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Fred Risser

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the Democratic state senator and former state representative. For his father, the Progressive state senator, see Fred Risser (Progressive politician).

Fred Risser
Risser in 2009
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 26th district
In office
December 1, 1962 – January 4, 2021
Preceded byHorace W. Wilkie
Succeeded byKelda Roys
President of the Wisconsin Senate
In office
July 17, 2012 – January 7, 2013
Preceded byMichael G. Ellis
Succeeded byMichael G. Ellis
In office
January 8, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byAlan Lasee
Succeeded byMichael G. Ellis
In office
January 4, 1999 – January 6, 2003
Preceded byBrian Rude
Succeeded byAlan Lasee
In office
July 9, 1996 – April 21, 1998
Preceded byBrian Rude
Succeeded byBrian Rude
In office
May 1, 1979 – January 9, 1995
Preceded byRussell Olson
Succeeded byBrian Rude
President pro tempore of the Wisconsin Senate
In office
January 6, 1975 – May 1, 1979
Preceded byRobert P. Knowles
Succeeded byVacant until 1983
William A. Bablitch (1983)
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Dane 2nd district
In office
January 7, 1957 – December 1, 1962
Preceded byIvan A. Nestingen
Succeeded byEdward Nager
Personal details
Born (1927-05-05) May 5, 1927 (age 98)
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
SpouseNancy Risser
Parent
RelativesErnest Warner (grandfather)
Clement Warner (great-grandfather)
Alma materUniversity of Oregon (BA, LLB)
ProfessionLegislator
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy
Years of service1945–1946
Battles/warsWorld War II

Fred A. Risser (born May 5, 1927) is a retired American politician and attorney from the state of Wisconsin. A Democrat from Madison, Risser was a member of the Wisconsin Legislature from 1957 to 2021. At the time of his retirement, he was the longest-tenured American state legislator in history. He served for six years in the Wisconsin State Assembly and served for 58 years in the Wisconsin Senate.

Early life, education and career

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Risser was born in Madison, Wisconsin on May 5, 1927[1] into a prolific Wisconsin political family. Risser's father (Fred E. Risser), grandfather (Ernest Warner), and great-grandfather (Clement Warner) were all Wisconsin legislators representing part or all of Dane County, although none were Democrats.[2] Risser's father was a member of the State Senate for 12 years.[3]

Risser served in the United States Navy during World War II from 1945 to 1946.[4] He was sworn into the Navy shortly before his high school graduation and Victory in Europe Day. He was a medic and served in Newport, Rhode Island, and the Panama Canal Zone.[5]

Risser used the G.I. Bill to attend college, attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Carleton College before transferring to the University of Oregon. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Oregon in 1950 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1952. Risser became a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and the Oregon State Bar and practiced law in Wisconsin.[5][6]

Wisconsin Legislature

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A Democrat,[7] Risser served for six years in the Wisconsin Assembly (1957-1963) and 58 years in the Wisconsin Senate (1963-2021).[7][3] He represented most of the city of Madison, including the campus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[8][dead link]

By 2019, Risser was the only World War II veteran serving as a state legislator in the United States.[9] At the time of his 2021 retirement, Risser was the longest-tenured state legislator in the history of the United States.[7][3] He is known as a progressive,[10][11] and has passed legislation allowing contraceptives to be sold to unmarried persons and banning smoking in indoor establishments.[12] Risser has never lost an election.[8][dead link]

Wisconsin Assembly

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Risser was first elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1956, succeeding fellow Democrat Ivan A. Nestingen (who had resigned in April of that year after he was elected mayor of Madison). He was re-elected in 1958 and 1960. Risser left the Assembly in 1963[3] after being elected to the state Senate in 1962. He was succeeded in the Wisconsin Assembly by fellow Democrat Edward Nager.[1]

