;
4) Peter Barca, Assembly 1984-1992 sessions (resigned in 1993
upon election to US Congress); U.S. House 1993-1994; Assembly 2008.
Both Sides of the Aisle
At least four members of the Assembly
have switched parties since the 1950s. 1) Representative Lloyd Kincaid
of Crandon was elected as a Republican in 1972, switched to a Democrat during the 1977
session, and served as a Democrat until his election to the Senate in 1983; 2)
Representative Jerry J. Wing of Greenfield was elected as a Republican in
1968, became an Independent during the 1969 session, and was defeated by Democrat James
Rutkowski in the 1970 general election; (Only Democrats and Republicans
have been elected to the Assembly since the 1947 Session) 3) Assemblyman Milton McDougal
was elected as a Democrat in 1964, switched to a Republican during the 1967 session, was
reelected as a Republican in 1968, and served through the 1971 session; and 4) Assemblyman
John R. Gray of Antigo was elected as a Democrat in 1958, switched
to the Republican party during the 1961 session, and was not a candidate for reelection in
1962.
Other Interesting Facts
At least two blind legislators have
served in the Wisconsin Legislature. John T. Kostuck of Stevens
Point served from 1931 through the 1959 session. Reino A. Perala of
Superior served in the 1953 through 1967 sessions.
Since the completion of the current
State Capitol, the Assembly has met outside its Chambers only four times: 1) the Assembly
met in the Senate Chamber on April 19, 1972 when the Assembly Chamber was taken over by
bar owners; 2) the Assembly met in the Capitol Hearing Room, 421 South, from May 24
through June 30, 1988, while the Assembly Chamber was renovated; 3) the Assembly met in
temporary chambers a block away from the Capitol during the 1993-1994 session and part of the
1995-1996 session, while the Chamber was being renovated as part of a long-term Capitol
remodeling project; and 4) the Assembly met at the State's first capitol in Belmont,
Wisconsin on January 14, 1998 to mark the State of Wisconsin's Sesquicentennial
celebration.
African-Americans in the Assembly
The first African-American to be elected to the
Wisconsin Assembly was Lucien H. Palmer, a Republican from Milwaukee,
elected in 1907. It was almost 40 years before another African-American, LeRoy
I. Simmons, a Democrat from Milwaukee was elected to the Assembly. There
has been at least one African-American representative in every session of the Assembly
since that time.
Representative Marcia P. Coggs was
elected in 1977, the first African-American woman to serve in the Assembly, and she served
eight terms.
Former Representative Gwendolynne Moore
is the first African-American woman to win a Wisconsin Senate seat.
The Coggs Family - Isaac
(1953-63), Marcia (1977-1991), G. Spencer (1983
-present) and Leon Young (1992 - present) is
one of the largest
representation from one family in Assembly history.
Representative Spencer Coggs was the
first African-American to serve in a leadership position, serving as Majority Caucus
Vice-Chairman for three terms, 1985 to 1990. Coggs also served as Majority Caucus
co-Sergeant at Arms for the 1995 session.
Representative Robert Turner is the
first non-Milwaukee African-American legislator to serve in an Assembly leadership
position. He was elected Democratic Caucus Sergeant at Arms in 1997.
Robert Turner was the first
African-American to serve in another leadership post for the 2003
session. He was elected to Caucus Chair.
Hispanics in the Assembly
The first Hispanic to be elected to the Wisconsin
Assembly was Pedro Colon, a Democrat from Milwaukee, elected in 1998.
Assembly Salaries Through the Years
(Click
here for a current list of salaries) |
| 1848 - |
$2.50 for each day’s
attendance. |
| 1868 - |
$350 per year with a $350 annual
stipend for Speaker. |
| 1883 - |
$500 per biennium with $500 biennial
stipend for Speaker. |
| 1931 - |
$100 per month for biennium with $25 per
month stipend for Speaker. |
| 1949 - |
Monthly room and board allowance not to
exceed $100 for any number of calendar months in regular or special session added to
salary. |
| 1951
- |
$200 per month. |
| 1957
- |
Monthly room and board allowance maximum
increased to $175. |
| 1963
- |
$300 per month and monthly allowance was
replaced by a $15 "per diem". |
| 1967
- |
$8,400 per year. |
| 1977
- |
$17,843 per year and maximum per diem
increased to $30. |
| 1987 - |
$29,992 per year and maximum per diem
increased to $55. |
| 1999
- |
$41,809 per year and a $75 per diem. |
| 2001
- |
$44,233 per year and a
$88 per diem. |
| 2003
- |
$45,569 per year and a
$88 per diem. Members of the Assembly that live in Dane County have a per diem of $44. |
| 2005
- |
$45,569 per year and a
$88 per diem. Members of the Assembly that live in Dane County
have a per diem of $44. |
| 2007 - |
$47,413 per year and a
$88 per diem. Members of the Assembly that live in Dane County have
a per diem of $44. |
Assembly Notables
Many notable men and women have passed through the
Assembly Chamber to serve Wisconsin in other governmental capacities. Following is a
list of those individuals and the positions they held. The (*) indicates current serving.
