Fred Risser facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fred A. Risser
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Risser in 2009
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| President of the Wisconsin Senate | |
| In office July 17, 2012 – January 7, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Michael G. Ellis |
| Succeeded by | Michael G. Ellis |
| In office January 8, 2007 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Alan Lasee |
| Succeeded by | Michael G. Ellis |
| In office January 4, 1999 – January 6, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Brian Rude |
| Succeeded by | Alan Lasee |
| In office July 9, 1996 – April 21, 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Brian Rude |
| Succeeded by | Brian Rude |
| In office May 1, 1979 – January 9, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Russell Olson |
| Succeeded by | Brian Rude |
| President pro tempore of the Wisconsin Senate | |
| In office January 6, 1975 – May 1, 1979 |
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| Preceded by | Robert P. Knowles |
| Succeeded by | Vacant until 1983 William A. Bablitch (1983) |
| Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 26th district |
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| In office December 1, 1962 – January 4, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Horace W. Wilkie |
| Succeeded by | Kelda Roys |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Dane 2nd district |
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| In office January 7, 1957 – December 1, 1962 |
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| Preceded by | Ivan A. Nestingen |
| Succeeded by | Edward Nager |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 5, 1927 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Nancy Risser |
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| Relatives | Ernest Warner (grandfather) Clement Warner (great-grandfather) |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin University of Oregon |
| Profession | Legislator |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1945–1946 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Fred A. Risser (born May 5, 1927) is a retired American politician from Madison, Wisconsin. He was a member of the Democratic Party. He holds a special record: he served longer in a state legislature than anyone else in American history! He spent 58 years in the Wisconsin State Senate and six years in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Risser represented most of Madison, including the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. He was the president of the Senate for 26 years and never lost an election. By 2019, Risser was the last World War II veteran serving as a state legislator in the United States. He was also the fourth generation of his family to serve in the state legislature. His father, Fred E. Risser, represented the same state senate district from 1937 to 1949.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Risser was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on May 5, 1927. He came from a family with a long history in Wisconsin politics. His father, Fred E. Risser, his grandfather, Ernest Warner, and his great-grandfather, Clement Warner, all served as Wisconsin legislators. They represented parts of Dane County.
Risser served in the United States Navy during World War II. He joined the Navy in 1945, just before he graduated from high school. He worked as a medic and served in Newport, Rhode Island, and the Panama Canal Zone.
After the war, Risser used the G.I. Bill to go to college. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Carleton College. He then earned a law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law. He became a lawyer in both Wisconsin and Oregon.
Serving in the Wisconsin Legislature
Wisconsin Assembly Role
Risser was first elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1956. He took over from Ivan A. Nestingen, who became mayor of Madison. Risser was re-elected in 1958 and 1960. In 1962, he was elected to the state Senate in a special election. This happened when Horace W. Wilkie was appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Edward Nager then took Risser's place in the Assembly.
Wisconsin Senate Leadership
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Risser was elected to a full term in the Senate in 1964. He was re-elected every four years until he retired. He quickly became a leader, becoming the minority leader in 1967. He said this was because he studied parliamentary procedure very carefully.
When the Democrats gained the majority in the Senate in 1974, Risser was elected as president pro tempore. This role meant he would lead the Senate when the President was not there. He continued in this role until 1979. At that time, a change in the state constitution separated the jobs of Lieutenant Governor and President of the Senate.
On May 1, 1979, Risser was elected President of the Senate. He held this important position for 16 years straight. He was returned to the office of president whenever the Democrats held the majority in the Senate. In total, he served about 26 years as President of the Senate.
2011 Wisconsin Protests
During the protests in Wisconsin in 2011, Risser and 13 other Democratic State Senators left the state. They did this to prevent the Senate from having enough members to vote on a bill. This bill was called the "Budget Repair" legislation, proposed by Governor Scott Walker.
Retirement from Politics
On March 26, 2020, Risser announced that he would not run for re-election. This meant he would retire from his long career in the legislature in November 2020.
Other Political Activities
Risser was a delegate to the 1960 Democratic National Convention and the 1964 Democratic National Convention. These conventions are where political parties choose their presidential candidates. He also served as the Chair of Wisconsin's Presidential electors during the 1964 presidential election. Presidential electors are people who formally cast votes for president after the public election.
Personal Life
Risser's first wife, Betty, passed away after 21 years of marriage. He is now married to Nancy Risser, who was a Spanish teacher. Fred Risser has three children and several grandchildren.