Wisconsin Senate

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Risser was elected to the state Senate in a 1962 special election triggered by the appointment of Horace W. Wilkie to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.[1] He was elected to a full term in 1964 and was reelected every four years until his retirement.[5][failed verification] He rose through the ranks quickly, becoming the minority leader in 1967[1] due to his intense study of parliamentary procedure.[2] After the Democrats gained the Senate majority in the 1974 election, Risser was elected as president pro tempore beginning in the 1975 session. He continued as president pro tempore until a state constitutional amendment in 1979 separated the offices of Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin and President of the Senate. When the amendment was certified on May 1, 1979, Risser was elected president of the Senate and the office of president pro tempore became defunct for a number of years. Risser held the office of president of the Senate continuously for the next 16 years, until Democrats lost the majority in the 1994 election. He was returned to the office of president every time the Democrats held the majority in the subsequent 20 years.[8][dead link] Risser served as Senate Majority Leader for 25 years.[13]

2011 Wisconsin protests

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See also: 2011 Wisconsin protests § Legislative walkout
Risser speaking at the March 12, 2011, protest outside of the Wisconsin State Capitol

During the 2011 protests in Wisconsin, Risser, along with the 13 other Democratic State Senators, left the state to deny the State Senate a quorum on Governor Scott Walker's "Budget Repair" legislation.[14][12]

Retirement

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On March 26, 2020, Risser announced that he would not run for re-election in November 2020.[15][16][17] He left office in 2021 at the age of 93.[7]

Other political involvement

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Risser was a delegate to both the 1960 Democratic National Convention and the 1964 Democratic National Convention. He served as chair of Wisconsin's presidential electors during the 1964 presidential election.[1]

Personal life

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Risser's first wife, Betty, died after 21 years of marriage.[18] Risser is married to Nancy Risser, a retired Spanish teacher.[19] He has three children and several grandchildren.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V., eds. (1973). "Biography" (PDF). Wisconsin Blue Book 1973-1974. Wisconsin's Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 72. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Frank Bures, "Backstory: The iron man of state politics", The Christian Science Monitor, March 1, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d "Fred Risser, "Forward For The People: The Autobiography of America's Longest Serving Legislator"". wortfm.org. September 2, 2025.
  4. ^ Toepel, M. G.; Kuehn, Hazel L., eds. (1958). "Biographies". The Wisconsin Blue Book 1958 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Library. p. 37. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Wolf, March (July 15, 2013). "Six Who Served". State Legislatures Magazine. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  6. ^ "Bar People: Among Ourselves". Oregon State Bar Bulletin. September 1, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d Potter, Steven (October 23, 2024). "How old are Wisconsin's lawmakers and how much do voters care?". PBS Wisconsin.
  8. ^ a b c "Fred Risser". Wisconsin Senate Democrats.
  9. ^ "In Memoriam: New Mexico Senator John Pinto". The NCSL Blog. National Conference of State Legislatures. May 29, 2019. Archived from the original on June 18, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  10. ^ "The Autobiography of America's Longest Serving Legislator". Wisconsin Historical Society. June 11, 2025.
  11. ^ "Fred Risser". Isthmus. July 21, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c Ivey, Mike (April 27, 2017). "The lifer". Isthmus. Madison, Wisconsin.
  13. ^ Marley, Patrick (March 26, 2020). "Fred Risser, the longest-serving legislator in the country, is retiring after 64 years in office". Journal Sentinel.
  14. ^ Rhodes, Dawn; Branson-Potts, Hailey; Meyer, Erin (February 21, 2011). "Wisconsin senators living day-to-day south of border". Chicago Tribune.
  15. ^ Johnson, Shawn (March 26, 2020). "Fred Risser, Nation's Longest-Serving State Legislator, To Retire". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  16. ^ Sigfusson, Lauren (March 26, 2020). "Longest-Serving Legislator Fred Risser Won't Seek Reelection". WUWM. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  17. ^ Risser, Senator Fred [@SenRisser] (March 26, 2020). "After 64 years representing Madison in the State Assembly and State Senate, I have decided not the stand for re-election" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020 – via Twitter.
  18. ^ Sommerhauser, Mark (May 19, 2017). "In 60-year legislative career, Fred Risser has learned to take the long view". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  19. ^ Comp, Nathan J. (July 18, 2015). "Urban oasis". Isthmus.
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