GOVERNOR
Anthony Earl, Patrick Lucey, Vernon W. Thomson, Tommy
Thompson
LT.
GOVERNOR
Patrick Lucey, Russell Olson, Margaret Farrow
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Grover L. Broadfoot, Vernon W. Thomson, Peggy
Lautenschlager
SECRETARY
OF STATE
Fred R. Zimmerman
STATE
TREASURER
Harold W. Clemens
Cate Zeuske
SUPERINTENDENT
OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Herbert J. Grover
FEDERAL
JUDGE
John Shabaz*
U.S.
SENATOR
Angus Cameron, Irvine L. Lenroot, William Proxmire, Joseph V.
Quarles
Philetus Sawyer, John C. Spooner, William F. Vilas
U. S. REPRESENTATIVE |
There have
been 59 Wisconsin Assembly members elected to the
House of Representatives, including most recently: |
Al Baldus
Tammy Baldwin*
Peter Barca
Tom Barrett
Harold Froehlich
Mark Green* |
Steve Gunderson
Jim Moody
David Obey
Tobias Roth
F. James Sensenbrenner*
Gerald Kleczka* |
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE |
Grover
L. Broadfoot
John B. Cassoday
Louis J. Ceci
William P. Lyon
Alfred W. Newman
Harlow S. Orton |
Silas
U. Pinney
David T. Prosser, Jr.*
E. Ray Stevens
David Taylor
Jon Wilcox* |
PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTMENTS |
Alexander
Randall, First
Wisconsinite to be named to a presidential cabinet post;
Postmaster General for President Andrew Johnson in 1866.
William F. Vilas, Postmaster General in 1885 and
Secretary of the Interior Department in 1888, named by President
Grover Cleveland.
Tommy G. Thompson*, Secretary of Department of
Health and Human Services, named by President George W. Bush. |
FEDERAL APPOINTMENTS |
Peter
Barca, Small Business Administration
Susan Engeleiter, Small Business Administration
Peggy Lautenschlager, US District Attorney
Tom Loftus, US Ambassador to Norway
Patrick Lucey, US Ambassador to Mexico
Betty Jo Nelsen, Department of Agriculture |
APPEALS, CIRCUIT & COUNTY COURT JUDGE |
Thomas
Barland
Michael Barron
Ervin M. Bruner
David Dancey
David Deininger*
William J. Duffy
Harold Froehlich*
Alexander Grant
Frederick Kessler |
Ernest
Keppler
Robert W. Landry
John McCormick*
Earl Schmidt
Harry Snyder*
Louise Tesmer
Mary Wagner-Malloy*
Joseph Wimmer |
STATE SENATOR
|
There have been
437
Wisconsin Assembly members elected to the
Wisconsin Senate, including the following 23 members of the 2005-2006 Session: |
Tim
Carpenter
Spencer Coggs
Robert Cowles
Alberta Darling
Michael Ellis
Glenn Grothman
Sheila Harsdorf
Robert Jauch
Neal Kedzie
Julie Lassa
Alan Lasee
Mary Lazich
Joseph Leibham |
Mark Miller
Luther Olsen
Jeff Plale
Fred Risser
Judy Robson
Carol Roessler
Dale Schultz
Lena Taylor
Robert Wirch
David Zien |
STATE AGENCY SECRETARY
|
LaVerne
Ausman, Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection
G. H. Bakke, Transportation
James Harsdorf, Agriculture, Trade
& Consumer Protection
Ben Brancel, Agriculture, Trade & Consumer
Protection
Dennis J. Conta, Revenue
Anthony Earl, Administration and Natural Resources
Patricia Goodrich, Health and Social Services
Robert Haase, Insurance Commission
Doris Hanson, Executive Director of TEACH Wisconsin
Jim Rutkowski*, Labor and Industry Review Commission
Carl Thompson, Labor & Industry Review Commission
Stanley York, Industry, Labor & Human Relations, & Public Service
Commission
Cate Zeuske, Secretary of Revenue
Antonio Riley*, Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development
Authority |
MAYOR |
John
Antaramian, Kenosha*
Jeannette Bell, West Allis*
Lawrence P. Kelly, Cudahy
John Medinger, LaCrosse* |
John
Norquist, Milwaukee*
John Robinson, Wausau
Harvey Stower, Amery* |
COUNTY EXECUTIVE |
Jonathon
Barry, Dane |
Assembly
Party Leaders
1941 to
present |
The office of Speaker
Pro Tempore was first used in 1959.
The offices of Assistant Majority and Minority Leaders were used sporadically until 1973. |
1941-43
Vernon W. Thomson (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Mark S. Catlin, Jr. (Rep) - Majority Leader
Andrew J. Biemiller (Prog) - Minority Leader
Robert E. Tehan (Dem) - Minority Leader
1943-45
Vernon W. Thomson (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Mark S. Catlin, Jr. (Rep) - Majority Leader
Elmer L. Genzmer (Dem) - Minority Leader
Lyall T. Beggs (Prog) - Minority Leader
1945-47
Donald C. McDowell (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Vernon W. Thomson (Rep) - Majority
Leader
William J. Nuss, Jr. (Rep) - Assistant Majority Leader
Lyall T. Beggs (Prog) - Minority Leader Leland S. McParland (Dem) - Minority Leader
Charles P. Greene (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader
1947-49
Donald C. McDowell (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Vernon W. Thomson (Rep) - Majority Leader
Fredrick Pfenning (Rep) - Assistant Majority Leader
Leland S. McParland (Dem) - Minority Leader
Robert E. Lynch (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader
1949-51
Alex L. Nicol (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Vernon W. Thomson (Rep) -Majority Leader
Leland S. McParland (Dem) - Minority Leader
George Molinaro (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader
1951-53
Ora R. Rice (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Arthur O. Mockrud (Rep) - Majority Leader
George Molinaro (Dem) - Minority Leader
1953-55
Ora R. Rice (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Mark S. Catlin, Jr. (Rep) - Majority Leader
George Molinaro (Dem) - Minority Leader
1955-57
Mark Catlin Jr., (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Robert G. Marotz (Rep) - Majority Leader
Robert T. Huber (Dem) - Minority Leader
Howard G. Pellant (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader
1957-59
Robert R. Marotz (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Warren A. Grady (Rep) - Majority Leader
Robert T. Huber (Dem) - Minority Leader
Keith Hardie (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader
1959-61
George Molinaro (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
Robert T. Huber (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Keith Hardie (Dem) - Majority Leader
Allen Flannigan (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
David J. Blanchard (Rep) - Minority Leader
Jerris Leonard (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1961-63
David J. Blanchard (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Willis J. Hutnik ( Rep) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Robert D. Haase (Rep) - Majority Leader
Paul R. Alfonsi (Rep) - Assistant Majority Leader
Robert T. Huber (Dem) - Minority Leader
William W. Ward (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader
1963-65
Robert D. Haase (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Harold W. Clemens (Rep) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Paul R. Alfonsi (Rep) - Majority Leader
Robert T. Huber (Dem) - Minority Leader
1965-67
Robert T. Huber (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
George Molinaro (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Frank L. Nikolay (Dem) - Majority Leader
Robert D. Haase (Rep) - Minority Leader
Paul J. Alfonsi (Rep) - Minority Leader
(Alfonsi elected to succeed Haase, who resigned)
1967-69
Harold V. Froehlich (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Elmer C. Nitschke (Rep) - Speaker Pro Tempore
J.Curtis McKay (Rep) - Majority Leader
Robert T. Huber (Dem) - Minority Leader
1969-71
Harold V. Froehlich (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Elmer C. Nitschke (Rep) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Paul R. Alfonsi (Rep) - Majority Leader
Robert T. Huber (Dem) - Minority Leader
1971-73
Robert T. Huber (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
Norman C. Anderson (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
(Anderson succeeded Huber, who resigned to accept appointment as Chairman of the Highway
Commission)
Joseph Sweda (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Norman C. Anderson (Dem) - Majority Leader
Anthony S. Earl (Dem) - Majority Leader
(Earl succeeded Anderson who became Speaker when Robert Huber resigned)
Harold V. Froehlich (Rep) - Minority Leader
1973-75
Norman C. Anderson (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
Joseph Sweda (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Anthony S. Earl (Dem) - Majority Leader
Alvin Baldus (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
John C. Shabaz (Rep) - Minority Leader
Tommy G. Thompson (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1975-77
Norman C. Anderson (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
Edward G. Jackamonis (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Terry A. Willkom (Dem) - Majority Leader
James W. Wahner (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
John C. Shabaz (Rep) - Minority Leader
Tommy G. Thompson (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1977-79
Edward G. Jackamonis (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
Michael P. Early (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
James A. Wahner (Dem) - Majority Leader
R. Michael Ferrall (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
John C. Shabaz (Rep) - Minority Leader
Tommy G. Thompson (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1979-81
Edward G. Jackamonis (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
David R. Kedrowski (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
James W. Wahner (Dem) - Majority Leader
R. Michael Ferrall (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
John C. Shabaz (Rep) - Minority Leader
Tommy G. Thompson (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1981-83
Edward G. Jackamonis (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
Louise Tesmer (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Thomas A. Loftus (Dem) - Majority Leader
Chester A. Gerlach (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
John C. Shabaz (Rep) - Minority Leader
Tommy G. Thompson (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1983-85
Thomas A. Loftus (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
David E. Clarenbach (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Gary K. Johnson (Dem) - Majority Leader
Richard Shoemaker (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
Tommy G. Thompson (Rep) - Minority Leader
Robert Travis, Jr. (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1985-87
Thomas A. Loftus (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
David E. Clarenbach (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Dismas Becker (Dem) - Majority Leader
John Medinger (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
Tommy G. Thompson (Rep) - Minority Leader
Robert Travis, Jr. (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1987-89
Thomas A. Loftus (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
David E. Clarenbach (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Thomas A. Hauke (Dem) - Majority Leader
John Medinger (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
Betty Jo Nelsen (Rep) - Minority Leader
Joseph Tregoning (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1989-91
Thomas A. Loftus (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
David E. Clarenbach (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Thomas A. Hauke (Dem) - Majority Leader
Marlin D. Schneider (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
David T. Prosser (Rep) - Minority Leader
Randall J. Radtke (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1991-93
Walter J. Kunicki (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
David E. Clarenbach (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
David M. Travis (Dem) - Majority Leader
Barbara Notestein (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
David T. Prosser (Rep) - Minority Leader
Randall J. Radtke (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1993-95
Walter J. Kunicki (Dem) - Assembly Speaker
Tim Carpenter (Dem) - Speaker Pro Tempore
David M. Travis (Dem) - Majority Leader
Barbara Notestein (Dem) - Assistant Majority Leader
David T. Prosser (Rep) - Minority Leader
Robert T. Welch - (Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
1995-97
David T. Prosser (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Stephen J. Freese (Rep) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Scott R. Jensen (Rep) - Majority Leader
Judith Klusman (Rep) - Assistant Majority Leader
Walter J. Kunicki (Dem) - Minority Leader
Marlin D. Schneider (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader
1997-99
Ben Brancel (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Scott R. Jensen (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
(Jensen elected Speaker when Brancel resigned to accept position as Secretary of
Department of
Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection)
Stephen J. Freese (Rep) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Steven M. Foti (Rep) - Majority Leader
Bonnie Ladwig (Rep) - Assistant Majority Leader
Walter J. Kunicki (Dem) - Minority Leader
Shirley Krug (Dem) - Minority Leader
(Krug was elected when Kunicki announced he would not seek re-election and resigned to
accept a position in the private sector)
Marlin D. Schneider (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader
1999-2000
Scott Jensen (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Stephen J. Freese (Rep) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Steven M. Foti (Rep) - Majority Leader
Bonnie Ladwig (Rep) - Assistant Majority Leader
Shirley Krug (Dem) - Minority Leader
Marlin D. Schneider (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader 2001-2002
Scott Jensen (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Stephen J. Freese (Rep) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Steven M. Foti (Rep) - Majority Leader
Bonnie Ladwig (Rep) - Assistant Majority Leader
Shirley Krug (Dem) - Minority Leader - January 3, 2001 through May 1, 2001
Spencer Black (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader - resigned on May 1,
2001
Spencer Black (Dem) - Minority Leader elected on May 1, 2001
James Kreuser (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader elected on May 1, 2001 2003-2004
John Gard (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Stephen J. Freese (Rep) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Steven M. Foti (Rep) - Majority Leader
Jean Hundertmark
(Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
James Kreuser (Dem) - Minority Leader
Jon Richards (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader 2005-2006
John Gard (Rep) - Assembly Speaker
Stephen J. Freese (Rep) - Speaker Pro Tempore
Michael Huebsch (Rep) - Majority Leader
Jeff Fitzgerald
(Rep) - Assistant Minority Leader
James Kreuser (Dem) - Minority Leader
Jon Richards (Dem) - Assistant Minority Leader |
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